Living Water

Ben Perry is only 14 years old, but his experience as part of Team Living Water in the Go St. Louis half marathon gave him the kind of insight into the global water crisis that many adults don’t have:

Calves burning, lungs hurting, barely being able to walk because you’re so sore after the thirteen mile race…but then, this is probably how children and adults in less fortunate countries feel after walking seven miles to get buckets full of dirty water…and I think now about people who have to run sometimes without any water at all and I don’t know how they do it.

Ben was one—the youngest—of 178 Team Living Water runners who participated in the half marathon on April 11. Another eleven competed in the full marathon, which means 189 bright yellow jerseys passed through the streets of St. Louis that day, spreading awareness and helping raise funds to provide clean water for people who need it most. “Each cup of water I drank along the way, I thought of Living Water and the wells that would be dug,” reflects Susie Mulholland, first-time half-marathoner. “I was proud to be part of Team Living Water.”

Crystal Darrow has run in seven half marathons, yet she says this one is the best. “I have never run as part of a team [until now],” she says, “and I loved seeing the yellow jerseys around me and feeling the pats of encouragement or the high fives as we went by.”

Members of Team Living Water who participated in the Go St. Louis marathon and half marathon were mobilized by Windsor Crossing, a key partner church for Living Water International. To date, over $46,000 has been raised through the Team Living Water effort in the St. Louis marathon—money that will go directly toward helping bring clean, safe water in Jesus’ name to thirsty people all around the world.

Being part of Team Living Water is your chance to be an advocate for the thirsty. Join the team and run, bike, swim, hike, or climb for clean water! Read more about Team Living Water and what you can do to help here.