Our special message to tornado survivors, in western Kentucky and beyond.
It is time again for World Water Day!


Join Water With Blessings for a Special Announcement on World Water Day
Hear about our spring plans to provide more safe water for God’s Thirsty Children
 
Water With Blessings will make a special announcement at our HQ at 11:00 AM EDT on World Water Day which occurs on March 22, 2022. Observed annually for 25-plus years, World Water Day emphasizes the need to protect water resources as 2 billion people on our planet struggle to survive without access to safe water. With your support, Water With Blessings has already equipped more than 145,000 Water Women in 48 countries that are dedicated to filtering clean water for hundreds of thousands of vulnerable children and their families each day. 
 
World Water Day will also serve as a kick-off to announce our expanded plans with the Ohio Valley Native American Veteran Warrior Society for Kentucky’s first-ever Intertribal Water Gathering. This four-day event from October 6-9 at Veterans Memorial Park in Jeffersontown will honor our two-year partnership with the Navajo Nation and collaborations with other Indigenous peoples to help ensure that more Water Women can help filter drinking water available to them, their families and their neighbors.
 
The theme of this year’s World Water Day is “Making the Invisible Visible” by protecting groundwater sources. While groundwater isn’t seen above ground, its impact is visible everywhere. Out of sight and under our feet, groundwater is a hidden natural resource that enriches our lives. In the driest parts of the world, it may be the only water source available to people. Almost all of the liquid freshwater in the world is groundwater that supports drinking water supplies, sanitation systems, farming, industry and ecosystems.
 
This year’s theme of “making the invisible visible” fits perfectly with our shared mission as our in-country teams empower mothers who often struggle quietly out of sight to care for their children and protect their health. These mothers who make a sacred commitment to filter water for their families and neighbors gain confidence and insights as they learn how to safely filter water and protect others from waterborne diseases, the top cause of death among young children.
 
This year’s first-every Intertribal Water Gathering will help draw attention to our two-year partnership with the Navajo Nation. Their communities’ natural water sources have been seriously impacted by decades of uranium mining and run-off that have poisoned the soil and groundwater sources. 
 
In many places, human activities and the lack of infrastructure cause huge stresses on groundwater and other natural water sources. We can work together to sustainably protect and maintain this precious resource. While groundwater may be out of sight, it must remain top of mind as we take steps to make safe water available to more children in more remote locations around the world.
 
One of our strategic goals is to train 100,000 Water Women each year by 2030—nearly triple the number of new Water Women currently prepared each year. We look forward to sharing more details with you on March 22. You can also join us virtually via our Facebook page if you can’t join us live at our HQ.
Ukraine, Where Water With Blessings is Needed 



"We cannot say how long our little, strong Mariupol citizen has been fighting for her life. We cannot imagine how much suffering an innocent child had to endure," Mayor Vadym Boichenko said in an online post, sharing only the girl's first name: Tanya. "In the last minutes of her life she was alone, exhausted, frightened, terribly thirsty.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said it was unacceptable that a child could die in such a way in the 21st century. "In 2022, from dehydration." 
We could not agree more. Our hearts are broken for Tanya, and for every child of God who is suffering thirst in war-torn Ukraine. 
We all know that Ukraine is under fire, and among many causes of suffering is the destruction of water infrastructure. People who remain in Ukraine are drinking groundwater and melted snow. Dirty water is adding to their misery. We want to get filters into Ukraine, not just to the refugee camps at the border, where most aid organizations are working.

For the sake of children like Tanya, Water With Blessings is partnering with Razom for Ukraine. "Razom" means "together", and that concept is exactly how we must work if we are to get our filters deep into Ukraine, where they are most needed. The word “razom” means “together”, which sums up our sense of how to best help those suffering in Ukraine; by working together. Razom is a smaller, scrappier organization of volunteer young Ukrainians that we have vetted thoroughly. (In this article, How to responsibly donate to Ukrainian causes, nonprofit scholar Beth Gazley highlights Razom as having an established track record in Ukraine.)
We like that Razom is a small, flexible organization led by Ukrainians. We like their pragmatic, gutsy approach: get supplies to the border, to meet up with Razom volunteers in private vehicles who are slipping under the radar to get relief to the front lines of the war. We’ve learned that these courageous volunteers are risking their very lives, and indeed, one was recently killed while transporting supplies deep into the conflict areas. We’ve researched Razom, talked personally with them, and we’re even in touch with their representatives inside Ukraine. 
Thanks to special pricing from Sawyer Products for Ukraine relief, for $12 per unit plus shipping we can get small, pocket-sized filter kits and pouches. Another few dollars will help cover other costs, such as printing Ukrainian instructions using the Cyrillic alphabet. Please consider a donation of $20 per filter. Razom is shipping supplies every week from Chicago to Ukraine, and we want to see Sawyer PointONE filters in every load. 

Every filter we get into Ukraine with Razom’s help will provide the precious relief of clean, safe drinking water. There’s nothing more critical to life, even in war, than that.
Please donate now: Scan the QR code, give online at www.waterwithblessings.org, or send your check and personal messages to Water With Blessings, 1902 Campus Place, Suite 11, Louisville KY 40299. Contact us to explore other options: gifts of stock, IRA distribution, DAF funds, direct bank transfer:  [email protected], 502-749-5492. 

And please help us spread the word: Download and print this flyer to share with your pastor, family, friends, work colleagues, service club... whoever is wondering how they can possibly help Ukraine... or just forward this message! 



3rd Sunday of Lent Gospel of Luke: Chapter 13, Verses 1-9

The God of Second Chances  

Being human in any era means hoping for second chances.  We make mistakes, sometimes looking for the “easy way out” and forgetting our responsibility as sons and daughters of God.  We may even think attending church once a week and tithing cover all the bases.  While both are important, Jesus calls us to a deeper understanding of what it means to hear God’s call and be a faithful disciple.  

God has planted us on Earth and given us the call to be fruitful.  We must live as those who are awake, not sleep walking.  Our life is watered with prayer, fasting and the call to serve our neighbor.  We grow as a healthy fig tree when we reach out in service, providing support to the poor, marginalized immigrants and to those who struggle to survive.  Prayer awakens us to our source of life and moves us beyond busyness and distractions. We can move beyond apathy to action for the common good.  

The garden planted by God is our world, a world that is fractured by violence, deep political and religious division. Now is the time to see our oneness, our role as a life-giving force.  Our world calls for water, to be nourished and given new life.  Our hands are needed to plant and to heal, to be neighbors who show up. Ukraine is our neighbor and needs our prayers, our support of goods, our hands to restore the garden.  

As people who respond to Jesus’ call to serve, we can and must bring water to the garden suffering from lack of care around the world.  Lent provides the time to focus and respond with compassion, modeled by Jesus.  


Volunteers Make the Difference and Help Extend our Lifesaving Mission

As a volunteer or advocate with Water With Blessings, you make the difference in our organization.  Your actions help foster community and support success through a positive attitude and generous heart.  

Your individual actions, when compounded with the volunteer actions of others, help extend the reach of our life-saving, life-changing mission of improving children’s health and maternal well-being.

For some, you are a front-line educator, informing students, parishes and organizations about the vital work of Water With Blessings.  

You may be a motivator, encouraging friends, family and co-workers to learn about Water With Blessings and to engage with our unique mission.  

You may choose to be an action person whose creativity translates into new filter socks of glorious colors or a compelling social media post to share the Water With Blessings’ story.  

In other words, you are critical to the success of Water With Blessings.



We believe every child should be drinking clean water. Are you with us?
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