In one week, tour will be over. It's crazy to think that 10 weeks ago, we were just leaving Morgantown, WV. When we left, I had it in my mind what tour would be, what success would look like, and how it would play out based on prior experiences. To be honest, it has been few of those things, but it's been bigger and greater than I could have dreamed. 

Being a part of Nuru's first tour has been one of the biggest honors of my life. I look at my life almost daily and think "Really? This is work?" For 10 weeks now, I've traveled to new places, met incredible people, and have been given the opportunity to invite them into a story that is transforming lives in both the developing world and the developed world.

And the incredible thing is, people get it. I've spent way more time telling people how they can be involved than convincing them why they should be. I hear time and time again that Nuru just makes sense. What a testament to the vision behind Nuru, the teams of people that make the work happen, and the media team that makes communicating this story so easy! Tour is the culmination of all the work being done at Nuru, and I get the honor of sharing it with the people we encounter.

One week to go, and a final push to finish strong. We want to talk to as many people as humanly possible this week, knowing that they will continue to share Nuru's story long after our van has pulled away. Thanks to so many of you who are already being Nuru where you are. It is your stories that have inspired us on our journey and have kept us strong along the way. It's an honor to serve the poor with you.

Check out this cool video challenge from our friends at YouTube and the ONE campaign.  Nuru is one of a small cadre of organizations that was selected to be part of this competition.  Time is ticking--selections must be submitted by the end of the week!   

Here's the deal.  Follow this link, http://www.youtube.com/videovolunteers and make a video to help promote Nuru's work.  You have until Friday March 26th to make a video and get it posted, so it's time to get crackin'!  If you do a good job, your video and Nuru could be on the homepage of youtube in the near future!  I'm personally looking forward to seeing what you create!

As I sit in yet another coffee shop trying to put my thoughts down on paper, I am struck with the overwhelming feeling that our journey will soon be coming to an end. We are back in Morgantown, WV where this whole journey began. We are home, but only for a moment and then we are back on the road.

We arrived in Morgantown at 7PM last night and will be leaving tomorrow morning for Pittsburgh. We will have a couple of events in the Pittsburgh area and then move on to State College, PA. After that we will travel to Philadelphia, NYC, Connecticut, New Jersey and then finally Huntington, WV.

We will return to Morgantown for about a week and then the team will split up and scatter ourselves across the country for Nuru’s nationwide event BH2O+ that will take place on 24 college campuses and 3 city centers April 12-17.

It was wonderful to sleep in my own bed and have my own space last night and this morning, but a part of me is questioning if I am ready for this journey to be over. My life after tour is going to look drastically different than the one I am living right now, but I do not completely know what form that will take. I guess only time will tell what the future holds for each of us.

We have an event tonight at the Gluck Theater in the WVU Mountainlair at 7PM. I have a feeling it is going to be a great event. If you live in the Morgantown area, I hope you come to the event and take action to join the Nuru story.

A Few days ago, Tiffany and I were sitting in a Starbucks in Naperville, IL and a man came up to us and said, “So tell me about what you guys do?” as he pointed to the Nuru van parked outside.

At first, we both wondered how he knew we were with the van and then realized that we both have Nuru stickers on our laptops. We told him briefly about Nuru and he stopped us and told us that he had someone he wanted us to meet. He proceeded to then set up a meeting with the missions’ director at a local church.

About an hour later, a woman came up to us and asked about Nuru. She told us that her daughter has hopes of working for a non-profit organization in the future. She seemed very pleased to hear about the work that Nuru is doing and that it aligns with her daughters aspirations. And then she asked for some print materials to pass along to her daughter and some other people that she thought might be interested.

These are just a few conversations we have had with people in the past couple of days, but I cannot tell you how many times people have asked us about Nuru in coffee shops just because he each have a Nuru sticker on our laptops.

If you want to spread the word about Nuru, I would suggest putting a Nuru sticker on your laptop and going to your favorite coffee shop; I promise, eventually someone will ask you about it. Granted we are probably in coffee shops working on our laptops more than the average person, but I think it can work for anyone.

There are 32 days left on our journey. 32 days left of telling the stories of the beautiful people who are Nuru. However, in just 25 days, our role as a team will be different. Why? Because in 25 days, the first Be Hope To Her (BH2O+) event of 2010 will be kicking off.

It's a bittersweet feeling. BH2O+ is the culmination of our efforts on the road. It's an experience that brings together people who have connected with the story of Nuru, the beautiful people of Kuria we work alongside, the excitement, the hard work, the sleepless nights, long drives in the van, and unforgettable memories with new and old friends. It's also the end of a journey that has changed and shaped the lives of this team more than we can articulate, and hopefully the lives of some of you we've met along the way.

Because of all of this (and more), we want Be Hope To Her 2010 to be the absolute best that it can be. If you are already planning a BH2O+ event, thank you. I know you are tired, but finish strong. Your work is tangibly changing the lives of people in Kuria, Kenya. If you are deciding whether or not to attend BH2O+, check out the registration page, find an event near you, and sign up.

I never knew that 5 gallons of water could change a life. Then I walked in solidarity with women in the developing world, and everything became different. So, April 12 - 17, I invite you walk with us and see your life as well as live in the developing world be changed forever.