i got an email from Water4Christmas challenging me to Live Without for the next 6 months starting in april.
living without something different each month….a new challenge.
i went through the email and i got nervous.
and squirmy.
and sweaty.
i thought "what? not even coffee at home?! umm…..NO……i don't want to give up anything."
i almost deleted the email!!!
that is when i knew i HAD to do it.
i have to take part in this challenge because my first reaction was NO WAY.
i want to look the other way.
i want to just send money.
and sending money is fine….but feeling just a slight tiny tinge of what it's like to go without is more real to me.
the money i would have spent on coffee….restaurants….clothing….will go to charity:water.
$20 can provide someone with clean water.
twenty dollars!!!
i am so guilty.
i drop twenty bucks on nothing….on crap that i can't even remember!
so in april i will be joining the Live Without Campaign.
what about you?
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this was on the Water4Christmas blog and it touched me.
enjoy.
Liberia: soap and healing. from charity: water on Vimeo.
Mary - My son-in-law works for Clear Cambodia, a water filter project. After visiting Cambodia last month it is amazing how many people live without filtered water and what a difference it could make in their lives.
http://mjbabs.blogspot.com/
Janine - Thanks for the thoughtful response and for clarifying things. I may have been kind of confused. I thought charity:water which is a big charity – (they raised over 7 million dollars last year) was the ones advocating this. On a small scale it is something that can be meaningful. I do understand the meaning behind the sacrifice – it’s awareness. I think it’s because I am usually aware of the luxuries I have due to past circumstance, that I don’t necessarily see the need for giving them up now that I can have them but I understand that others may need to. And, I don’t indulge all that often mainly out of habit. Plus I am a bit of a locavore if possible. I live in an increasingly more crowded suburb and I support the local businesses, and charities. As big as we are, small townness still survives, if only barely. (I don’t get my coffee from starbucks but from a local mom & pop grocery with a coffee stand, for example) I do get a bit defensive about trying to save that way of life.
I know everywhere in the world there is need, and if Africa is where you want to pitch in that is wonderful. Clean water is definitely a worthy cause. I did watch the video so I can see the good they do. If everyone chooses their own corner of the world to help, the world as a whole will be a much better place. Please know my gripe was never with you.
jeana - absolutely would love to join in! (and that wasn’t an easy yes)
MEG DUERKSEN - janine:
this isn’t a big charity like the red cross.
water4chirstmas is a group of women that i know.
and we donate to charity: water.
we are aware that everyone in our communities will not be doing this.
so that fear of driving people out of business is not there.
i am not afraid of starbucks losing money from a month of going without.
nor a massage therapist.
nor a movie theater.
you can choose to give in any way you’d like.
you could give and still spend on coffee if you wanted to.
it’s more a call to be conscientious about the luxury we have….the money we waste….being good stewards of what we’ve been given.
i am offering others a way to be aware of the world around them.
that there is a place to give that makes a difference in a way that is tangible.
you have the information and you get to choose what you want to do with it.
i believe in chairty: water.
in the video you can see truly how water projects change communities in west africa.
that means something to me.
that is important to me.
it doesn’t have to be to everyone.
i understand that.
i am not upset at all….just wanted to address my thoughts your concerns.
thanks for sharing your opinion.
Janine - I wasn’t going to do it. I was going to bite my tongue and not say anything. But I can’t. I have a problem with this, and it has nothing to do with you, but with the organization. I know all charities play upon our sympathies to get donations but this marketing campaign bothers me. And that is what this is by the way, a marketing strategy to garner donations. It’s the intent behind it all. They don’t care if you give up something, they don’t care if you think it will make you a better person, all they care about is you donate to them at the end of it. They want money, plain and simple. They want you to have something that is a daily reminder of them and maybe have some extra cash at the end of the month that you’ll give to them. The truth is whether they realize it or not, they want you to hurt your own community, by stopping your support of local businesses to help them. What if everyone in your community did this? What do you think would happen if no one showed up at the hair salon for a month? How many people wouldn’t be able to feed their families, pay their mortgages or rent due to lack of income? Or your local restaurant, retailer, etc. for a month? They would go out of business. You are hurting local families and the local economy which in turn helps no one. They are taking advantage of good people and I don’t like that. Maybe donate to a different water charity because although the cause is good I don’t think the way they present themselves is above board. I am stepping off of my soap box now. Thank you for the space to vent.
karen - wow..that’s a big challenge. and you are so cool sharing this with us!
