Blood Water Mission

What Are You Doing This Summer?

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 00:54:43 -0600

Summer is here, and outdoor adventure campaigns for Blood:Water are kicking off! We have several groups and individuals who have participated or are currently participating in outdoor campaigns to raise funds and awareness for Blood:Water. We'd like to highlight a few of these passionate adventure-seekers so that you can know about some of the amazing things going on all over the world to raise funds and advocate for communities in Africa. First off...

Our 2nd annual Ride:Well Bike Tour is kicking off TODAY! The 18 cyclists will begin riding in Los Angeles, CA and, 3172 miles later, will arrive in Baltimore, MD. Along the way, the team will stop at churches and community centers to share Blood:Water's vision and to raise funds for our water and HIV/AIDs initiatives in Africa. The tour will also include several benefit events and/or local rides in select metropolitan areas such as Phoenix, Dallas, Nashville and Baltimore! Visit www.ridewelltour.com for more info. There you can see if the team is coming through your town, follow each member's blog, and even send them messages along the way.

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24hr Hunger Strike, Palos Heights, IL

Fri, 01 May 2009 22:13:56 -0600

On May 1st and 2nd, the youth at Moraine Valley Church in Palos Heights, IL. will join in solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Africa to fight the HIV/AIDS and clean water crises by participating in The Hunger Strike.

For 24 hours, those involved in The Hunger Strike will abstain from food in order to raise awareness and money for Africans living without access to adequate nutrition and clean water. The goal is to raise funding for at least one new well to be drilled in an African community. The Moraine Valley Church youth have urged the Palos Heights community to participate alongside them, asking local churches and public schools to join in or sponsor the strike. [continued]

Jars of Clay Awarded at Doves for Blood:Water Mission Efforts in Africa

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 12:31:20 -0600

(Nashville, Tenn.) April 23, 2009 – Jars of Clay, who launched its 10th project The Long Fall Back To Earth on Tuesday and performed at a fundraiser for the African Children’s Choir with Big Kenny, Faith Hill, Third Day, Keith Urban and others last night, has long been known for its innovative, intellectual brand of rock music, but it’s equally known and respected for its humanitarian efforts, specifically those that serve the continent and people of Africa. Tonight, live at Nashville’s Opry House during the 40th Annual GMA Dove Awards, the band was honored with the Gospel Music Channel’s “Gospel Angels Award” for its tireless efforts.
[continued]

2009 Annual Blood:Water Survey - What you say matters.

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:46:14 -0600

Letters from Africa: Context

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:50:43 -0600

The work that I came to see is in southwest Ethiopia is in a hard but beautiful land. Our partner organization, WaterAid, was warned that the Konso Woreda was not an easy place to work and that many had failed before them, but they decided to try. (story continued)

(pictured: a set of latrines being constructed at an elementary school)

40 Days of Water is OVER! Congratulations!

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 14:51:54 -0600

CONGRATULATIONS! The 40 Days of Water Challenge is over. Your simple sacrifice of making water your only beverage will change lives.

Read more to find instructions on what to do now that 40 Days are over and some great stories and comments from those of you who took the plunge and didn't drown (in carbonated or caffeinated goodness).

Campaign Profile: Bucknell University

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 10:08:09 -0600

We at Blood:Water Mission could not continue our fight in bringing relief to the injustices our African brothers and sisters face if it were not for the support and movement of people here in the U.S. Recently we heard a story that made our hearts swell with hope, as it is a hopeful thing to see the hearts of others called to action.
(Click "Read" to Continue)

Today Is World Water Day

Sun, 22 Mar 2009 11:38:31 -0600

Today is World Water Day, the day created to draw international attention to the critical lack of clean, safe drinking water worldwide. This also means for those of you participating in the 40 Days of Water Challenge you are halfway there! We know it's been a challenge judging by what we've heard from those of you who have let us know how your experience is going. The guys in Jars of Clay have even confessed to smelling coffee beans to help cope with missing their morning (or all day) cup. Be sure to follow us at twitter.com/bloodwater to read some of those responses and let us know how the 40 Days are going for you.

