By our OSDW reporter
Three weeks after installing a rain catchment tank
for the people and school at Hidden Valley we went
back to see the difference it made in their lives.
We took a group of young American volunteers who came to help.
The first of our two boats heads into the small opening in a wall of solid jungle. The "hole in the wall" is not visible until you're right on it.
The jungle pressed in on
both sides as the twisting
channel led us deeper.
as we first did, could there be
people living this deep
in the jungle?
We rounded a turn and there was our “welcoming committee.”
They had trouble with the word “welcome,” but their smiles said it all.
Their welcoming smiles made their mangled English "welcome" unnecessary.
We landed at a rough dock and started walking. A half-mile
away the jungle ended and we entered a green valley
with huts dotting the hillsides.
We headed straight to the school to see the difference our
rain catchment tank made.
And what a difference!
They now had safe water for washing hands, drinking and washing school lunch dishes.
The volunteers brought bulk
sacks of rice and highly-nourishing
lentils and went to work
breaking them down into
family-size food packages.
From bulk sacks to family-size food packages. Most families will get 3 or 4.
The volunteers then took off
to give each family the food
they needed, depending on
the number of kids in the family.
When they got back the kids
joined them in a celebration of
a job well done.
Part of our work is to bring people together. Volunteers come to change lives, but often find their own lives are changed, as well.
The hot, tired volunteers
were treated with fresh
coconut drinks by
the thankful parents.
"Ahh...that's good." A gift from the people she served
First aid is always needed
Many villagers followed us
back to the dock to say
goodbye…come back
Thank you! Come back again.
Joe and Maribel Bass, founders of Operation Safe Drinking Water
A message from Joe and Maribel:
We’re an all-volunteer charity
No one receives a
salary or compensation.
We’re donors as well.
We need your help
to continue this work.
Thank you.
Donate Here
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