Six years ago Scott Harrison began a hero’s journey. His Mundane World was the club scene of Manhattan. He was a hard drinking, hard living guy, but he knew things needed to change. He recognized the Mundane World and sought to leave it. His Call to Adventure came in the form of a volunteer opportunity with Mercy Ships, an organization providing free health care to poverty stricken areas around the world via hospital ships.
Living in cramped and far from clean quarters on the ship, Scott had entered another world. His Path of Trials began in Namibia where his job of photographer exposed him to the realities of Third World life. He saw how a lack of access to everything he took for granted at home affected the lives of the thousands of people who turned up to the ship. He cried. Often.
His path took him to unimaginable places where he met new people, learned skills, and overcame challenges. The experience changed him forever. His return to New York was jolting. Every monetary transaction was converted in his head to Namibian equivalents: a margarita at the bar would provide food for a family for two years. He was determined to use his experience to change the world.
The key to the hero’s journey is the change that occurs in the hero and then the change they affect on the world. As the Master of Two Worlds, Scott Harrison created a non-profit called Charity:Water. His goal was to provide clean drinking water to everyone in the world. More than a billion people are waiting for this.
A driving philosophy of Charity:Water from the beginning was to create a charity that sent all money raised from donors directly to the cause. The budget for operations was found elsewhere so that anyone donating money knew it would be going directly to providing clean water.
In 2006, Scott Harrison saw a need in the world and he started doing something about it. He is the definition of an Action Hero. What can you do today?
This post is part of Blog Action Day 2010. You can read more posts on the Water topic by clicking here.
Quest Work: (what is this?) Find a charity or non-profit organization that is run by an Action Hero and share it in the comments. You can start by looking at Charity Navigator, a charity evaluator that looks at where the funds are going.
As a joint effort between my family and my business, I have started a campaign at Charity:Water to build a well. It’s called Heroes for Water and we need $5,000. If you’re inspired by Scott Harrison’s story and his efforts, you can donate here.
The Hispanic Community Tech Center (2101 Lewis St. Flint, MI) is run by Orlando Garcia, who bends over backward to help the community.
Hi Matt -
My first posting. So busy at work and not in a frame of mind to think deeply about these compelling heroes. Scott sounds like a man who has found deep meaning in life. He is so lucky. Thanks for helping us all see the heroes path is one we can find ourselves.
I sometimes ponder how somebody can live in poverty. All I know for certain is that I thank God that I am in the United States.