All of my birthdays have always been about stuff. Especially after Urbana this year, God has been resonating over and over again in my life about "my stuff." And to be honest, I hardly even remember what I got last year.

Recently I came across Revelation 3:1-2 which says, "You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die." Wondering what "being dead" meant I looked at the cross reference which was James 5:5 and says, "You have lived on earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter." Yikes.

I hope that my 27th year is more alive than any other year I've had in my life.

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

I'm turning 27 years old, and instead of asking for gifts, I'm asking for $27 or more 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.

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!

please note: 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.

Love,
Mel