Just over a year ago, 29 other bloggers and myself focused our creative efforts to help bring clean water to 593 people.
That was totally made possible because of people like you.
With your assistance, the group of 30 bloggers raised $11,869.
That is proof positive that when a small number of people put their minds together,
BIG things can happen.
Life-changing things.
Life-giving things.

Our friends at charity:water are raising the bar again.
Things have to move faster so that scores of living souls do not have to partake of what is in this photo.
That’s not some regional herbal drink.
It’s not chai.
It’s their water.

The goal is to purchase a drilling rig fleet so that an additional 80 wells can be created.
That will provide clean drinking water to 40,000 more people in Ethiopia.
Remember what it was like getting a new set of wheels?
You can help charity:water purchase a new set of wheels, and it will be used for nobler purposes instead of driving through town with your Oakleys and without wearing a shirt whilst blaring music from your interior.

What can you do?
So glad you asked.
1. Click the banner at the top of this post or here to get more information, to donate or to start your own fundraising efforts.
2. Spread the word – if you blog or engage in any sort of web interaction, click here for charity:water campaign essentials (they even have Tweets ready for you to use).
3. Educate yourself by watching the video below and by visiting charity:water.

Together we can change lives.
Again.

This is horrifically unprofessional (but do I dare claim to be a professional blogger? I do not), but I feel as though I did not bring proper closure to the 30 Bloggers, 30 Days, $30,000 project on my blog.
Unfortunately, as the 30 days came to an end, I was off gallivanting around the Midwest in search of truth and enlightenment.
I did not find it, but I found a great pizza place in downtown Chicago and encountered a homeless man that thought people could produce fried chicken from their pockets.
So, I want to be certain that you all know how thankful I am for your time and efforts in the charity event that I and 29 of my fellow bloggers took part in.
The organization charity: water is still doing what they do, and thanks to YOU, they are now able to help 593 people.
Did you read that?
593 people.
593 people that exist in this world will now have the blessing of clean water.
We did that.
You and I.
In spite of my lack of professionalism, some of you gave sacrificially after discovering the project on this blog.
Even though the 30 days for charity: water are over, I implore you, look in your own backyard.
As in where you live.
What is the need there?
It is probably not clean water.
It is probably other things that scare you.
It scares you because you know you can help.
It scares you because you know that if you jump in, you might get dirty in the process.
It scares you because this time, it may not be as easy as giving $20, $40 or $1,000.
…you might have to give of yourself — and that is risky.
…I tell you this — without risk, there is no reward.
So look hard my friends.
Look hard into the eyes of the people and the community in which you live.
Love them.
Fight for them.
Relieve them.
Don’t bring more chaos.
Be a part of the Shalom — the peace, the order, the unity.

I must apologize.
Due to life and all of its vast intricacies, we were unable to conduct our experiment.
I will not give any details, however, because I believe it is going to be such a cool experience for my kids.
I will be in conferences here and there over the next 2 weeks, it might be 2 weeks before we can actually do it.

I the meantime, I would encourage you to make the issue of unclean drinking water experiential for your friends and family.

Examples:
Dinner – Instead of pouring your friends favourite beverages at dinner, instead pour some gross looking water.  Don’t ask them to or expect them to drink it, just bring up the idea of how much we take clean water for granted.
Bath – When it is bath time, take you kids to a mud puddle and ask if they would want to wash their faces in it.  Chances are they might take you up on your wild idea, but instead of giving over to that, just let them know that some kids in the world only have the dirty water option.

Don’t forget to visit mycharitywater.org/30.

Any other ideas?

We are halfway there (timewise) and have a lot more to go (moneywise).
There are still men, women and children that are forced to use foul water for drinking.  Please, visit charity: water to educate yourself on this global problem.

How can you help?
I am so glad that you inquired.

