Clean water for God's thirsty children
Knights of Columbus Join Water With Blessings to Provide Clean Water to God's Thirsty Children
During a Knights of Columbus meeting, Sr. Larraine Lauter and Knight Larry Kessler demonstrated how little it takes to provide clean water to four families.
During the 2019 Monarchs event,
Sr. Larraine helps demonstrate the Sawyer PointONE filtration system.
Whether dancing or just listening to the Monarchs, everyone had fun while funding more Water Women around the world.
The Knights of Columbus
Bishop Flaget Council (Prospect, KY) Raises Nearly $30,000 in 3 Years

During the 2017 Catholic Men's Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, Larry Kessler stopped at the Water With Blessings booth and spoke to Jim Wilhite, the country coordinator for Uganda.

"I thought this was something the Knights of Columbus should be involved in," Larry said. So he took the idea to the KofC Bishop Flaget Council in Crestwood, a suburb of Louisville. At a meeting in June 2017, Sr. Larraine Lauter encouraged the Knights to join the Water With Blessings family.

"We contributed about $3,000 that first year," said Jack Banbury. "One way we put it was that instead of giving your Dad an ugly sweater, you could give him four families drinking clean water. It worked out pretty well."

In June 2018, the Knights hosted a concert by the Monarchs. Nearly 600 attended and $10,000 was raised to train and equip Water Women. In 2019, a repeat event raised $15,000.
Sr. Larraine was in Haiti during the 2018 event but addressed the attendees via an internet hookup. She attended the second event, and even spent some time on the dance floor.

"She made an appeal at the halfway point both years," Larry said. "It was really moving. You had all these people who had been dancing and partying, but when she spoke you could hear a pin drop."

The coronavirus shutdown led the Knights to cancel this year's event, but they hope to renew it next year. The Monarchs enjoyed the event so much themselves that they have contacted the Knights about scheduling for 2021.

And many of the Knights are still contributing to the cause.

"Sr. Larraine exudes charisma," said Jack. "She's such a dynamo, and that energy goes all through Water With Blessings. When you get to know her, you want to help her."

The more the Knights learned, the more dedicated they became.

"Because it was started by a local Ursuline Sister, it's something we could get close to," Larry said. "We saw that she had started with nothing and is now getting help to where it is needed. When you give, nothing is wasted. The Knights saw that this is something we can do and know what the results are going to be."
The Knights are helping fund Water Women around the World. Please consider joining them, and us.

One way to help is to forward this email to a few of your friends. You never know -- perhaps they would want to join you in providing
clean water to God's thirsty children.

And you can make a long-term impact by clicking the link below to become a sustaining donor to Water With Blessings. By giving $12.50 each month, you can sponsor two new Water Women each year.

We'll be sure to send you information on seeing where your Water Women live and the impact your gift is making.
Do you do your grocery shopping at Kroger?

We are a part of the Kroger Community Rewards program. You can link your Kroger Plus account to the Community Rewards program. A percentage from each purchase will go towards a quarterly donation made to Water With Blessings.

Please remember that participation requires annual re-enrollment each August by all enrolled supporters.
Please re-enroll if you haven't already done so.
 
How does it work?
 
 
  • If you don’t have an account, grab your Kroger Plus card (you’ll need the barcode to register your Digital Kroger account), click “Create an Account” 
  • If you have an Digital Kroger account, click “Sign in;” click “Community Rewards” option under My Account; then click on “Enroll Now” under the Kroger Community Rewards Page
  • Search for Water With Blessings either by name or PT288, and click “Enroll”
  • Once setup is complete, you’ll see Water With Blessings on your account summary page beneath “Community Rewards”
 
Thank you for your support!
Why I Support
Water With Blessings
By Sr. Judy Morris, O.P.

When I reflect on what has led me to Water With Blessings, I travel to an awakening experience in Nicaragua in 1984. At that time the Contra war was underway, and I was part of the Kentucky delegation of Witness for Peace that traveled to Nicaragua to meet with citizens, hear their stories, and join them in prayer. This was a country that had struggled for decades under the Somoza dictatorship.

It was also a country with a median age of 15. Children lacked basic necessities such as clean drinking water. While we were there, 40 children were kidnapped and forced into the Contra army. Life improved under the Sandinista regime, with the illiteracy rate reduced from 58% to 12%, and polio being eliminated.

Still, clean drinking water was an issue. We left the country during a national alert, but never forgot the many issues needing to be addressed.

Since that time, I have focused on ways to serve the poor. It is not enough to write mission statements, conduct focus groups, or pray. Action that directly impacts the poor, that is Gospel-driven is essential in making a difference in the lives of the largest segment of our world.
And, this is exactly what Water With Blessings does. When someone asks what I am doing, I say that I work for an organization that is saving lives. Water is the most fundamental resource for humans. The question is: how do we provide this essential resource in a realistic and long-lasting way?

I feel privileged to be part of Water With Blessings because it saves lives while affirming women as competent players in a world-wide effort to save children. In this effort, community building is essential, as happens when a Water Woman shares her water filter with three other families. As a result, more than 400,000 households have received water filters, and relationships are strengthened. This is a spiritual exercise that begins with prayer and the signing of a covenant, not a contract.

It is also important to me that Water With Blessings addresses the issue of racism by working with leaders of Navajo Nation to provide water filters. Native Americans suffer from long-standing discrimination from treaties ignored, inadequate health care, and poor infrastructure. One of the critical issues for Navajo Nation is a lack of clean drinking water. Water With Blessing not only identified the problem, but addressed it.

In spite of COVID 19, Water With Blessings continues to reach out to the poor of all faith traditions, providing the world’s basic resource. That is truly a blessing for all who benefit, and for me to be involved with Water With Blessings!
Coffee Chat Stays Close To Home This Week:
Our Friends From The Knights of Columbus
If you need a group who will get things done, there is none better than the Knights of Columbus.

The nearby Bishop Flaget Council (Crestwood, Kentucky) of the Knights has invested time, effort, and thousands of dollars to help provide clean water to God's thirsty children. This week, a few of their members will join us to talk about why they have become part of our family.

Remember, we have moved the time permanently to a noon chat every Friday. Water With Blessings has friends and supporters all over the country, this gives more people a chance to join us.

So if our old time was too early for you, please consider clicking below to be a part of the conversation. Then grab a mid-day beverage and fire up the connection. Once you join us, we think you will want to make it a habit.
Cradles of Christ 2020
Save The Date! DONATE!

The Water With Blessings 3rd Annual Cradles of Christ Nativity Display is December 12 & 13.

Remember: Our Silent Night Auction will be online this year. It begins Thanksgiving Day, November 26.
And we need your help.

We are looking for restaurant gift cards, sports event tickets, vacation stays, nativity sets, gift baskets, jewelry, Christmas items, and services like classes, massages, car detailing, hair care and anything else! Can you donate or get the businesses you frequent to donate gift cards, items and services?

Donated items (or a photo and description of the item) should be sent by October 31 so we can post the items online.

This is our biggest fundraising event of the year, and we can’t do it without you. Thanks in advance for all you do to provide clean water to those most in need.

If you can help us, please contact our office or send an email to: debbie@waterwithblessings.org
We believe every child should be drinking clean water. Are you with us?
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