I arose from my sofa and headed toward the kitchen for a nice cool drink. I decided water was what I wanted to quench my thirst. I took a glass out of the cabinet and filled it to the brim with ice. I turned on the faucet and watched as the water filled the glass and the pieces of ice shifted like the audience in a movie theater when someone arrives late. I lifted the glass to my lips and water flowed like a small river down my throat and into my stomach. I thought how good and refreshing it was. I took another sip from my glass; there were no thoughts of the water’s cleanliness nor did I have any fear that should I turn on the faucet again to refill my glass, that water wouldn’t come forth. I was full and satisfied, so I returned to my sofa.

My program was not on yet but I saw a child no more than three-years old drinking from what can only be described as a mud hole. The water was dirty yet the child used his hands as a cup and lifted the water to his lips. I watched as he drank; a small river flowing down into his protruding stomach. He looked ahead as if nothing was wrong; as if drinking dirty water was okay. I was ashamed because I didn’t realize until that moment how much I took this incredible natural resource for granted. I wash my clothes with it. I shower and wash my hair with it. I water my lawn and wash my car with it, never considering that elsewhere in the world a child is drinking from the same water holes that animals drink from.

According to the World Health Organization, 4,000 children die everyday because they don’t have clean drinking water.  Because children are so vulnerable to waterborne diseases, dehydration resulting from diarrhea is the leading cause of death. How can this be in the 21st Century? We spend billions of dollars to fight wars in the name of democracy while children perish daily because they don’t have clean water to drink.  

   

Before seeing that child, I had no reason to be concerned about water. I used it at my discretion thinking little of the world around me. But when you know better you do better, and I have decided to educate myself and my family about what we can do to assist in making sure that water is clean and abundant for everyone.