Carry the Jerry: raising awareness for clean water

To say that I am proud of my husband would be an UNDERSTATEMENT.  A few Sundays he woke up & told me he was going to fill up this jerry can [that he bought at a thrift store] to 6 gallons and carry it 3.75 miles each day until his 31st birthday on August 5th.  3.75 miles is the average distance millions of people all over the world walk each day to get clean water.  Well, my husband might be crazy but it’s because of his passion.  He wants to see every person in the world have access to clean drinking water, and he woke up one day and thought “I can raise awareness” by doing this water carry thing.  yep, he sure did.  Because he put it all over social media [@jselder on instagram, @stephenelder on Vine] he was held accountable to it.  Each carry, he posts a picture on instagram + a video on Vine.  They usually give a good statistic on water – and more recently, a link to where YOU can get involved.

After a few days of running + raising awareness, people were asking how they could get involved.  So for the second time in the past few years, Stephen decided to direct his BIRTHDAY gifts/money towards clean water.  Instead of getting him gifts for his birthday, he wants people to donate towards clean water projects in South Sudan + Burundi through Water is Basic.  $3.75 gives one person clean water for TWENTY years!  Or you can donate $31 in honor of his 31st birthday on August 5th!

http://waterisbasic.donorpages.com/StephenElderBirthday/StephenElder/

When we were visiting his mom this past weekend, I got the chance to go with him on a carry [usually I am home with the kiddos – as he goes LATE!]  yall, this is no joke.  He literally carried a 50 pound Jerry can 1.5 miles RUNNING, and then carried it on his back the remaining 2 miles.  I could barley even pick it up [proof in the picture above].  It is, like he’s told me every day, a spiritual thing.  It is literally GOD who gives him the strength to carry this water.  Almost everyday he dreads going, which I don’t blame him – I was super sore from just going with him ONE time! but each night when he gets home, he is filled up again.  When he was running with the jerry, I was trying to encourage him and play fun music and he was in the zone.  He says he loves the time to be with God, and think.  I am so proud of him!

I am going to get him to share his heart about it with you soon, but until then – just wanted to catch you up in case you aren’t following his journey through my instagram (@wynne4)

think about giving towards his birthday campaign, you won’t be sorry you did 😉

Hey, I'm Wynne!

Hi, friend! First, I truly am so giddy that you are here. I want you to know I believe in you and all the ways you are growing towards living a more intentional life.  I genuinely hope you are encouraged from our time together here.

A little about me, I’m a type 7 on the enneagram, a total extrovert + people lover, entrepreneur, connector, storyteller, people gatherer, and passionate wife, mama + friend. I feel most alive when I’m exploring new places and surrounded by people I love. Give me a day in the outdoors disconnected from wifi, and I am a happy girl. I run on oat milk lattes, Jesus, gratitude journaling and kitchen dance parties with my four kids.
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  1. desiree says:

    i love this. times a million. way to go!!!

  2. Rose B says:

    I am always so encouraged to see what you guys are doing. Life is insane with everyday things but you two proudly carry the torch for Him and Live it in every part of your life. Way to go Stephen!!!!

  3. Look at those arm muscles!!! Go ahead on!!! 😉 I seriously love this!!!!! I can’t wait to see what the total is on his birthday!! Stephen is a man after God’s own heart. When are the four of us going to Africa together??? 😉

    • Wynne says:

      Lauren, you are so sweet! YES he is a man after gods heart 😉 love him so much! we NEED to make it to africa together soon!!!

  4. […] Carry the Jerry: Raising Awareness for Clean Water ::: Gloriously Ruined (My friend Wynne’s husband is carrying 6 gallons of water 3.75 miles every day until his 31st birthday on August 5th to raise awareness for the millions of people around the globe who don’t have access to clean water! Check it out!) […]

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