Cha Cha - What a great idea, this will be an amazing time of growth for you I am sure. Good Luck
Cha Cha
Ami - Not that you need any more things to give up, but this is kind of a fun one for a great cause:
http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/
Jennifer - I’m going to do it too! I was giving up Dr Pepper for Lent already, so I will be giving Dr Pepper money instead of coffee money, but man, I’m already having a hard time with it and this is a great idea! Thanks for sharing!
Lisa - Love that you are going to do this and that you shared it with us. I’ve totally done the same thing where I try to ignore something that will “cost” me something big. Glad you listened to that voice telling you to obey and do it!
sue - Wish i could!
Lauren - I have not heard of this but I think it’s a really cool idea! Every time I take a bath I think how lucky I am to just turn on the tap and out flows all the clean water I want.
lesley - Way to go!
Tammy - I’m in.
maureen - I love charity: water and am so glad you introduced my family to this great cause. My daughter was so inspired by Scott Harrison’s September campaign video that she decided to give up her 8th birthday and ask friends and family to donate $8 to her charity: water campaign. mycharitywater.org/ellagrace She’s half way to her $5000 goal. It makes me believe that even, I–coffee addict that I am, could give it up too.
Sugar Mama - I haven’t checked out the link yet… but I’m already feeling a nervous knot in my stomach. I don’t consider myself a “high maintenance” woman, but I KNOW there are things I could give up and focus more on true needs.
Okay, I’m taking a deep breath and going over to click on the link…..
stephanie @ providence handmde - Oh, my. Giving up is on my mind as I gave up sweets for Lent….we’re one day in and I’m about to lose it. I also think fair-trade coffee is a great idea…we’ve tried to switch to that anyway. What could we replace that with? Desserts? Whatever it is, I’m on board. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Meredith - What a wonderful idea! Live without and help so many.
More than a year ago I would have said I don’t know if I can live without my TV, my specialty face soap, and so many other things that I thought that I needed. My husband was without a job for several months and living without became our new thing. What I thought I couldn’t live without, I now realize I can and do it with a giant smile. You said it in one of your Africa posts, these people have so little but yet are so happy. Our things do not bring us happiness like so many of us think, it is our relationships and serving others! That is why we are here!
I love reading your blog! I love hearing about your faith journey! You have an audience that is listening and you are inspiring so many. You are opening many eyes to many things. I look forward to hearing about your living without journey!
Tracey Husted - I gave up my thrice weekly shopping trips to the thrift store for the month of March just because. I’ll have to think of something else for April.
Jamie - Thanks for posting and making me aware. This is an AWESOME opportunity…totally going to do this.
Love the blog…I tend to smile because of all of the bright colors!!
La - Don’t they mean giving up buying coffee “out” ie: Starbucks?
Why would you have to give up coffee you drink at home? I think buying fairtrade and brewing at home would be a great solution (says the caffeine addict who quickly needs to find a workable option). 😉
Carla - Great Idea. I’ve just quite chocolate for Lent. Ouch. Now, its just a suggestion but here’s my tuppence worth. What about not giving up coffee but just making sure your coffee is fairtrade. Coffee production is a really big earner for most African countries and fairtrade ensures the small farmer gets a fair deal. If everyone stopped drinking coffee, it would be a bad day for him. Just throwing it out there 🙂
~Debra - Count me in!
sarah - i love this meg! you’re so brave! i am so excited for you and excited for what God will teach you through this time of discipline and surrender. those things you feel you can’t give up? i think a time will come when you’ll realize how easy it is to live without them…you can do it!