My Birthday is December 16, This is What I Want…

clean-water$30

In honor of my birthday, I am asking everyone who reads this to give $1 for every year I’ve been alive to help give life and sustain life for the multitudes of people who do not have clean water through Charity:Water.

While we worry that we don’t have the latest X-Box game or the newest album from our favorite artist or the newest article of clothing that’s hit the retail stores, millions of people around the world worry about having what’s actually necessary for LIFE. Clean, drinkable, usable WATER. God’s blessed me with a healthy family, a home, a car, food and clean water. This year for my birthday instead of getting more of what I don’t really need, I want to be the hands and feet of Jesus to help bless other people.

“Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’ Matthew 25:37-40

I’ve accepted the birthday challenge presented by Charity:Water at the 2010 Catalyst Conference. I’ve set a goal of $1,500, which comes out to 50 people giving a $30 gift to provide 75 people with clean water for 20 years. If we can raise $5,000 that will provide an entire village clean water. By the Way…this is HUGE…100% of your donation goes to provide clean water to the people in need, it does not go to administration fees or anything else. It all goes to provide clean water!

Check out Why Clean Water on Charity Water’s Site.

Except for when I was a child, I’ve never asked anyone to give me anything for my birthday, but this year I will ask you to give a $30 gift in honor of my birthday to provide people clean water. Will you do that? You can give that gift at my Charity:Water Birthday Campaign Site.

The direct URL to the site is: http://mycharitywater.org/nickcarnes

Revolutionary Change through Water

blake-mankinI visited Iamsecond.com today thanks to my friend Dan who tweeted about a video for Sam Bradford from the Oklahoma Sooners. As I was surfing around the site, I found a video for Blake Mankin. Honestly, I’ve never heard of him, but keeping with Sunday’s theme from New Passion and Monday’s blog post on Revolutionary Change through our local and global influence, I liked what I heard. Here’s a little bit about Blake…

In 2007, Blake started Hope for Africa at his school. The club raised more than $6,000 by selling buttons during homecoming. The money paid for two wells in Southern Sudan that now provides more than 10,000 people with daily access to clean water.

It all started with Blake asking a friend “What If?” – I wonder how many people are creating revolutionary change around the world because of those two words? “What If?” – I love that Blake said he believes “Jesus is the Ultimate Thirst Quencher.” Blake is not driven for change based on a desire for personal fame, rather he is out to create revolutionary change so that Jesus might be made known to those who are far from him.

Go check watch Blake’s video on Iamsecond.com HERE. You can also follow Blake on Twitter HERE. You can help Blake create Revolutionary Change through Water HERE by donating to his fundraiser!

Join the Conversation…Who do you know that’s creating revolutionary change either locally or globally?