Make Something, Learn Something, Love People

“Every day we make something, we learn something, and we try to love people.”

That’s the goal, every day, for the Lowe family from Abilene, Texas.

We met Matt, Amy and their two children, Liam and Mary when they called recently about starting a fundraising page so that Liam, pictured here with Dad, could love people by helping build wells in Africa.

As we read through Liam’s page, we met a remarkable young man who has spent many months over the last year battling leukemia in a Texas hospital.  Things had been going well.  Liam had even recently been home for a month in Abilene, in remission.

But Liam soon spiked a fever that just wouldn’t go away.  While checking up on the fever and a few other symptoms in the emergency room, they discovered his cancer was back.

The Lowe family returned to the hospital for more treatment and by July 29th, Liam had been back in the hospital for a few days with plenty of his own concerns.  But, apparently, worrying about himself isn’t what helps Liam through the day.

Dad and Liam were sitting together that day talking instead about how some children don’t have the food and water they need.  They wondered why some of those children have to work instead of going to school.  As they talked about how they could love others,  Liam decided to give some of his own money to help people in need get food and water.  He gave part of his money to buy chickens; and the other part he wanted to donate to bring clean water to children who are in need.  But that still wasn’t enough.

Liam’s a big thinker. His big goal was to fund two entire wells in Africa!  So the Lowe family set the goal of raising $13,500, the average cost of two wells in many of the countries where The Water Project works.  Amy was sure they could meet this goal.  They are surrounded by loving family and friends…who all lent a hand.

Remarkably, only two weeks later,  Liam had reached his goal!  Within days, the local paper heard of Liam and his acts of love and published a great story about this young hero.  The day the article ran, Liam’s original page received even more donations, this time from new friends the Lowe’s have never met. Taking a cue from Liam’s younger friends, who donated amounts like $4.25, $6.68 and $5.17,  many folks seemingly emptied their piggy banks to help Liam raise more than he dreamed.

Everyone seems eager to follow the example of this courageous boy.  Liam inspires.   In the midst of fighting his own battle with cancer, he is strong enough to create hope in the lives of others – half a world away.  All by simply living each day to create, to learn and to love.

We have all learned a lot from Liam.  So, that leaves the rest of today to create and to love…