Family and Friends,

On September 9th, I'll be celebrating my 30^th birthday. When I think about it, I'm overcome with one particular thought: I am so fortunate to be celebrating another birthday at all. I realize I’ve lived a life of privilege for almost 30 years. I’ve had the opportunity to grow up. I’ve had the resources to be fed and clothed, to stay healthy, to go to school, to be equipped to make and then reach goals. Most of you can probably say the same. In America, many of us don’t just have our most basic human needs met; we are completely spoiled by global standards. 

There are 884 million people in the world who are struggling to survive each day without access to safe drinking water. According to the World Health Organization’s 2014 figures, one child dies every single minute from a diarrheal disease caused by contaminated water and poor sanitation. These are more deaths than HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Would you help me to provide clean water, sanitation and hygiene to communities in desperate need?

To give water is to give life. Your gift will bring safe, clean water to those who need it most. You'll help build wells, treat contaminated water, and provide water storage containers to save fresh rainwater for later use. And, most importantly, your gift will help improve children's health with sanitation systems that keep water sources clean.

No other gift produces a more dramatic effect on life than clean water and sanitation. You can help wash away suffering by providing access to one of life's most precious resources. 

This being my 30^th birthday, I’m setting a fundraising goal of $3,000. If together we give enough resources to equal my age times 100, we could provide World Vision with enough money to fund 100% of a hand-drilled well. Even just $50 is enough to give someone clean water for life. Would you please help me to gift others with life and hope for a future?

I am so excited to invite you to share in this effort with me. Together we have the power to change the lives of our brothers and sisters across the globe, and that would be the most spectacular birthday gift of all.