Stacy Long
AFA Journal staff writer
February 2012 – After successfully founding a real estate business at age 18, life-long entrepreneur Jordan Wagner decided to redirect his energy, as he described it, “from making as much money as I could to helping as many people as possible.” When a housing market slump in early 2008 left his business in the lurch, he was humbled before God. His initial frustration turned to praise as he recognized that God had another plan for him and his gifts. “He was taking me out of a situation to put me where He wanted me,” Wagner explained.
A trip to Uganda completely transformed his priorities as he witnessed people desperate for the most basic needs of life. At that point, he chose to devote his entrepreneurial energy and business acumen to changing lives forever – with deep wells of sparkling water.
The California-based Generosity Water, founded for the purpose of bringing clean water to remote villages in the Third World, has provided clean water to over 110,000 thirsty people in 17 poverty-stricken countries. Wagner, now 24 years old, has served as the executive director of Generosity Water since its founding by his father, Philip Wagner, in December 2008.
While nothing may be simpler than a drink of water, there is nothing more exciting for those who have lived without water. Wagner said, “Water is the first catalyst for community transformation. It’s really the first step to breaking the cycle of extreme poverty.” The lack of clean water is the leading cause of death and disease around the world. Valuable time is lost from work or school in an unending search for water. Often the water carried home to families is dirty and polluted, causing epidemics of parasites, disease and death.
When Generosity Water builds a well, it does more than eliminate a labor-intensive chore, it overcomes a burden that would forever prevent people from breaking out of poverty.
“You’ve literally taken the weight off my back,” a stooped Ethiopian woman told Wagner after a lifetime of carrying a 50 pound jar on her back in a daily 4-mile trek for water.
A village receives new life when clean water gushes out of a newly constructed well. Wagner described the celebration that typically takes place: “We’re walking down the mountain to go to the well, and they’re throwing popcorn seeds, rose petals and flowers, singing, dancing and playing the drums. It is a huge festival parade over one well that we had funded.” The whole village stops to rejoice over the end of the desperate, daily battle against poverty, death and disease. A sign waved high overhead says it all: “Water is Life.”
The Wagners can appreciate the unintentional Christian symbolism of those words. Although Generosity Water strives to cooperate with non-Christian organizations and persons for a more far-reaching impact, their Christian beliefs are at the heart of what they do. Wagner said, “We believe in the Bible and what Jesus says – ‘Whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward’(Matthew 10:42). The key is there, it’s not just giving a cup of clean water to someone, but it is in Jesus’ name.”
With a local pastor sharing the gospel at the dedication of each well, Generosity Water literally provides wells of water in Jesus’ name, and also offers the living water that can “become a well of water springing up unto eternal life” (John 4:14). 
Generosity Water began when Jordan Wagner returned from Uganda to raise funds for a well, asking that people donate money instead of buying him Christmas gifts.
More info: www.generosity.org, 818-287-8055 x120 (Ask for the offices of
Generosity Water.)
