This year I am turning 25 and I have chosen to give up my birthday to help the billions out there that do not have access to clean water. I never thought that I would want to give up my birthday to help others, but that is the changing power of Jesus Christ within me. All of my birthdays have always been about stuff. Stuff I don't want and stuff I definitely don't need.

So instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for $25 or more from everyone I know because its my 25th birthday. It's not going to me, though. All of it is going to build freshwater wells for people in developing nations.

A billion people in the world are living without clean water - but how much are they really living? Millions contract deadly diseases from contaminated water. 45,000 people will die this week alone. The lucky ones won't, but still walk hours each day to get dirty water to give to their families.

My birthday wish this year is not for more gifts I don't need; it's to give clean and safe drinking water to some of the billion living without it. I want to make my birthday matter this year.

Please join me. I would like to thank you in advance for the amount that you are giving. Please donate even that small amount that you are going to buy on a birthday card, Hallmark can survive without that purchase.

please note: Because of charity: water's unique model, 100% of all donations go directly to direct water projects costs, and each donation is "proved" and tracked to the village it helped when projects are complete.