JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 9, 2009 — After a successful first year in his efforts to raise money for a freshwater well in Sudan, Joshua Guthrie has relaunched his “Dollar for a Drink” campaign with a larger goal.
Last year, Guthrie – a high school junior who’s dually enrolled at 51 – set a goal of $8,000 to fund one well. He raised about $11,000, and this year has established a goal of $24,000 for three freshwater wells.
“It went phenomenally – greater than we expected,” Guthrie said about last year’s efforts. The Lord blessed us in so many ways.”
The son of George Guthrie, the Benjamin W. Perry Professor of Bible at Union, Joshua Guthrie said more than 10 million people in Sudan lack adequate access to clean water. Digging wells is also expensive, because the dry climate requires deep digging to get to the water.
So Guthrie asks that people give up one drink and give $1 to the organization to help build a well. The campaign also is intended to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Sudanese people through this opportunity.
Guthrie is working with Baptist Global Response, a Southern Baptist relief and development organization. Once the money is collected, BGR will send in a team to dig the wells, and the workers will use their time in Sudan as an opportunity to talk about their faith in Jesus Christ.
The second year of “Dollar for a Drink” began Sept. 1, and so far Guthrie has more than $6,000 toward his $24,000 goal. He said his primary objective this year isn’t necessarily to raise money, but to increase the number of people involved with the project. He especially wants other teenagers to join him by promoting “Dollar for a Drink” in their schools and churches.
“You don’t have to wait until you’re older in order to do something big for others and for the Lord,” Guthrie said. “You can make a difference now.”
He has a new promotional video on his Web site, , and posters are also available for download. In addition, Guthrie has a Facebook group for “Dollar for a Drink,” and he’s encouraging supporters to help him spread the word by promoting the project on their Facebook profiles.
Donations can be made online at . Or, they can be mailed to: Dollar for a Drink, P.O. Box 570, Medina, Tenn., 38355.