Sunday, March 22, 2015

28Bold

Today is World Water Day. Did you know that a child dies every 20 seconds from a water related disease? Or that 40 billion hours are spent on water collection in Africa alone? Maybe you did not know those facts. Perhaps similar to me you've historically taken water for granted. In honor of this day I am launching 28Bold, a non-profit agency dedicated to initially providing a well in Phakane, South Africa; a small village I've been to twice. This journey has not developed quickly, it's been in the making for over a year now. I will be sharing more about what this means practically for me and for you and how water can truly change a life. 

This well project was inspired about a year and a half ago. I had been to South Africa once, held a birthday party fundraiser for a garden, and was planning a return trip. By the second trip the garden was planted and it was feeding several dozens a week, mainly women and children. A couple of months after that trip I learned that the garden was failing. All the money and hours that had gone into this outreach was literally drying up from a few issues, lack of water being the main one. I was devastated. That night I cried angry tears. The next day I began re-reading a book by Bob Goff entitled "Love Does". In my favorite chapter of the book Bob talks about how after 9/11 his children had the idea to write letters to governmental leaders all across the globe. The really crazy part? The leaders wrote back. I realized these leaders had email addresses that I began to fill with information about what was going on in Phakane and how I needed their help. The minister of water not only returned my email but sent an official response saying they would easily remedy this by installing a well.  While this was shockingly helpful, the short version of the story is that it has to be done locally for it to be trusted. So, the goal is to employ a local vote digger to dig the well. Will you help us? Every donation is tax deductible and will go directly to helping us dig the well. You can be part of something that will affect generations to come. Maybe you want to make a donation in someone's honor or for Christmas???

Follow us on Twitter & Instagram @28Bold for more info and photos of the project(s). 

Thursday, March 5, 2015

I Want To Be a Baby Again

My 4 year old, Collins, has been helping me with project clean-and-purge the Barnett house while daddy and brother are at football practice. Recently, while I was going in and out of the attic, Collins saw his exersaucer that is a car shape. He asked about playing with it and I replied "that's for babies! You're a big boy!" He immediately snapped back, "aww I want to be a baby again." Not only did he say this, but he has literally harassed me about the car, even crying one night wanting "to be a baby again." 

It was annoying to me mostly, but the night he cried on the issue it struck a chord with me. We often look back at moments and think, "I wish life was like that again." Easier. Quieter, more fun perhaps. I believe God would have us remember the past, but not wish for it. Domenico Estrada, a Mexican writer, wrote "bring the past only if you're going to build from it." 

Rather than wishing to be back in a time that was easier or more simple, I am challenged to embrace the now and be in the moment. 

Steve Maraboli said in "Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience", "Live Today! Do not allow your spirit to be softened of your happiness to be limited by a day you cannot have back or a day that does not yet exist."