What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not
have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly
clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in
peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for
the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not
have works, is dead.
James 2:14-17
It is unimaginable to me to think that there are people on this earth who, in 2012, with all the technology and industrial advances that we have at our finger tips, still do not have the most basic fundamental necessities. Something as simple as a clean glass of water.
Yet here we are in 2012. I lay in bed on my laptop watching my flat screen television, my daughter is on the floor playing with her pile of toys, clothed, warm and fed. Two cars are in my drive way. My mortgage is paid for this month.Yet I dare say that I am lacking things in my life. I do say it. I'll admit in times of weakness and self absorption I will say "I am poor". I am far from poor. I will stop myself next time I go to say anything remotely close to that again.
Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’
Matthew 25:44-45
What I am about to say next SHOULD actually make your jaw drop. What I am about to say SHOULD feel like someone has punched you in the stomach. It should enrage you to the point that you are moved to do something. Brace yourself. Please.
3.4 million people die each year from water related diseases.
780 million people lack access to clean water.
Read those numbers again and try to understand that magnitude and seriousness of them. Now look around you. Forget about not having the latest iPhone or latest gaming console. Forget about not having high speed internet or the latest fashion trends hanging in your closet. Forget about the take out we order way too often. Imagine all of it gone. Imagine not being able to have one simple glass of clean water.
You can't, can you? Me either.
Lack of access to clean water and sanitation kills children at a rate equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every four hours.
I am writing this blog to make you feel guilty. The truth is, we SHOULD feel guilty. There is no way to justify watching our brothers and sisters suffer. Are we all bad people? No. But we are jaded with our everyday life and forget that we are truly blessed.
Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2
Jon Olson and the folks at Tim Tech have come up with an amazing program called Traffic Exchange Cares.
It is a foundation where 100 % of the proceeds go directly to clean water projects in developing nations. By clicking the website above you can see exactly where each dollar goes. The villages it helps. And the amazing contribution these guys have made with collecting donations already.
From what I understand, this project is far from complete in the eyes of Tim Tech. They have no desire to slow down. In fact, with each dollar they receive in donations just motivates them to push harder and promote more. And it should. When you see the good your effort and hard work is doing in this world, how can it not motivate you?
Today, Traffic Exchange Cares reached its goal $1000. WHICH IS AMAZING! But does that mean that we pack up and stop donating? Absolutely not. Reaching their goal I'm sure was an amazing feeling but hearing that they did that motivated me to write this blog. To spread the word. And next week when I have some extra money not tied in bills, I will be donating. You can hold me to that because it's in writing.
I urge you to dig deep in your pockets and even if it is just a couple of dollars, those dollars add up. My grandfather used to say "Take care of your pennies and after awhile your dollars will take care of themselves"
If 10,000 people gave $5 that's $50,000! Can you imagine how many clean wells and pumps that $50,000 could provide?
I urge you to promote this link. Send it to your friends and spread the message.
http://mycharitywater.org/tecare6
Give what you can and don't stop giving.
Until next time,
Janelle
It is said to think in this day and age that this is still such a problem. I commend Jon and the whole TimTech team for getting behind this charity. As Jon said last night, there is nothing inherently political, religious, or biased about it making this a perfect cause for the entire community to get behind and give back to the world.
ReplyDeleteThank you Janelle for furthering the cause.
Marian Gurowicz
Great insight on a very serious issue! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the biblical context on all of this. When i went to Haiti last year it put in perspective how blessed i am even though sometimes I view myself as "poor" Water is something we all take for granted in our "blessed" nations
ReplyDelete