Today, about 884 million people face the daily challenge of finding water. This resource is tremendously scarce in Central America, where the average person walks 4 miles each day to retrieve water that, in many cases, is not clean or potable.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, Living Water International and Parkview Community Church, Glen Ellyn, Ill., hosted a “Walk for Water” event to raise $50,000 to build 10 new water wells in Central America. More than 100 people participated in the event.

Participants walked a total of 2.5 miles to represent those who journey each day to find water. They walked 1.5 miles as a group to local Lake Ellyn, collecting water in gallon jugs and buckets and carrying it a mile back – allowing participants to put themselves in the shoes of the millions of people who journey to find clean water every day.

“This event will raise money and awareness to drill more wells in Africa, India and Latin America,” says Gordon Murphy, director of Living Water International Chicago.

Living Water International began drilling water wells in 1990. Working in 25 countries around the world and motivated by Christian faith, Living Water strives to implement effective and sustainable water, sanitation and hygiene solutions. For more information, visitwww.water.cc. To learn more about the Water Walk, or to begin raising money for the cause, visitwww.water.cc/chicagolandwalkforwater.