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When I picked up Emmy from school today I had a surprise for her. It wasn’t a normal surprise, not a toy or a special treat to eat, it was something I hope is even greater than those, something she will remember forever.
As she got into the car she immediately told me about a mom of one of the children at her school that is sick. Her heart was breaking over this situation and unfortunately, there wasn’t anything we could do to help her at this time. She really wanted to make her some vegan hot chocolate and help her watch her kids so she could rest and get better. This kid and her heart of gold!
It is strange how the world works because on most days this conversation might have ended there, with her feeling sad about not being able to help this sweet family, but today the gift I was going to give her was joining me on a really important walk. A walk that could really change someone’s life.
Now I know this doesn’t sound like a gift per se, but Emmy loves this sort of thing, and I knew she would be so excited to participate. I just didn’t anticipate how perfect the timing would be and the greater lesson it would teach her.
As we drove home and discussed it more, I was so happy to share that there are going to be so many times in her life that she will want to help someone and there won’t be a way to do it. I told her if she keeps her heart open to helping, another way will present itself, and it just might have an even greater impact that she can imagine.
After we got back home, we settled in for some nature time as we call it. We sit on the back deck and look out over the hills and watch animals and just enjoy being outside. This time I brought a glass of water out with me and I started a conversation with her to share all about the Global 6K for Water that I am participating in, and that I hope she and our other family and friends will join me in.
On Saturday, May 6, 2017, people from around the globe will walk or run 6 kilometers to support World Vision’s water initiatives through the World Vision Global 6K for Water. 6 kilometers (approximately 3.7 miles) is the average distance that people in the developing world, often women and young girls like Emmy and I, have to walk for water each day. This walk can be dangerous, and the water is often contaminated with life-threatening diseases. I used the hills in front of us to show Emmy some of the terrains the mothers and children have to go through to get water and I had her imagine the types of dangerous things they could run into on their journey for water. For a seven-year-old, the thought of not having easy access to water is hard to wrap their minds around.
After she understood that clean water isn’t available to everyone, she was so excited to learn how she could be a part of the solution, much like I am. I will be walking in The Global 6K for Water that is organized by Team World Vision, a group of passionate people who run, walk, and race to help children get clean water.
Team World Vision’s water projects run in harmony with World Vision’s work in other key areas of development: health, education, food, and economic development. This approach tackles the root causes of poverty, enabling children to experience fullness of life. Since Team World Vision was founded in 2006, they have helped more than 30,000 people cross finish lines to raise $30 million for World Vision’s work around the world. Yes, $30 MILLION Dollars. So awesome!
I would love to have you join me in walking and register for this wonderful event. Your registration fee of $50 supports World Vision’s water programs, and after registration, you will receive a World Vision Global 6K for Water t-shirt, a race bib with a photo of a child you can sponsor, along with a race medal in the mail.
There are many ways for you to get involved:
You can become a host site to work together with your church, school, community center or running club. It is free to register as a host site and spread the word about how fun and easy it is to support clean water programs around the world! Whether your goal is 10 people or 100 people participating, World Vision will equip you with all the marketing materials, race day signage, and staff support for a successful race day.
You can join a local host site. Walk or run with other Global 6K for Water participants at a host site near you. This is perfect if you want to participate with a group, but don’t have time to organize one.
You can start a virtual team. Want to create a team with friends and family all over the world? This is a great way to have them all join your team from near and afar and you can all walk or run from your own neighborhoods on race day.
You can do your own Individual race where you walk or run the Global 6K for Water from your own front door. You can use your treadmill or around your neighborhood with your kids, either way, you’ll be taking part in a global effort to support clean water! Plus, Thanks to their generous donors, the registration fee for kids (15 and under) is only $25 – a discount of 50%! This is a really great way for the kids to enjoy some family time while also helping other families and children all over the world.
I am so excited to be joining so many people all over the world to support something that we take for granted, clean water and World Vision’s work health, education, food, and economic development.
It makes me so upset to think that not all kids (and adults) have access to clean water. Thanks for helping to raise awareness.
I love this so much. I have to admit, I always think of food when I think of people in need. I’ve never once thought about not having enough clean water. That must be horrible.
I can’t imagine not having enough clean water to drink. I’ve been parched a few times in my life from exertion or heat. It sucked. I can’t imagine feeling like that all the time.
That’s so amazing! I hope the turnout is amazing <3 Growing up, my mom supported World Vision and both my husband and I have done volunteer work here and overseas in different developing countries. It's awesome to see so many people supporting such a worthy cause!
