Water

Again this year, the Church placed vending machines in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building (and this year, in other places in the US and Philippines.)  I wanted to go but timing was always off to make a run to downtown Salt Lake.  However, when Jena got invited to see the temple lights, I realized that I would have a chance.  While last year I had wanted to donate a goat, this year the thought kept coming to me that I wanted to contribute to the water project.  Clean water is such a blessing and it is one of the things that I am passionate about (okay, I know that is a very long list, but water is near the top.)

When I entered the building, again the lines were long and I worried that I won't have time to wait in line to make a donation. However, to my surprise there was actually a separate line to donate to the water non-profit and it included a water bottle and that line was very short.

As I waited, I reflected on why I love this so much.  And not me alone, but so many people were there with their families waiting to make donations to a variety of causes.  (Over $2,000,000 was donated this year and it all went straight to agencies, local, national, or international.)  I wondered if it was like the people in the Bible who liked to give their alms before man, rather than doing it privately.  I could sit at my computer and make a similar donation to the very same water agency online, rather than coming to Salt Lake, parking, and waiting in line.  When I do that--donate at the computer--it can become public as I start getting emails thanking me and asking for more donations--as all good non-profits often will do.  When I make a donation at the vending machines, my donation is simply lumped in with the total and sent off to the appropriate place.  Mine is just a drop--unnamed.  I won't get a thank you card from them.  But the magic of the vending machines, I think, comes more from the moments I observed while in line and what we experienced last year when Gary and I took Jena.  There were so many families with children and you could hear them talk about the needs of others and ways that we can help--gloves and hats to keep the homeless warm, goats and chickens to help a family earn money, and water--clean and pure for all people on earth.  Here is a place where you can have those conversations and donate to companies which have been vetted for you.  And you can stand with like minded people and feel that special feeling.

I increased my intended donation as part of the Christmas gifts for my dad and Gary's mom, so they both got water bottles as well.

Let's light the world--by each kindness we can do for one another--in our homes, next door, and across the globe.  And appreciate that clean, pure water that comes from your tap  (even if it is Amarillo water which has its own 'special blend"!) 

I still pray about the goat I "donate" last year--that it is healthy and helping its family be a little more self-sufficient. Silly, I know, but I do believe that Heavenly Father listens to even prayers about goats.