Our Team
Knowledge is Life, Not Books
Elimu ni maisha si vitabu. Knowledge is life, not books. This African proverb perfectly sums up how my experience in Africa, as a student and staff member with Houghton College’s Tanzania study abroad program, shaped why I am passionate…
A Collective Vocational Space
“What is it that keeps you awake at night? What is it that gets you up in the morning?” The weekend began with these two deceptively simple questions, and the answers were anything but simple. Thinking through the…
Justice, Mercy, Humility…and Coffee (of course) in Portland
The legendary, at least in my mind, trip to Portland, Ore., happened! Technically, the retreat itself was in Vancouver, Wash., but you better believe I made my way to the city for some quality Portland coffee. This summer,…
A Special Message from Leon: A Red Tie Gala Update
Last year, we were honored to have Leon Mbae, from the Tumaini Medical Center in Isiolo, Kenya, join us for the Red Tie Gala. This year, he has a special message for those who generously gave during last…
Pilgrimage Music Festival: A Gateway to Our Mission
Two weekends ago, I had the opportunity to represent Blood:Water at the annual Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival in Franklin, Tenn., alongside Dan Haseltine, Blood:Water co-founder and artist relations, and our engagement intern, Amanda Wojcinski! Though we were lucky…
Blood:Water Book Club: “One Thousand Wells,” Section 4
Summary Jena’s sense of defeat continues as she faces more brokenness in the world, and she starts to question if justice is really worth fighting for. As she begins to look for a way to step out of…
Blood:Water Book Club: “One Thousand Wells,” Section 3
Summary Upon attending the funeral of a college friend in Lwala, Kenya, Jena learns about the practice of ignoring grief due to the high frequency of death in the community. She also witnesses extreme cultural differences when she…
Blood:Water Book Club: “One Thousand Wells,” Section 2
Summary After touring with Jars of Clay for a while, Jena Lee Nardella flew to Kenya with Joel, a Blood:Water volunteer to investigate possible partners for Blood:Water and strategize for the 1000 Wells Project. While in Kenya, Jena…
Blood:Water Book Club: “One Thousand Wells,” Section 1
Summary In the first section of “One Thousand Wells,” we begin to understand Jena’s sheltered childhood and what evolved from her early life in the Bay Area and Colorado. Her first experience with poverty marked her life forever,…
Will the Real Dan Haseltine Please Stand Up?
You’ve now met our entire staff, except for one very important member. You know him as the talented lead singer of the Grammy Award-winning band, Jars of Clay. We know him as a co-founder of Blood:Water and an…