What you have done is amazing. I love reading stories like this Doria. Thank you for sharing it. Some people just don’t realize how a little bit of volunteering can go such a long way.
What a great cause! It is so easy to take things like clean water in our daily lives. What a great way to remember gratitude!
That is a great cause. All people should have clean healthy water to drink for themselves and for their children. You are doing a great job promoting this.
I am all about charity runs and this one brought a tear to my eye. I am going to have to check it out and see if there is one by me or set up a virtual one.
I’ve never done a charity run before but definitely looks fun and its for a great cause!
Charity runs are such an amazing way to bring people together and raise awareness! Best of luck on the day of the event.
I’ve never done a run before, but I think supporting clean water is a great cause to get involved with. I will check this out!
Clean water is such an amazing thing. Many don’t realize that there are places in the world that consider it a privilege.
What an amazing race and cause! We are so ridiculously blessed, in my luxury it’s hard to even fathom having to hike to get something as vital as water!!!
That is exactly how I felt. I looked at the faucets and bottled water in my home so differently when I thought about how hard it is for other families to have the clean water that I take for granted. It feels so good that I will be able to be a part of the solution by participating.
I will have to see if there will be a World Vision Global 6K for Water near me. I would love to get involved any way that can.
This was a great teaching moment for you. She is so sweet to want to help that Mom.
Thank you Ann! She is s sweetheart and so caring of others.
It’s amazing what you can for the people in need by joining events like this. It’s really important that we make sure that we teach our kids about giving back. This walk is such a good cause.
Thank you! Thank you for spreading the word about this very important cause! We just take too many things for granted these days. When getting involved like this it makes a world of difference.
Thank you, I just feel so lucky that there are ways like this that we all can help.
Aww your little Emmy has such a kind, big heart! Nice to see that runs like this are taking place!
I think this is wonderful. I love seeing races like these. Such a great experience to be a part of something like this too.
It is heartbreaking that people don’t have access to clean water. It’s great that World Vision has this event to help not only to raise funds but to raise awareness as well.
This is such a great cause. Carrying water fro 6k is quite the distance. Everyone should have access to fresh, clean water.
Your daughter does have a heart of gold ♥ It’s really upsetting to think that in 2017 that there are still people who don’t have access to clean water. Thank you for helping to raise awareness.
This is such an amazing way to drive awareness towards the needs of others, plus I love that you are getting your daughter involved. It is a great way to teach and help those around the world.
I have never heard of this race before but it sounds amazing! I love seeing people doing things for a great cause!
Wow! I’ve always loved World Vision and now I love them even more. What a wonderful event that everyone can participate in. It’s even doable for very young kiddos! And such a giving lesson for them to learn.
Your daughter is so sweet! It’s hard living where I do to even imagine people without access to clean water. It just breaks my heart but I’m glad to know there are ways to help.
I ran a 5k water for the world run like this before. It was about 4 years ago and I loved it!
Am I the only one distracted by the beautiful view? LOL great post hun!
It’s sad to know that not all kids have access to clean water. This is a great post.
This is such an awesome event and I hope it would be a success! It is a shame that there are still people in some parts of the world that do not have access to clean drinking water. I think we should all do our part to provide give clean potable water in areas where it is most needed.
What a beautiful idea and event. Sometimes it’s hard to see how blessed most of us truely are. I love events where you can not only give back, but educate people that don’t know about the struggles other people go through.
This is really a great reminder that we have so much and can help so many. We really take things for granted and act like things such as water to drink are small things but to many they are everything.
This is a really amazing cause and I think its also a very beautiful thing to do. It’s so sad that not everyone in the world has access to clean drinking water.
this is such a great event and I would love to participate! It’s important that everyone has access to clean drinking water, it’s important to keep our water on earth clean and use wisely… love that you’re getting your daughter involved to spread awareness to the younger generation and let them know they can help too… start them young when it comes to caring for others and the earth : ) I’ll help spread the word : )
Great run for a great cause, there is no reason that everyone shouldn’t have access to safe, clean drinking water
Thanks for sharing your story.
This race is so amazing! I think this is such a great cause.
What a wonderful cause. I would love to support this cause in any way I can. I will have to check if they have this event here in the city.
Such a great post for an important cause! Going to see if I can participate here in NYC!
So awesome! I love when races have such a great cause like this one–good luck in May!!