In the summer of 2008, I traveled to Peru where I met a underprivledged family of 8 living in extreme poverty. After spending 2 days with the family, I learned that they had been saving for years in order to get a clean water system in their village. After 3 years of saving, they only had 1/6 of what was needed. My fiancé, Siya, and I put together all of the money we had in our wallets and it equaled the exact balance of what it would cost the family for the pipeline. Siya and I took the mother aside and discretely handed her the money. We told her that we wanted her to have it so that her family would have access to what all living beings should have the right to – clean water. The moment we handed her the money, is one of the moments I will never forget. The mother covered her face and broke down crying. She was speechless for words but managed to get out “bless you and thank you.” At that moment, I felt so grateful for having the chance to do something that seemed so little but would ultimately change their life.
Months after returning home, I got an email from a Peruvian friend with pictures of the family infront of their new water system with smiles that covered their entire faces.
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TAGS: Community Outreach Contests Travel
Thanks for all of your votes. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to win this one since I’m not an American citizen. But I’m so glad I got to share my story with all of you. Thank you kindly and keep exploring and changing lives:)
Kristan is Amazing!!
KRISTAN ROCKS!!!
That was really a kind thing to do… It is a good thing to know that a family can now have access to clean water thanks to you! Some people really change your life and the greatest thing you can you is to change their life too, for the better of course!
Kristen’s pretty cool. Why do we have to leave a comment to vote? That’s stupid. You know what else is stupid? I went to a Dairy Queen in Buffalo, NY the other day and they’re charging extra for peanuts now. What kind of BS is that? Charging for peanuts! C’mon!
Amazing story
Good luck!!
Good Luck!! Only you should win this!
Kristen – that was very thoughtful
Kudos on making a big impact on the lives of this Peruvian family. You deserve this trip!
KRISTEN!!! Im so happy for u!! ur one of the most inspiring people i know and u totally deserve this!!!!!
I watched your Peru documentary last night with Tim
I think you deserve this more than you think. – Seanna
That’s an incredible story of generosity and the amazing things that can happen with the kindness of human spirit. You and Siya have such big hearts!
great work Kristen!
Jenny – It was so little to us and so much for them. I couldn’t believe they had been saving for yours and didn’t even have close to what they needed. Makes you really appreciate the simple things in life.
Chelson – I’m glad I can inspire you. Can’t wait to hear about your adventures in India and Thailand.
I think it is awesome that you shared what to you was probably not a lot of money, but made such a huge difference to that family.
What an amazing story. That was very kind of you.
Beautiful story! Good luck
Namaste!! A beautiful thing to do by a beautiful girl like you.. You may have given them all you had but heck youll make that money back again someday.. But those people will never forget you and that my dear adventure seeking, risk taking, travel junkie buddy of buddies is priceless.. May the halo round your head grow bigger and brighter and I hope you win and get to travel some more because boy I love reading about your adventures and you inspire me to travel and follow in your footsteps……
Traveling has been Kristen’s passion as long as I have known her. I wouldn’t have met her if she weren’t constantly trotting around somewhere ridiculous. We love following her around the world!
Atul – Thank you so much for your kind words. That really means a lot to me. Will definitely keep up the posts and the adventures and the kind-heartedness.
You rock!
GOOD LUCK KRISTEN!!!!!!!
my vote is for you!
That is an amazing thing to do. This world needs more people like you. People who aren’t selfish and are considerate towards others no matter where they are from.Reading this makes me want to strive to be a better person and i have you to thank for it. Keep up the posts, the adventures and the kind hardheartedness. Best of luck with everything
Good Luck!
Loved it wat to go Kristen
Steve – If I win this contest, I will the opportunity to help someone else in one way or another.
I’m glad I can use this story to inspire people, in the hopes that they too will help others who need just the simple things in life. It’s amazing how for many of us, having access to clean water is something we don’t even really think about. We bathe in clean water, cook with it, play with it, relax in it, and the list goes on. And if it was taken away from us, our whole worlds would change, but its something we don’t really think about.
Our vote is for you!
YOU ARE AMAZING! I WANT TO MARRY YOU!
I hope you get to embark on another adventure.. heck maybe you can bring me too!?
What an amazing expirence ! So inspiring and heart-warming, Good Luck!
you are amazing kristen… i hope you win!!
Good luck Kristen! Your travel blogs are an inspiration to us all!
Hey Kristen! Best of luck!
Good luck Kristen, hopefully you win so we get to hear more of your stories!
