Contact: Lindsay Wine, Water Missions International, 843-769-7395 ext. 208

CHARLESTON, South Carolina, April 23 /Christian Newswire/ -- A group of U.S.-based bloggers are asking their readers to participate in a five-day "beverage fast" next month, called 5 Days in May, which takes place from Friday, May 1 to Tuesday, May 5. During 5 Days in May, readers are urged to drink only tap water and donate the money they save on beverages to Water Missions International, a Christian, non-profit organization whose mission is to provide safe drinking water to people in developing countries and disaster areas.

"5 Days in May has the potential to provide millions of people with clean, safe water for life," said Shawn Wood, founder of the 5 Days in May campaign. "But the picture I cannot get out of my mind is that three-year-old little girl who will not be drinking out of a ditch come May 6," Wood continued.

"The average American drinks 420 ounces of canned soft drinks a week. My friend buys a specialty coffee drink three times a week, and I drink at least one fountain drink every day," said Wood. "Crunch the numbers and the cost adds up pretty quickly."

On average, 30 cans of soda equal $15.00, three trips to a commercial coffee shop equal $10.00 and five fountain drinks equal $8.75, totaling $43.75 spent on beverages by the average American in only one week. For about that same amount, $43.75, Water Missions International could provide safe, sustainable drinking water to five people for the remainder of their lives.

"With the current economic situation, many of us are feeling as if we cannot make a difference because we haven't much to give. 5 Days in May will help us realize how much we really can give -- enough to make a life-saving difference," explains George Greene, Founder of Water Missions International. "This is something that everyone can do, and it is our hope that everyone will."

Water is critical to life, health, and sustainable development. Yet, worldwide, more than one billion people lack access to this basic resource. More than two billion do not have adequate sanitation. Every fifteen seconds a child under age five dies of a water-related illness.

Wood further explains, "Many groups are asking for donations. 5 Days in May is different because it is challenging Americans to 'drink water to give water' to people who really need it."

Join the movement by logging on to www.5daysinmay.com, follow the movement at www.twitter.com/5daysinmay, and discuss the movement on Facebook.

About Water Missions International:
Water Missions International (WMI) is a nonprofit, Christian engineering organization based in Charleston, SC. WMI's mission is to provide sustainable access to safe water and an opportunity to hear the "Living Water" message in developing countries and disaster areas. Assistance is provided regardless of age, sex, race, or faith. To date, WMI has deployed more than 600 water systems to 40 countries worldwide and two U.S. states, making safe water available to more than one million people. Visit us at www.watermissions.org.