I used to hate drinking water. It’s not that our water tasted bad when I was growing up, it’s just that it wasn’t laden with sugar like Kool-Aid and Dr. Pepper. I never fully appreciated water until I lived in Latin America where clean, fresh, parasite-free water was not always available.
In Honduras, we’d go visit friends in villages and they would be drinking untreated, unfiltered water straight from the river. The same river where people washed themselves and their clothes and where their livestock also bathed and pooped. Even though it was hot and humid, we usually asked for hot tea because then at least the water had to be boiled. When there was a little trucha (a small neighborhood store sometimes in the living room of someone’s home), soft drinks would be available, but the sugar in them made me sick. This was in the years before bottled water was a thing (yes, I’m that old). The result was I began to appreciate water. Pure. Clean. Water.
Now, I never take water for granted.
There are so many problems and challenges across the globe. But one thing we all require, and which should be available, is good, clean water.
More than 660 million people around the world don’t have the choices we do for clean water. Water is often muddy, polluted, or filled with parasites. It might be scarce as it is becoming increasingly so in many places.
For my birthday this year, when I blow out the candles, my wish will be for everyone everywhere to have clean, pure water.
To that end, my goal this year is for to raise $300 for Charity Water. I joined their monthly donation program, The Spring, this year and every month knew my money would help provide access to clean water for someone.
We have so many first world problems. Perhaps we can do something to help solve problems for those who have life challenges which are more fundamental than ours.
If you want to donate, please use my donation page so we can track the amount raised.
You can read more about the global water crisis and watch the video that explains more.
Thanks!
ALSO, if you’re in the Las Cruces area on November 2nd, please drop in by my open studio from 5-8 pm at 221 N. Main (the studio is in the hallway behind the M. Phillips Gallery). I hope to see you there.