During Lent we can give the gift of water to 1,000's of people. It's not doing more, but doing less.

Next Wednesday, February 18, 2015 is Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. It is a day when faithful people around the world receive ashes on our foreheads to remind us we are dust, and to dust we will return. But it does not stop with ashes. It is an invitation for us to spend the season of Lent reflecting on the messiness and brokenness in our hearts and souls. Along with reflection, the Lenten Season is forty days of fasting as we prepare for the Resurrection.

This year I have chosen to fast from drinking anything but tap water. To be clear, that means: no coffee, no beer, no juice, no whiskey, no milk, no wine, no soda … (I think you get the idea). That translates into saving money.

Because anytime I would normally stop by a coffee shop for a $2.00 cup of coffee I will take that $2.00 and put it in an envelope. Every time I would normally buy juice at the grocery store, I will take that $3.50 and put it in an envelope. Rather than a glass of wine at dinner, or drinking a beer with friends I will take that money and put it in an envelope … (again, I think you get the idea).

I have figured out that over the course of forty days I will put away well over $200.00. What does that mean?

It means more people will have access to clean water and education about sanitation. Which means less illness and fewer deaths. According to Charity : Water every $1 donated will not only improve water supply and sanitation, but can yield from $4 to $12 for the local economy.
Which means clean water transforms lives, communities and generations. And we can be a part of this simply by drinking tap water for forty days.

100% of the money will be used to build clean water projects, and when they’re complete, charity: water will send us photos and GPS coordinates so we can see the exact community we helped.

I invite you to join many others and me during this Lenten Season in changing lives and communities one drop of water at a time. I am not asking you to do more; I am simply asking you to do less.