By Vivian Roach | Staff Writer
The Baylor Wells Project is returning to campus this year, asking students to give up all drinks except water for 10 days and donate to provide clean water to communities in Rwanda.
The 10 day pledge is from Nov. 9-18. Students are asked to calculate how much money they would spend on coffee, soda or other drinks during the fundraiser and donate that money to Living Water International.
Houston freshman Luke Lackey is the president of the Baylor Wells Project this year. He said the 10 days will also allow students time to reflect on the project’s intention.
“I think that really allows us to reflect on what we’ve been given and what God’s given us here in America and realize that we can love not just our neighbors next to us but neighbors across the world too,” Lackey said.
Living Water International is a Christian non-profit organization that supports community-based water projects in developing countries. In over 20,000 water projects so far, mission trips help local community leaders solve clean drinking water issues.
Lackey said their goal is to raise at least $5,000 to fund a well in Rwanda. It’s not all about the donations though, he said, it’s about supporting the Christian mission of Living Water.
“We exist to make God known by giving the future leaders of America the opportunity to reflect and be thankful for what they have and to give to others because they’re our neighbors in this world,” Lackey said. “To provide clean water for those who don’t have it in the communities of Rwanda is life saving, and through Living Water International, it could be life changing through the ministry of Jesus Christ.”
Enola, Penn., junior Brad Springman is the social media chair for the project. He said it was a no-brainer for him to join in with Lackey because he believes in the mission of the non-profit organization.
“I’ve been on mission trips in high school to El Salvador and Syrian refugee camps in Greece,” Springman said. “So I’ve gotten to see firsthand just how relief work and creating clean water for people have changed their lives.”
During a Living Water mission trip to El Salvador, Lackey said he realized the need for clean water.
“I really got to see what it means to people to change from dirty water to clean water. Even the base level of building a community and developing a community is having clean water to start, and you could change lives through spreading the word, Jesus, in that,” he said.
In order to spread the word of the project, Springman said they have team leaders from other campus organizations involved.
“There’s actually some team leaders who are from different Greek organizations, sororities and fraternities, who are participating in the 10-day challenge, and then are going to fundraise within their organization of influence,” Springman said.
On the fundraiser page, pledges and donations can be made here.
