Why water?

You might be wondering... Of all the causes Claire could grab ahold of, why water?

It's a good question. I don't have any deep connection to water. I'm not much of a swimmer. I prefer milk over water as my beverage of choice. I'm a fan of sunshine, not rainstorms.

The short answer is God told me to do this.
The longer answer is God has been leading me to this cause for a while now.

Over the course of my life if I narrow my volunteer and charitable inclinations down to just a few words, they would be literacy and children. I became a librarian because I believe that the achievement of literacy can change a person's life for the better and provide all the opportunities they need to succeed. Not being much of a teacher, librarianship seemed the best way I could help this cause. I have also been drawn to children's issues, and most of the volunteer work I have ever done has in some way involved kids. I believe every adult is obligated to do whatever they can to protect and encourage our most vulnerable.

So, how does this connect to water?

The American Library Association posits that to have information literacy, "a person must be able to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate, and use effectively the needed information."I would argue that any fully functioning adult requires a sort of Life Literacy. This would involve knowing how to communicate, knowing how to find the information or help needed, and using what they know or have discovered to live. This would include seeing the problems around them, paying attention to the ache in their heart over them, and doing something about it. Maybe you don't know much about the unclean water problem in our world. Think about whether you want to know more and whether you want to do something about it.

When a community doesn't have access to clean water, children often have to walk miles to attain clean water for their families. This keeps them out of school and makes them vulnerable to assault along the the miles back and forth from the water source. 80% of diseases are caused by unclean water and a lack of sanitation. Children are often victims of these diseases. Communities without clean water offer little in terms of a future for their children. The unclean water issue of our world is a childrens' issue. Are you content with the future we are allowing to occur?