Give. $20 gives one person clean water for 20 years!
Social. Maybe you have already given financially.  If so, you can still help.  Many of you have your own blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and various other tools and accounts for networking (strictly in a social way). Make your readers, your friends or your family aware of this project. Even make your enemies aware.
Point them to our site: http://mycharitywater.org/30

Remember, our goal is lofty — $30,000.
It is not unattainable.
People raise ridiculous amounts of money every day for ridiculous reasons.

Stay tuned to The Eleventy Million Dollar Blog — the Keigley family is going to conduct an experiment.
The hope is that the Keigley kids, or Keiglets, will have a deeper understanding of how we tend to take our water for granted.

So — how did it go?
Did you visit our site on charity: water yet?
If not, please go immediately — it literally could be life or death for someone in a developing nation.
If you have visited, thank you.
If you have visited and were so moved to contribute — thank you, so very much.
If you visited, were moved and you gave — please, tell others about this campaign — 30 bloggers, 30 days, $30,000.

During the course of the week, I became more aware of my own water usage…
I am prone to leave the water running whilst brushing my teeth.
When I need hot water, I run my fingers under the trickling liquid until the desired temperature is reached.
If one of my kids has excess cotton candy caked to her face and hairline, the water runs as I wipe, rinse and repeat.

I don’t tell you those things to make you feel guilty.
I tell on myself –  so that I am reminded to be thankful for such a precious natural resource that is in my home.
I didn’t have to walk to get it.
I didn’t have to draw it from a well outside my door and lug it 5o yards.
I didn’t even have to boil it.
I just used it.
And I need to be more aware…
…so do my kids.
Not only do they need to be thankful for the water we have, but they need to know that not everyone has it as good as we do.

They watched the charity: water videos, but the video below struck a chord.

We live near a lake.  When I asked them if they wanted to walk the mile to get water from that lake to drink — they were not down with it.
In fact, they couldn’t even comprehend the idea.

So.
I want to educate them.
I want them to have a BIG worldview.
I want them to know that America is not the only nation on this globe.
I want them to know that they can have the God-enabled ability to bring Shalom to this planet.
I want them to know that they can also bring hell to this planet by continually choosing themselves over others.

The photo above is another step in teaching my children well — visiting the charity: water official site.
And yes, Bergen does have a mohawk.

Did you try anything this week?  Did you bring Shalom — peace, order or unity?  Did you get right to the edge of something and freak out?  It’s okay.  It’s a start.
One thing I recommend is to learn people’s names.  You love it when people call you by name, think of what it could do if you simply paid attention and learned the barista’s name at your local coffee shop?  Give it a try.
Any other suggestions?

Charity is the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.
Being charitable is easy these days — you can do a search online and in under 10 seconds, many reputable and relevant charities will invite you to their giving page where your gift is just a click away.
That is a blessing and a curse.

The Blessing.
This September, 30 bloggers are using their sites to collectively raise money for an organization called charity: water.  We have a dedicated page that will allow you to give and to follow the progress as we aim for our goal of $30,000.  We want to reach this goal in 30 days.  So, this month, you will be informed and challenged as we pull our resources together to change lives.
To start this campaign on my blog, I have included a video from charity: water that covers the problem and the objective (this promo features the music of Beck — how could I resist that one?).

The Curse.
Being charitable is easy in this day and age.
Too easy.
So easy, in fact, we can click submit and go about the rest of our day being jerks and bringing chaos into the lives of everyone around us.
It is my belief that we all have a desire to be a part of something bigger than ourselves.
We often appease that desire here and there without ever really doing the hard work of making real change to the world around us.
So, please give to charity: water.
Help the billion people in our world get clean water.
But…
…I also want to challenge you to make a change where you are.
At work.
At school.
In your neighbourhood.
This month on my blog, I want you to share your stories of not only helping charity: water, but I also want you to share your stories of doing something that scared the crap out of you — something that caused you to step outside of yourself and bring peace, bring shalom, to someone besides yourself.
Share those stories here.  Not so you get a pat on the back, but to encourage others to do something selfless.
Ready?
Go.