What's in the water??

In honor of Blog Action Day 2010, this post is dedicated to water, the highs and the lows of it.  From the cystal clear waters of the Caribbean Sea to the cold arctic glaciers that form around Alaska. We can't live without it, we swim in it, we ski on it but most of all we drink it. Anyone who's ever endured a hot steamy summer in the New York City, knows what it feels like to be dehydrated. That's when we burst open the fire hydrants and bask in the refreshing waters that flow from it. When water pours down our tongue quenching every thirst, its the sweetest taste known to man. Water was made for times like these and anyone who lives in a fairly developed country knows the joys of water.

Yet there are those who only know the anguish that comes water. Their water is different, it is filled with bacteria, debris, and feces. They bath, defecate and drink in the same water and never complain, because they don't have any other choice. I remember traveling to Haiti in 2008 for missions and working with the children from the ravines of Port-Au-Prince. Their water was murky brown and children played in it as if it was priceless gold they ran back and forth barefoot, bringing its brown stains into their homes. When we held the feeding program each day, the highlight of it was when it came time to pour the clean water from a donated well, into the cups the children were holding. Their smiles said it all; the water was good and they wanted more and more. Unfortunately it was more than we could give out and we had to turn some of the kids away. There was only so much water for each day's meal. Clean water as it turned out was a rare commodity.

The same was true a couple of months ago when I had the opportunity to travel to the Philippines on another missions trip. The sad part of it was that those of us who were from America couldn't drink the water that the locals drank. Their water was filled with bacteria and all kinds of toxins. I remember when one of my teammates accidentally drank a cup of fruit punch after it was made with the water, he was sick for two days. Not only did he run a fever and throw up constantly, but his body felt the "aftershocks" of the diseased water for days long after. Yet the people of this small town, drank it, cooked with it, and bathed in this same diseased water. The effects of it were seen on their rotted teeth and sallow skin. This was their water.

When I think back to these times and the people that I've met around the world who only know the kind of water that destroys the body, it makes my heart sad. I thank God every day that I live in a country where clean water flows from the pipe. As I drink it, I think about those who will never have this kind of water and although I can't physically go to every country and hand each person a bottle of clean water, there are many organizations out there that can. Through organizations such as Charity:Water and many others, millions of people around the world can experience the joys of clean water. Clean water no longer needs to be a rare commodity that only certain people can enjoy. It's a basic human right that needs to be shared, running over, filled to the brim from every village in Africa, Asia and region of this world. So to answer the question, what's in the water? We are in the water.  Our love for humanity that will compel us to donate, serve or do anything we can to make water a joy for everyone.

To find out more about how you can help, please visit Blog Action Day 2010.