I know Kristen from school a few years ago, and she is by far one of the most passionate traveller I know. I did not know about this story until I read it just now and this also shows a side of Kristen I have also seen and that is she loves to help people in need. I believe if given unlimited resources she could change the world. That’s why I’m voting for her.
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Kristen is one of my best friends and most amazing people I know. Everytime I read this story I cry tears of happiness. The world should have more Kristens, for then it would be a much better place – and more people would have access to water
Kirsten – Thanks for writing! That’s really nice of you to do that. I love hearing about travel stories, but I love hearing more about travel stories where helping others was the highlight. I hope more and more people realize how impacting small actions like the ones you and I have both taken can do in this world. If we took even the smallest actions, can you imagine what would happen in this world. Not just with people but with the environment.
Kristin- I am one of your “opponents” in this contest, but I just wanted to say that this is a great story. I recently volunteered at “feed my starving children” (in MN) where we put meals together for starving children around the world. Knowing that a very small bag of rice, dried chicken powder and dried veggies will give a child 6 meals and save their life, really does make you realize how lucky we are to have the things we do. Even though I don’t get to meet these kids, there is an immediate connection with them, knowing you are changing someones life!
Inspirational!
Kristen! This is one of your many touching travel stories that I always love hearing about. Keep being great and I hope you win this, because you deserve it!
-Melissa
If you want to read this story more in detail, I wrote about it on my blog: http://hopscotchtheglobe.com/2010/09/08/the-most-memorable-travel-experiences-at-the-lowest-cost-1/
It doesn’t take much to change a person’s life. Many people might think that a family living in extreme poverty needs to win the lottery and then they will all be happy. This isn’t the case at all. This family was so happy. They had this energy and positive outlook on life that I don’t see often in people in North America. If you gave them a million dollars, they would be lost at what to do with it. None of them have ever had money and the parents came from generations of extreme poverty. It;s just the necessities of water, food, shelter that is a MUST. If you can help give someone these basic life necessities, that is life changing. It just makes me sad that so many people on this planet go days without any of those.
Wow Kristen, that must have been an awesome experience. And to think, we turn on a tap here and hot, clean water comes out…I can’t imagine not having the blessings we have come to take for granted.
God worked through you and your man that day.
Kristen your travel stories are always beautiful, hopefully you will win this opportunity and touch yet another life! Good luck!
This is so beautiful! If everyone in the world had an experience like this, I think we’d have a better collective understanding and respect for each other and the world.
I remember meeting Kristen’s fiancé just after their trip to Peru. I saw their documentation of what Kristen tells us here, and honestly the video made an impact more than the words, I can imagine how the family felt and I know how good it feels to help out. To anyone who doesn’t know this amazing couple, I hope you get a chance to one day. After seeing the documentation I couldn’t wait to meet Kristen, who at the time was in Africa helping out in a school for her media studies! I would love to do what she does and travel and help out all I can, hopefully one day I can tag along in one of her adventures. Surely if their is someone who deserves to win this, it’s definitely Kristen! This trip may be free for her, but the opportunity and the potential she has to change whoever she meets life would be priceless!
Good Luck Kristen!!! I’ll happily envy you <3 lol
Thanks everyone for your kind comments. I really appreciate them all.
Compassionate story about changing peoples lives. Love it. You have my vote.
Kristen,
You certainly have made a difference!
This is such an amazing story! The gift you and Siya gave to this family does not suprise me at all! Having had the priviledge to have personally met you both I know that the family in Peru will never forget your selfless act of generosity, if there were only more people in the world like you, it would be a better place. Thank you for sharing this story with us!
you have my vote. Best of luck.
What a selfless act.. truly inspiring, we need more stories like this. I hope you win Kristen!
Its stories like this that make people like Kristen unforgettable! You inspire me to want to do great things and you definitely deserve this win! Keeping doing what you are great at! Xoxo!
People like you deserve to win this contest. Doing something like that is life changing, not just visiting and deciding you loved it somewhere like some other posts on here. Good luck!
Thanks for doing what you do, and being who you are. The world needs Beautiful, Inspirational people like you to travel and spread the Love. Good Luck!
What an inspiring story. I love to see how travel can empower so many people
Thanks for setting such an example, Kristen! You truly are inspirational. It’s so easy to get lost in the shuffle of everyday life and sometimes we lose sight of what’s important. Thanks for putting things into perspective for me. What we consider to be “struggling to get by” is nowhere near what other experience, especially when they are without access to the most basic of necessities like clean water. What a profound travel experience!
