Pour IN Everything. Water.
When I was a child, I would occasionally drink a Sprite or root beer. Not often. The only juice I remember drinking is tomato juice and grapefruit juice. Grape juice for communion. Egg nog at Christmas. We didn't drink milk, but sometimes we would drink buttermilk. My favorite drink was water. I always wanted water, and more water. I didn't like kool-aid and I didn't like tea. I was never offered coffee. Water is what I always wanted. I am 50 years old, and water is still my preferred drink. I love water. I love to drink water. Good, clean water.
I'll tell this story later, but water is one of the first things I loved about Hot Springs, where I now call home. I first visited in 1993, when I was 20. I loved right away that Hot Springs is a National Park because of water.
There are many needs in the world, but one pressing physical need that 1/10 people still face, is the need for access to safe, clean drinking water. I have no idea when I first became aware that not everyone has access to pure drinking water, but my personal love for drinking water, and my gift of giving, instantly collaborated and became a desire to participate in the quest to provide access to safe, clean drinking water for every family on earth. The promise of Abraham is that every family on earth will be blessed through his seed. I am a daughter of Abraham. He is the father of my faith. So this promise is to me also, and with the promise, comes the desire to see it fulfilled. Ultimately, this fulfillment is through the gospel, reaching every tongue, tribe, and nation. One way this can happen, is with water.
Scott Harrison, founder of charity: water, has a beautiful story of God's redemption in his life. He was transformed and came to see the needs of others as more important than his own. His book, Thirst, is well worth reading, or listening to, and I have done both. You can also find his story on YouTube. His passion and strategy for getting clean water to every person on the planet cheers and informs my own desire, and I am grateful for such a creative and committed champion to the cause.
There are 5 organizations that I have had my eye on for awhile now: Scott Harrison's charity:water, Neverthirst, Lifewater, water for good, and water4. I will share more about each one in the future, and why I chose to follow and pray for and support them.
Water is poured before we drink it. The gift of water is one of the compelling reasons I made PINE my life motto. Pour IN Everything. Everything begins with water!
