2.17.11

I was reading through a recent publication from Compassion International and my heart began to rip out of my chest.  My wife began to read to me from a page of statistics.  I have been bombarded by so many stats in my life and so often they don’t really unsettle me, but this time they did.  Let me share some of them with you:

50% of the world’s hospitalizations are due to water-related illnesses.

1 in 5 children die from diarrhea–that’s more than AIDS, malaria, and measles combined.

1.5 million children die of waterborne illnesses every year.

Being a father, these kinds of stats rattle me to my core.  I can’t stand idly by and wait for someone else to step out.  Thus my reason for being a part of this team.  Being in Haiti last spring put even more perspective on the whole situation.  Seeing a man bend down and drink from a dirty puddle as if it was normal.  Seeing kids use empty water bottles to get drinks from puddles.  Seeing the creeks overflowing with trash.  The foul smell  as we stood next to the water front because it was so full of waste.  Images I can’t erase.

So consider pledging and joining the cause.