Day 25: In Training

My friend Betsy adopted her son out of a small village in Ethiopia. There, the local women and children are sent to fetch water for daily use. They have to walk miles to get to the closest water source. Not closest CLEAN WATER source, just water source. Let's just forget about food for today. Let's talk in the most simple terms.

Clean water.

"In rural Ethiopia, only 1 person in 3 has access to clean water. Millions of people die every year because they don’t have access to their most simple and basic need – clean water... Children are especially vulnerable to the consequences of unsafe water. Of the 42,000 deaths that occur every week from unsafe water and a lack of basic sanitation, 90% are children under 5 years old." From the Water To Thrive website.

Water To Thrive is an organization dedicated to getting clean water to those in need. They build clean water wells in Ethiopia. My friend Betsy has been working closely with them and has hopes that they will build a well in her son's hometown.

On September 19th, Water To Thrive is hosting a 5K and Kids K at the Hill Country Galleria in Bee Cave, TX.

This will be my first race.

Just as Pick Five is a training for my life to come, a discipline exercise in simplicity, appreciation, and empathy, so now I'm also training my body to run 3.125 miles. This is harder than it sounds. (For me.) But if it saves a woman or child a daily walk just to get water that might do more harm than good, I'd say it's worth it.

So, how 'bout it? Ready to lace up the sneakers with me?