#1 WELLS
One of the community projects that has been sitting on the back burner of our minds, so to speak, is to improve the availability and quality of water in our village. This was one of the original requests of the people when we asked them if we could live with them 3 years ago. Currently our village has several shallow wells, some of which do well even in the dry season, as well as a small river which is used for everyday tasks such as bathing and washing clothes.
It has been our desire to improve the existing wells, as well as bring fresh water into the village from a spring located about 2 km away in the hills above. We have been able to repair several of the wells in our village over the last year, thanks to one of our supporting churches in Ontario.
Recently it came to our attention that the 2 neighbouring villages next to us have only one well in each of them, and at the moment are not doing so well for water. Before coming out for break this time, we agreed to help them by providing the materials needed to install some more wells in their villages.
The cost for materials to install one pump is approximately $100. We would like to replace 2 existing wells in our village and install one new one there. In the two neighbouring villages we need to replace the existing wells and install 2 new ones in each.
That is a total of 9 new pumps and pipe we would like to provide for these 3 villages.
In the process of getting this blog post ready we spoke with Adam from Bethel EMC, in Lion’s Head, Ontario. He has told us that they would like to care of the funding for this entire project! Praise the Lord! These villages will be able to have more water very soon.
#2 FRESH SPRING WATER
As for bringing water in from the spring up in the hills. It will be a significant project, as we will need to build a small collection reservoir at the source, install a 500 gallon holding tank at the village and approximately 2 km of durable water line. This is going to cost approximately $3500.
We are also looking to see if anyone would be interested in coming over to help us with the water project. Please let us know if you are interested. We’re open to the possibility of a small team coming to help with it or individuals. It would be an awesome opportunity to be a blessing to the Ga’dang people as you work alongside them.
If you would like to give to this project please contact us at chuck-shannon_talbot@ntm.org or go to Give Information for more information, you can then click on the Donate Now on the right hand side of your screen. Please be sure to include our names and what project you would like it to go towards.
#3 RICE
Another project we are looking at is a result of Typhoon Juan, which passed through northern Luzon as a category 4 typhoon last October. It happened just as many were beginning to harvest their mountain rice crops. As a result, much damage was done to the local people’s fields, as well as their other food sources such as the fruit trees. As we have talked with our Ga’dang friends, they are telling us that many of them will run out of rice to eat soon because they need to hold on to some of the previous year’s crop in order to plant again. Rice supplies were already being stretched due to the 6 month drought in the first half of 2010 which caused widespread rice crop failure and/or extremely poor harvest.
The local authorities have been able to help some in offering free rice seed, but it has only come in the form of seed for low land wet paddy rice. Unlike mountain rice, which cannot be bought as seed, paddy rice seed is readily available anywhere in the country. Mountain rice on the other hand, must be seed from the previous crops. Most Ga’dang people only grow mountain rice due to the hilly terrain and so were unable to take advantage of the offer.
It has been a good opportunity for us to observe the community spirit and sense of strong family connections as we watch the Ga’dang people work through this together. Many are sharing their reserves of rice seed with others so that everyone will at least have a little to plant in June. We are amazed to see the resourcefulness of them as well as they come up with opportunities to provide the necessities to survive.
We will continue to watch and be open to how we may be a blessing to the Ga’dang people in our area. It may be that we will need to purchase sacks of rice to pass out to them to help them make it until the next harvest in October. The average Ga’dang family of 6 can consume a 50 kg sack of rice (which costs about $40) in less than 2 weeks, especially when there is nothing else to supplement the meals. That’s a lot of rice in a village of 100+ people!
If you would like to give to this project please contact us at chuck-shannon_talbot@ntm.org or go to Give Information for more information, you can then click on the Donate Now on the right hand side of your screen. Please be sure to include our names and what project you would like it to go towards.
All donations are tax deductible and we receive 100% of the money donated.
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