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Fast
forward a few weeks and I am back at home. The seasons are flipped,
it's cold in July and our kids are home from their year round elementary
school. July 17th was day number 13 of a 16 day winter holiday.
Naturally, I was zoned out in front of the computer, clicking through
newly posted pictures on facebook. And there is Sarah, pumping water for
kids in Guatemala. The photos sparked a bit of lunchtime conversation.
We watched a video of a girl named Lucy that lives in Kenya. It had an
impact on Max and he was able to make a bit of a personal connection
because of the short time we spent in Kijabe when he was younger. He also grew up around some pretty cool and generous kids who led the charge and set a great example with their own charitable lemonade endeavours (donating thousands to end modern day slavery through International Justice Mission).
I was inspired by Living Water International's website... but then I took a nap. Max got to work. When the little boys and I woke an hour later Max had stripped our lemon
tree clean and was at the kitchen counter cutting and squeezing. I did my
best to thwart his efforts by suggesting other things he could do with
his afternoon, reminding him that lemonade is more of a summer drink,
and pointing out the fact that our street doesn't get much traffic. He
was unfazed by my discouragement and decided on a "kindof warm, kindof cold" marketing strategy to combat the cold weather.
The lemonade stand had humble beginnings but lots of kids from our neighborhood pitched in to make improvements that bolstered revenue. We started meeting neighbors and making friends and found out that lemonade is an innovative product in New Zealand. Friends, neighbors, and co-workers donated lots and lots of lemons and over a couple of weekends the kids raised $172 in front of our house (in winter on a not-so-busy street). 
"Coincidentally"
last night right before bed time (in the midst of receiving some very
hard news) a guy named Ben (who happened to be from New Jersey) came to
our door. He was with the aid organization UNICEF. I have very clear
memories of walking door to door with my parents and an orange UNICEF
box. Ben gave us a weigh measurement tape, a package of plumpy nut, and told us about how oral dehydration salts can be used to help kids who have been drinking dirty water. He also told us about how $1 a day can provide temporary relief for children in crisis. Ben reinforced the
importance of establishing sustainable solutions (like a water wells) in
developing countries and the kids got to share about their project. It was a divine appointment and brought some joy to an otherwise hard day.
My kids grew up around kids like Kayleigh. They saw kids doing really cool things to help others people. Max and Maggie's lemonade stand isn't an extraordinary gesture of generosity. It is simply what they have seen other people do. They are following good examples.
If you live anywhere near Kennett Square, you may consider attending this year's Kennett Square Mushroom Festival (September 6 &7). Be sure to stop by and visit the Zubrod's lemonade stand on South Union Street to support the important work that International Justice Mission is doing around the world.
One amazing bi-product of our lemonade stand has been the opportunity to meet neighbors and develop friendships. 
The response to our little New Zealand lemonade stand has been pretty overwhelming. In less than forty eight hours we have raised nine hundred and forty eight dollars (this number is subject to change). We are grateful. Life is rich. 
When Max watched this video
a few weeks ago, he had a loose (but personal) connection with the protagonist... that "personal connection" inspired him to act. In 2009 (when Max
was four and Maggie three) our family spent six weeks living in Lucy's
country. Ben was working at Kijabe Hospital
as a doctor and I was working at home... as a mom. Our kids were young
and likely don't have memories of their own from that time. But we talk about our
experience, look at pictures and share stories about our time in Kenya.
They understand (with some clarity) that Kenya is a real place with real
people. 
This weekend it rained a lot... and I was reminded that you don't need to travel to the other side of the world to make personal connections with troubling world issues. We were looking to get out of the house and decided to take the kids
rollerskating at the gym where I train. The young lady at the front desk
had a Spanish accent. I was immediately curious. In America it is rare
to go a day without hearing Spanish, but in New Zealand it is a novelty.
I have only met three people of Latino descent in the year that we have
been here. I introduced myself as a fellow foreigner and asked a few questions. How did you
end up in New Zealand? Do you like living here? How long have you been
in the country? Do you hope to stay longer? 
She was a charming person and (strangely enough)
her accent made me feel a little bit more at home. As we got
acquainted, she told me (with tearful emotion) about her
country... Venezuela. She
was waiting for her visa to be renewed and hoping that she wouldn't
have to leave the safety and security of New Zealand... but
clearly torn - heartbroken for the well-being of family and friends in
her
homeland. Her brother-in-law and a close friend were among the 24,000
murdered last year in Venezuela. Did you catch that number... to put it
in perspective, Madison Square Gardens
seats 18,200 people. Fill up the worlds most famous arena and add an
overflow room for 5,800 people and you will represent the number of
Venezuelans murdered LAST YEAR. Having met Sara, I have a different
level of compassion for the Venezuelan people. I don't have any
solutions for the problems they face - but my heart is changed.
Meeting
Kenyan people changed my children. My kid's don't remember the specific
details of their stories in the same way I do. But they do know that Kenyan kids need clean water
and they shouldn't have to walk miles to get it. It was a privileged
for our family to spend two months in Kijabe. It changed the DNA of our
family and made us all a bit more grateful. 
Feel free to share THIS LINK with your "thirsty" friends.  |
| Lemon still life - by Maggie Goodgame read more about {Noted Moments} |
On the second day of sales the Living Water Lemonade Stand got a bit more professional. A lager table, more signage, better branding (kindof warm, kindof cold lemonade to attract wintertime walkers), informative brochures, new volunteer recruits. The improvements bolstered revenue significantly.
