Above: Photos of Rob & Char’s trip to Ethiopia in 2016
Each generation has a moment in history in which they’ll never forget the time or place they were when they heard the news. It might be the first moon landing, the assassination of President Kennedy, or 9/11. Just mentioning it invokes powerful memories. For Rob and I, that moment was November 22, 2016. In a dusty, remote village tucked away in Ethiopia’s highlands, a drill rig struck fresh water, and the families of Gareb Abdella were forever changed, both on that day and for generations to come. Funded by a partnership between the community and Abbotsford’s Run For Water, the first muddy sprays of water shooting out of the ground sent shouts of joy and ululations throughout the valley. We were fortunate to be there with a Run For Water group and witness the momentous occasion. This miracle meant the women no longer had to use water from the bacteria-laden murky waters of the local watering hole, where animals routinely wallowed. The young girls wouldn’t have to trek miles into the mountains multiple times daily to access cleaner water. Now, they were free to attend school, and their older sisters and mothers could use their time and energy to grow crops and improve the lives of their families.
Estimates are that 1 billion people on our planet do not have access to a reliable source of clean water. While the number is staggering and leaves one feeling helpless, there is a way to change the lives of one community at a time by partnering with Run For Water. Currently, there are villages in Ethiopia that are desperately hoping the people of Abbotsford believe in them enough to open their hearts and wallets to bring clean, safe drinking water to their families. Over 12 years, Abbotsford’s annual Run For Water Run/Ride/Trail Race has raised over $4 million and altered the course of history for many communities in Ethiopia by helping them access clean water. It is simply impossible to overstate how life-changing this is.
How can you help make this happen for another community? It’s simple: you need to join us and eat tacos! On April 20 and 21, as we celebrate the 14th anniversary of Lepp Farm Market, we’re grilling up delicious tacos for you to enjoy, and $5 from each plate of tacos sold goes directly to help fund a new well in another village. You can help break the endless cycle of drought and disease brought on by a lack of fresh water for a whole community.
We are so grateful for your tremendous support of our community these last 14 years. What better way to say thank you than to share the abundance we enjoy with those in our world who don’t have access to the same privileges we enjoy? Please consider joining us on April 20; together, we can create a ripple of change that reaches far beyond this day.
To learn more, watch this video of Rob & Char’s trip in 2016.
