terry lord's testimony

here's what Terry Lord said for her testimony during 11/14/10 message:


Good morning. Excuse me I need some water.

Three years ago, Abby Parker, Kathy Langley, Kim Weidmann and I sat around my kitchen table and tried to brainstorm about a project to bring the Missions Committee and our Youth together. We were led to the idea of an Alternative Christmas Market where we could inspire others to think outside the Christmas box ... to have a paradigm shift ... to encourage all of us ... instead of giving more things, to give more meaning.

We were stunned by your response. That first year we raised over $11,000. Last year we raised over $13,000. We were shocked that our little mustard seed of an idea seemed to catch on. Pastor Lynn asked me to speak today about how lives might have been changed by our efforts through alternative holiday giving and that has led me to talk to you about water.

(Slides need to pop up here.)

There are two situations with children that are difficult for me to wrap my mind around. The first is that there are children living in Austin that don't know food security. The second is that there are children anywhere that do not have access to clean water. Can we really imagine that?

It is the responsibility of women and children in many parts of Africa to collect water for their families. This often means walking many miles to sites that are contaminated. With your help families in two communities (1 in Kenya; 1 in Uganda) are developing clean water resources through the use of shallow wells, tanks, and sub-surface sand dams. With clean water close at hand, young girls can attend school.

In Malawi, only 32% of the people have access to a safe water supply. Because of your efforts, people in one village are providing labor and locally available materials to drill one borehole well.

Now, I would like for you to meet Micah Lokorobee. He is from northern Uganda. He is 9 years old and he is blind. He had no clothes to wear, no place to bathe, and during raids he was often left behind when people ran away for safety and in search of water. Because of your donations, a sand dam has been constructed near Micah's village, which provides access to clean water even during the dry season. We helped provide the materials and Micah helped provide the stones and part of the labor.

In Michah's home culture a blind child is considered a curse to his family. But because of Micah's work on the dam, he was given the opportunity to go to a school for the blind in Kenya. As he put it, "The sand dam has made me to be recognized."
So, yes, our little Alternative Gifts market has changed lives. It has changed mine ... I don't take the gift of clean water for granted. And I am trying really hard to remind myself not to buy things my friends and family don't really want or need. (Hold up sweater and tell story). I am trying to give gifts in their honor that actually do have meaning to someone ... like good, clean water.