The Modern Mocha

"The modern mocha is a bittersweet concoction of imperialism, genocide, invention, and consumerism served with whipped cream on top." ~Sarah Vowell

My decision was an overwhelming one. I found Mocha Club (http://www.mochaclub.org/) at least a month ago and had yet to decide on a project to support.  How do you choose one, when there are so many in need?  But at only $7.00 a month, I knew without a doubt that this was a phenomenal outreach.  $7.00 a month.  People can rationalize not forking out the $30, $40, $50 a month for larger, better known programs – we need that money for our iphone bills, our hair appointments, or to pay for the 500+ channels on our plasma flat screen TV’s.  But $7.00...how can we defend not giving $7.00 a month?  The challenge for me, was deciding how to give.  What’s more important - child mothers?  HIV/AIDS?  Orphans?  Clean water?  Education??

Tonight I entered a contest on a friend’s blog – how many lattes would she drink this year.  Hmmm…if it were me asking this question, the answer would be easy – count the number of days in a year and then multiply by two.  Or maybe three, depending on what the year has in store.  While I was doing my calculations (my guess, btw, is 243) I was reminded again of Mocha Club and I decided tonight would be the night that I join.

For 45 minutes I went back and forth through the various projects.  There are only five, but they’re all important, I couldn’t decide on which one.  Giving doesn’t have to hurt and what I like the most about Mocha Club is that $7.00 a month is relatively nothing for most of us.  I could do them all…and then, when finances get tight, bail like so many others do, or I could keep putting it off, not giving anything because I can’t decide on the “best” one to support.  Or I could pick something and donate just two lattes a month.  I wanted to pick, but I couldn’t.  Slightly overwhelmed (and admittedly, slightly annoyed that my effort to give was stressing me out) I got up and poured myself a glass of water.

I drank the entire glass and poured another when it occurred to me that I was holding my decision: clean water.  My two glasses of Crystal Geyser bottled water came from my refrigerator because my local water, provided for free, “tastes funny”.  Granted it doesn’t taste like mud or spread disease, the way it does in the Sudan, but still...My third glass of water reminded me that I am truly blessed – blessed to have a favorite water when so many have none at all. How many times in the last year have I talked to people about what water they prefer?  Arrowhead is too salty; Dasani is distilled; she only drinks Poland Spring because she knows the source personally and he only drinks Fiji because…well, I can’t remember why.  My personal favorite is Deer Park and anything less is just only…“ok”.

So please - check out http://www.mochaclub.org/ and find a reason to give.  It doesn't have to be water, there are four other projects you could support.  But I’d be psyched if you would join with me – my team is Missmiangels (http://www.mochaclub.org/joinme/missmiangels - I know, I know, my creativity is astounding…thank you, thank you very much, thank you…) and give $7.00 a month so the Sudanese people can have clean water.  Remember, the human body is between 60 - 70 percent water...

Love y’all,
~M~