Sports, faith & Water Mission connect through S. Carolina Stingrays
Water Mission’s Mary Howell poses with the Stingrays mascot. (Photo courtesy of Water Mission)
Sporting events provide an incredible platform to campaign for a greater cause. Whether athletes are raising awareness of a cause they support, praying publicly, or demonstrating God’s love after victory or defeat, they can connect with fans on a deeper level.
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Sports Spectrum is known for sharing uplifting messages – this is where sport and faith come together. Through sports evangelism, community engagement and safe water projects, our friends at Water Mission add another element to our collective impact in the Kingdom. Water Mission serves our global neighbors by addressing the global water crisis affecting 2.2 billion people.
“If you think about playing or watching a sport, it’s something that brings joy — even in the midst of issues we all face,” says Mary Howell, Water Mission’s Community Engagement Manager. “Whether it’s a pandemic, health problems, political issues or the global water crisis, sport is an outlet for joy.”
(Photo courtesy of Water Mission)
Reach a new audience
In early March, Water Mission starred at a South Carolina Stingrays game in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Stingrays are a professional minor league ice hockey team known for giving back. They invited Water Mission to use the Stingrays’ platform to cover their flagship event, the Walk for Water.
“The game opened up a whole new audience for us,” says Howell. “There were people there who are involved in Charleston but have not heard of Water Mission or are unfamiliar with the global water crisis. This was a great way to open the door.”
The Water Mission team spent the evening connecting with fans at their booth, giving away Walk for Water gear and inviting them to register for the Walk itself. This was the first time Water Mission had been featured at a Stingrays game and, according to Howell, “hopefully won’t be the last.”
“Many of us have the opportunity to enjoy sporting events,” says Howell. “I encourage people to consider that while we participate in such activities, people lose their lives because they don’t have access to clean water. We can join forces and give something back.”
(Photo courtesy of Water Mission)
go for water
Water Mission is a non-profit Christian engineering organization dedicated to providing clean water and spreading the message of Jesus Christ about the Living Water.
The Safe Water Charity hosts community events around the world to teach the importance of clean water, sanitation and hygiene solutions. On March 26, 2022, the Water Mission hosted its annual event, the Walk for Water. Nearly 4,000 hikers participated, raising more than $450,000 to help end the global water crisis.
“Every 37 seconds someone loses their life because they don’t have access to clean water,” says Howell. “It’s a devastating statistic that many don’t know plagues our world.”
Be included
Those passionate about raising awareness don’t have to live in the Charleston area to make a difference. Through Water Mission’s community initiatives, people can reach out to men, women and children in need—regardless of where they live.
Whether that means sharing Water Mission’s posts on social media or hosting a Walk for Water in their own community, everyone can use their platform to make a difference.
“It is incredible to see what the Lord is doing in our lives and the gifts He is giving us. It provides opportunities for collaboration and brings clean water to people,” says Howell. “It’s such a beautiful source of joy.”
To learn more about getting involved with Water Mission, visit walkforwater.com or email [email protected].
Acadia Munari is a freelance writer for Water Mission.
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