Water is life.

I’m blessed to come from a country where running water is something we rarely even think about. When we do have to think about it, we get a little yellow card on our front door saying that the water will be out from 12-3 and wa-la, after our 3 hours of struggle and bottled water, the water comes back on, and we go right to forgetting all about it.  We take water for granted. We try to think about how much we consume when we brush our teeth, shutting off the faucet in between spitting, and conserving water here and there, but we don’t realize how much water it takes just to survive. 

 

Water is life, without water there is no life.  Here in Africa, especially in Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world, drawing and carrying water can consume many hours in a women’s day.   Yes, typically only women and children draw water. These women can carry 20 liter buckets on their heads, something like 40 pounds of water, and sometimes, depending on the availability, these women are walking, with this water, on their heads, for up to 5kms (that’s around 3 miles for us American folk).   Imagine now, pumping water by hand to get it up the pipes, raising 40 pounds above your head, balancing and walking for 3 miles, just for an 8^th of a day’s water consumption.   The average household here is around 6 people, that’s a set of parents and 4 children they’re using something like 8- 20 liter buckets of water just to survive.

 

Do you ever realize how much water we use to wash our bodies, and I’m not talking about even washing hair (that takes even more), then add on, dishes, and laundry and mopping the floors (which is done here often since there is so much dust) we haven’t counted cooking, and washing vegetables, and then we have to drink some water too.  Most of our daily activities involve water in some way.  Now imagine the borehole in your village, that provides water to around 210 households, is broken, and the people in your community can’t afford to fix it.  The average Malawian is making less than 2 dollars a day, and to simply fix this borehole the cost is somewhere around 500 dollars, its not really an easy fix.  Your last resort is then to find another water source. 

 

(Broken pipes)

In Hamba Hamba village (which is a local word for wonderer), the solution to a broken borehole was to fetch water out of a small pond.  The pond water was being used not only for water in people’s houses but also as drinking water for animals nearby, which means that the water is extremely unsafe.  A maize field that was grown using fertilizer and chemicals also surrounded the water source. This drinking water would be “Okay” if the resources were there to clean the water before drinking it, water filtration systems, chlorine to kill the bacteria, but of course, in a land that lacks resources, these aren’t available.  This means that water borne illness increases ten-fold because of a simple problem.  

 

According to World Health Organization water borne illness is the leading cause of death in developing world, yes that’s right, more people die from diarrheal disease (cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis, parasites) than HIV, than malaria, than TB.   The good news is, that these deaths (3.4 million a year) are 100% preventable, and you can help, WE can help! 

 

I was so incredibly honored and proud that the people from my community back home raised money to help save so many lives.  YOU helped save lives, by golfing, by donating, by raising money, and raising awareness.   These projects would not be possible if people like you, didn’t give up their time, and hard earned money to those in need.  I know some of you (including me at one point or another) question the giving of aid to people, thinking they should work for things themselves.  The harsh reality is that without BASIC needs, no one can survive and provide for him or herself.  Water is a human right, we all deserve and need to have water to survive, and by giving up something so small in America we give so much to those in need abroad.  

 

I cannot express my gratitude for the time and energy spent putting this charity event together, I know it was a lot of work, and I have a lot of people to thank. I am honored that so many people were committed to this project, from planning, to donating, to just golfing and having fun, it means a lot, and it makes more of a difference than you could ever imagine. 

 

Some of the things that were donated to this event as prizes or raffled off:

Tyler Sales:

Bud light rolling cooler

Bud Light Radio cooler

Hats and T-Shirts

 

National Wine and Spirits:

Jack Daniels Bar Stoool

Chivas Liquor Mirror

UV Gaint Fold Chair

Shirts, Towels, bags, phone cases, sunglasses

 

Alliance Beverages:

Red wings Golf Bag

 

Jones Sporting Goods:

2 canvas personal coolers

cozies, pens, golf balls

 

Kenne Lumber:

Callaway Golf Balls

 

Semlow Chiropractic:

1 hour Massage

 

Marathon Gas:

(2) 20$ gift cards

 

Mr. B’s Pancake house: (yum)

(2) 10$ gift cards

E & A Grocery:

(2) 25$ gift cards

 

Jack’s Corner Store:

50$ Gift card

 

Bonickis:

(2) Perch Dinners

 

Grand Haven Golf Club:

(2) 4-person rounds of golf

 

46 Bar:

Bud light mini fridge

Adidas Duffle Bag

Hamer Golf Club

 

Feyen-Zylstra:

Coffee mugs, T-Shirts, coolers, hats, golf balls

 

Al Broton:

Branns Sports Grille 25$ gift card

Olilve Garden 20$ gift card

 

Darwin:

Hand Crafted wood work

 

Other Contributors:  Gary’s auto body, Choice one bank,  Ravenna Creeks Golf club, Scott’s meats

 

 

With donations and money collected from the golf outing, YOU raised over 1,000 dollars.  That’s 2 fresh water borehole projects and thousands of lives saved.  I can’t be more impressed and grateful for this event and all of the people involved.   I want to thank each and every one of you for your commitment and dedication to this charity.  I know there was a lot of behind the scenes work from some great friends and family and 46 bar regulars, and I will never be able to express my gratitude for the work you put in to making this a success.