clean water to drink

Clean water is definitely something I take advantage of, many times a day, every day. I fill up my Nalgene before I go run and after I go run and many times in between. I don't even think twice about it.

And in all reality, it's almost unimaginable to me to think that there are so many people around the world who cannot take that for granted, who don't have clean water to drink. Who have water to drink that can make them sick because of what is in it.

And it's a simple fix, really. There's a relatively cheap solution that someone can dump in their water in Africa that will purify it. Or a pump can be bought for a few families to share, to provide clean water. Or, a well can be dug in a village to provide clean water, which is the best option, albeit the most expensive. It cost about a thousand dollars, give or take a little depending upon the time and location of the well being put in.

And so this is what Landon and I are running our marathon for--we're each raising $500.00, so that the money that we raise by running the Chicago marathon will be enough to provide a village in Kenya, where there currently is not clean drinking water, with a source of clean water. When we're dragging ourselves out of bed to go run in the early morning heat, I try to remember the people who will benefit from all of the money that will be sent their way in October and it makes me so excited!

I first want to give a shout out to my youngest brother, Michael, who made the first contribution to our fund (thanks Michael!!) and to my Dad, who continued it on (thanks Dad!!). And now I'd like to ask you, those of you reading this blog, to consider donating. It is such a worthy cause, just a practical need that we have the power and privilege to meet, to provide, for a group of people whom we will probably never meet on this side of heaven. And in doing so, we have the chance to share Christ and his love with them. Because that's why World Vision does all of the practical need meeting, the providing of physical things such as water wells and goats and chickens and seeds and farming equipment and school supplies--to show the love of Jesus Christ to people all around the world.

If you would like to help us meet this need, to help raise the money to put a well in a village in Kenya and give them the gift of clean drinking water, just click on the "donate" button on the side where it says Team Speights Fundraising.

If you cannot donate monetarily, please keep us in your prayers as we continue training for the marathon and as we run it, but more than that, please be praying for the countries and villages that we are raising money for and for all of the ways that World Vision will be able to improve the physical quality of life of the people in those countries and villages, and, most importantly, for them to come to know Christ or be encouraged in their relationship with Him!