How My Coffee Habit is Helping the Thirsty

I shared with you that my family is celebrating Lent these next forty days.  Most people who participate in Lent “give something up” or “do more of something” to help them focus on Christ and His sacrifice.

We, as a family, are committing to do both.  We are “giving up” what we have in excess and “doing something” to help others this Lent season.

And we are doing it by drinking WATER.

Earlier this semester, my kids and I visited the Living Water International Headquarters right here in Houston.

We had a very eye-opening experience.

Did you know that 1 out of 9 people in the world do not have clean water to drink?

Many women and children spend on average 20 hours a week walking to get contaminated water.  Some even walk 7 miles a day!

Water-related diseases cause 2.2 million deaths a year.  Ninety percent of those could be alleviated with clean water, a toilet, and thorough hand washing.  

Half of the world has not heard the good news of Jesus Christ.

Bad news folks.  

Good news is that Living Water International was created to serve these very people all around the world.

LWI is an organization that exists to help provide clean water to people groups worldwide who are in desperate need.  They raise money to build wells that provide safe, clean water for the people to drink.  They help educate the people they serve on sanitation and hygiene so they can protect themselves from harmful diseases caused by unclean water.  Most of all, they desire to share Jesus, our “living water” who can truly satisfy.

While visiting their office, the kids and I got to experience pumping one of their wells, carrying heavy water jugs just like the women do, and wash our own hands from the very system they helped create in the villages they serve.

It’s impossible to leave there and not want to take action.  It’s hard to believe that something so simple we take for granted, like water, is not available to everyone…especially children.

We want to help, and we are inviting YOU to join us too.  

The H2O Project is really simple.  We drink water to give water.  For the lent season, I am choosing to drink water instead of coffee and oh, my beloved Dr. Pepper.  The money I would spend on my beverages, I will donate to Living Water International instead.  Y’all–I am probably going to be so embarrassed to find out how much money I spend on Starbucks frappuchinos, and Sonic vanilla Dr. Peppers!  But–I am so glad to give that money towards this ministry (and drink the water that is really good for me).

For the kids, I am encouraging them to drink more water!  I put some rubber bands on their favorite cups to help keep track.  Every time they drink all their water in the cup, they give me a rubber band.  I exchange it for a quarter, and they drop it into the bucket for LWI.  They are loving this!

I’m loving this project because it is super easy to remember to do.  We all have to drink, and it’s a win/win when you drink more water–it’s good for you and it helps save lives through LWI!  

On Easter, we will make our donation online at Living Water International and help share a cup of water in Jesus’ name!  

I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going.  Two days down, and I’ve already had to put in $5 for the coffee I wanted both days.  Lord, have mercy!

So, whether you join us, or you are doing something else this Lent season–I encourage you to just. do. it!  Write that friend you have been wanting to for weeks, make that meal for a neighbor, memorize scripture, pray for your children, eat less dessert, whatever it is that would help you to remember often to stop. pray. think upon Jesus…then let’s do it friends!  And let’s encourage each other along the way!

Please comment below if you would like to take the H2O challenge with us, or share any other ways you are celebrating Lent this season.  

{Read more here about Living Water International.}