In July of 2013, I traveled to Texas to a CIY Move conference as a sponsor with our small town church's youth group. We heard testimonies of families around the world.

One of those stories was of a mother in Africa. Her children were missing out on their education and childhood because they spent their days traveling to retrieve water for the family. The jugs they carried could weigh upwards of 40 pounds each. The heartbreaking part is that the water they spent hours walking to bring home was contaminated and therefore was making the children and their families very sick.

Our students received various challenges that weekend to help others in our community. I decided to challenge myself to a year free of any beverage but tap water in an attempt to "walk in their shoes". Obviously, it was not even close to their experience. I had all-access to clean tap water at all times and even though I could use the long walk, I never had to travel more than a few rooms to find it. 

Through the journey, I realized just how much clean water we have in our country. We wash our cars with it, we shower with it, we even flush it down the toilets.

Now that I have finished my challenge, I want to go deeper. I want to raise money through the water challenge to contribute to the construction of a water-well in Africa.

Every child should be able to be a child.

Every person should have access to clean water.

You can help!