If you haven't joined in the challenge yet, there is still plenty of time to participate and make a difference. Start today; by something as simple as just drinking water you can change lives. Click "Read" below to read a message from Jars of Clay's Charlie Lowell on World Water Day then watch our new video that tells the story of Jennifer, a young Kenyan girl, and how having clean water in her community has transformed her life. Share the video and Charlie's letter with your friends and family and let them know about World Water Day and how they can get involved.

A Challenge: 40 Days of Water

Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:35:13 -0600

We have the gift of choice: Freedom to choose on any given day what clothes we will wear, what work we will do, what food we will eat and what we will drink. In nearly a third of the world injustice threatens to take away these basic kinds of choices that we take for granted. In these places a woman can choose to drink the unclean river water or the unclean puddle water. She can choose to walk once for four hours to get water or walk twice for eight hours to get more water. She can choose to give her children something to drink that she knows may make them sick or she can give them nothing at all. She can persist or give up. You can help give her a real choice. [continue reading below]

ABC World News Highlights Blood:Water Community Clinic Effort

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 12:03:00 -0600

Fred and Milton Ochieng' named ABC World News Person(s) of the Week

The Blood:Water Mission supported Lwala clinic which is the subject of the documentary, SONS OF LWALA, will get national attention January 30, 2009 when founders Milton and Fred Ochieng’ will be named as the World News Person(s) of the Week on the ABC Nightly News. Tune in between 6:45 pm and 7 p.m, EST to catch the segment.

continue below to read the full story

Merry Christmas from Blood:Water Mission!

Thu, 25 Dec 2008 11:56:49 -0600

A Christmas E-card:

Check out our brand new Christmas E-card to view a video message from Jars of Clay's Dan Haseltine and hear community highlights from this year's projects. Then share it with a friend.

http://bloodwatermusic.com/ecard/

From our family to yours, we sincerely wish you a Merry Christmas.

- Blood:Water Mission

Blood:Water Christmas Gift Card

Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:19:31 -0600

Christmas is more than a shopping list. In the place of another Christmas sweater or that fruitcake you were planning to give, consider giving the gift of clean water and vital support to communities living with HIV/AIDS this holiday season.

Give personally and then print this card to present to family and friends as a truly lasting gift that will support healthier communities in Africa in their name.

To Download Card, Click HERE

Today is the 20th Anniversary of World AIDS Day - a message from Dan Haseltine

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:56:50 -0600

World AIDS Day Dec 1st, 2008

I was not really prepared. As I turned the corner, my eyes took it in, and I felt my lungs fill with air, and let it all go, as if I had just beheld a great waterfall, or a mountain vista. It was nothing of the sort. But it was still breathtaking. It was around 3:30pm. I looked at the sky, which had turned a woolen gray, and then back at the paper where I had scribbled the information. I wasn't really sure what to expect. My oldest son draped in a replicated Union army cap and coat, and my youngest bundled up against the short bursts of winter wind, and spray of cold rain, walked with me, the two blocks from our house to a quaint little house and barn that had been preserved as a reminder of a great and bloody battle. (story continued)

Illinois Teens Raise $10,000 for clean water

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:09:00 -0600

I spent an incredible weekend with over 2000 passionate high schools students from Illinois. Blood:Water Mission was a mission focus for the Illinois Christian Teen Conference. The theme of the conference was "clean" and their mission focus was to raise money for Blood:Water Mission and its clean water projects.

Letters from Africa: It's Just Not Simple

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:49:14 -0600

In Southern Rwanda, I visited the villages of Kanyonyera and Rubugu where I saw water lines and water taps recently constructed by a local partner organization. The cement platforms and structures were well constructed, and the piping and hardware well chosen and installed. A seemingly ideal image of water provision in a rural region.

In Kanyonyera, a woman by the name of Pellina told us of the value of this water tap. She said that they used to get water at the lake, which was dirty and was a long way to walk. This problem was compounded by children collecting water who could only stand on the edge of the lake, where the water was the dirtiest. To top it off, every year children would die from drowning in the lake. Pellina was happy about the clean, flowing water at the tap.

[Continue below to read full article.]