If Anyone deverves a trip anywhere in the world its you Kristen….keep traveling and writing about your adventures….one love
You deserve to win. If for nothing else than to spread your generosity and overall good will to more people. truly inspiring. good luck!
wow kristen reading this brought tears to my eyes tears of joy . you really have a big heart and your always making a difference in peoples lives.its always rewarding to make a difference in someones life. I know you will go far in life i believe in you and i believe that good things happen to good people your one of a kind and i hope you win this because i know you deserve it i wish you nothing but the best
count my vote! this is amazing
Awesome story!
Sometimes it’s so easy to make someone happy changing his life for good. That’s one of the great lessons you taught us. It’s about to see a step forward our everyday life crossing off the concept of ” take for granted “. Travveling around the world making people happy ….that’s what you do, and I trully hope that you are going to do it for loong time
What an inspirational article! I sounds like an amazing journey.
Inspiring and touching. You get my vote.
What a heart-warming story!
Great story. You are an inspiration to us all. I am certain if you win the prize it will in someway go to assisting someone else in need (where ever you plan to go). The world needs more Kristen Jacobson’s! Muchas Suerte.
Injoyed the article thanks
Kristen, you know I am a big fan of yours, and I am very inspired by you. You move people. So does this story.
If only everyone was as generous as you, our world would be a far better place to live. Your contribution to those people was not money, but the prolonging of life and the gift of joy.
Woo! Go Kristen!
You’ve got my vote amiga! Keep living your dream. Yours stories of helping the unfortunate brings tears to my eyes. If only this world could have more people like you =D
See ya later Amiga
Great story! Very inspiring!
Good luck in the contest Kristen! I know you would be an amazing ambassador if you won
You’re an inspirational person
Yay Perú ! I have a special spot for this of your many travel stories because its home ! Thank you for helping the community there and raising awareness as you do it. Tienes mi voto y eres mi idolo de viajesss
If i could vote more than once I would !!
P
This story brings me to tears every time
your an inspiring person
I hope you win sweetie!
Kristen! Bravo! I am inspired by you:) You have my vote hands down!
xo
Kristen YOU HAVE MY VOTE. Yours story inspired me the most. Not that other stories weren’t good its just that I felt that your journey was not just about how it changed your life, but about how you helped to change the life of others. So true about the simple things that we take for granted and as human beings have the right to and yet so many have no way of ever having. You did an amazing thing helping that family and I bet that few dollars for you isn’t even missed but would take a lifetime for that family to save up. God Bless you Kristen. You deserve to win this contest!!!
Great story! I remember how much this impacted you. You got my vote for sure.
Bob – Thank you for your vote. I agree with you, and if I win this voucher, I promise to go and help someone else in need in someway that I can.
Mariah – This is what traveling is also about. Not just exploring a place for your own person interest but to help those you meet a long the way. Thanks for your vote.
Ashley, K, Siya – Thank you so much for your vote.
Kortney – I’d love to hear about your story in Uganda. Care to share?
You definitely have my vote!
YOU HAVE MY VOTE x 10000000000000
Your story and you as a person inspire me so much. I cannot believe all of the things you have accomplished! Here’s my vote!
Good luck Kristen!
Beautiful! It’s travellers like you that deserve to win. This story makes my eyes water.
A truly moving story! Thank you for also highlighting the need for clean water that so many of take for granted.
You got my vote!
My wife Dian and I understand the truth of this story is not so much about your generosity in giving your money, and a grateful thankyou from us, but the worldwide need for clean water that can change lives in such a positive way.
Thank you so much for choosing my submission for the Top 10 Finalists. This trip to Peru was definitely one that I think about often. Something so little as “pocket change” to North Americans, changed 8 lives! This is what traveling is about, and I hope to help out as many more people in the world that I can.
So amazing you had that opporunity, i had almost the same thing happen to me when i went to uganda. Unbelievable feeling, everyone should experience.
This is truly beautiful. This is a true act of kindness that travel is all about. It’s not just about going to a country, looking at buildings, eating the food, laying on the beach and leaving. It’s about interacting with the people and contributing to those less unfortunate. Thank you and good luck.
What an inspiring story. I’m sure this family will always remember you and you have changed their lives in so many ways. A traveler like this deserves the win!
Great story! Love that your gesture, which most likely cost your little in comparison, made a huge impact on many peoples lives!