All of my birthdays have always been about stuff. Stuff I don't want, stuff I definitely don't need. And to be honest, I hardly even remember what I got last year. Sorry family and friends! :)

So this year, I'm giving my birthday up.

I'm turning 24 years old on February 24th, and instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for donations to charity: water from everyone I know. It's not going to me, though. All of it is going to build freshwater wells for people in developing nations.

A billion people in the world are living without clean water - but how much are they really living? Millions contract deadly diseases from contaminated water. 45,000 people will die this week alone. The lucky ones won't, but still walk hours each day to get dirty water to give to their families. Can you believe it? It's true.

Why $717 you ask? It corresponds to Revelation 7:17--"For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

The amount of pain and suffering enduring because of dirty water is immense, and I know that breaks the heart of God. It breaks mine as well. So let's bring the gift of pure, clean water to people in desperate need of it.

My birthday wish this year is not for more gifts I don't need; it's to give clean and safe drinking water to some of the billion living without it. I want to make my birthday matter this year.

Please join me in providing clean water to a village of people who don't have any access to it.

That is a birthday wish worth blowing the candles out for.

R.D.


+Because of charity: water's unique model, 100% of all donations go directly to direct water projects costs, and each donation is "proved" and tracked to the village it helped when projects are complete.+