Sunday, October 18, 2009

Why Water?

I was asked last Thursday why I chose water when there were so many good causes to support in this world. It's simple, really.

I remember that day in Ethiopia, meeting Tariku's someone special, so very vividly. I remember holding a hand and silently promising God and that person that I would do everything I possibly could to never make this situation have to happen again. I was so excited to start our lives with Tariku and am still so humbled to be blessed by him but I knew I wasn't "best case scenario" in his life. And so I made a promise. A promise that I would try to keep the "best case scenarios" of other little kids.

The roots of my passion for water certainly stem from my belief in God. The belief that my heart should be broken by the things that break the heart of God. But I also believe humans in general and adoptive parents specifically should be doing more to help the humanity around us. That we should be motivated to act by tears being shed regardless if we ever actually see them drop.

So I chose water because I know Tariku's story. I know his story and I have no problem reading between the lines and seeing how a lack of clean water led to me, to us being a family. And though I'm grateful for him, I've heard his stories. I know his heart breaks again and again at night. I know he remembers things. He's felt things I've never felt and at least some of that is because of water.

So that's why water. Because it either takes a life or gives a life. I'm going to try as hard as I can to be on the latter side of that equation. To give another child the family it deserves. To give a mom a lifetime of "I love yous" and to spare more heartache than I can possibly imagine.

It's simple, it's fairly easy and it's certainly the least I can do as a way of saying "thanks" for this gift that was given to me. As a way of making up for all of my faults as a mom and for acknowledging that there was certainly someone who could've done it better than me.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am so proud of you tesi. Know that I am praying for you and your family without ceasing. love, Tmom

Tammy said...

You are an inspiration to me. Keep on making a difference in this world! God is smiling at you!

Beth said...

Beautiful post. There is a saying from an Orthodox elder who in response to the issue of what can be done to help our brothers and sisters in dire situations especially when it seems there are so many people suffering, stated that we can always give a cup of water. So true. It is not our vocation to "save the world" but there are individual lives which can be saved through something as simple as clean water. Thank you for making this your passion and waking me up to this critical problem.

Chilly ET said...

In my two years of reading this blog, this post is the best I have read yet! I'm very moved, and now even more inspired. Thank you for putting so beautifully into words many of the thoughts that I share as well.
Tony

Tiffany said...

Amen, sister!