Thangera Scoop Hole as of July 10, 2007
Thangera Scoop Hole this year July 25, 2008
A Year With A Change
We who do this work of development always are looking for proof that our work is paying off and that people’s lives are improving. After all, that is what we are working for. It is easy to get lost in the work and forget that the real reason we are doing it is so people live better healthier lives and that God will receive praise.
I visited the Sand Dam communities once again crossing my fingers since July was the first time we entered the communities a year ago to introduce them to the sand dam concept. Here it is a year later. What changes will happen? Will they be positive? Will the communities be happy with the changes, will it be life as normal without water or worse yet will they be yet upset and discouraged as yet an organization has come to help them without results. The last is my biggest fear. Fortunately I was pleasantly surprised. When I had traveled a few months ago I had heard community leaders in Tchinda and Thangera say they were tired from work and I never really received good answers to my questions about whether there was a change this year. That trip was after the rainy season when the communities normally have water. This trip, however, has entered the time when the water sources should already be drying up. In both of the communities we heard much encouragement. The leaders say people are happy. Tchinda still has water behind the dam at this point. The evidence is tomatoes that are still growing behind the dam. This would have been impossible last year. Thangera had dug down 7 meters into the river to get water at the beginning of last year when we had visited. This year they are just beginning to dig at the end of July. I included pictures to show the difference. Over the next few years as the sand fills behind the dam this should get even better.
Praise God it is working! Let us continue.
We who do this work of development always are looking for proof that our work is paying off and that people’s lives are improving. After all, that is what we are working for. It is easy to get lost in the work and forget that the real reason we are doing it is so people live better healthier lives and that God will receive praise.
I visited the Sand Dam communities once again crossing my fingers since July was the first time we entered the communities a year ago to introduce them to the sand dam concept. Here it is a year later. What changes will happen? Will they be positive? Will the communities be happy with the changes, will it be life as normal without water or worse yet will they be yet upset and discouraged as yet an organization has come to help them without results. The last is my biggest fear. Fortunately I was pleasantly surprised. When I had traveled a few months ago I had heard community leaders in Tchinda and Thangera say they were tired from work and I never really received good answers to my questions about whether there was a change this year. That trip was after the rainy season when the communities normally have water. This trip, however, has entered the time when the water sources should already be drying up. In both of the communities we heard much encouragement. The leaders say people are happy. Tchinda still has water behind the dam at this point. The evidence is tomatoes that are still growing behind the dam. This would have been impossible last year. Thangera had dug down 7 meters into the river to get water at the beginning of last year when we had visited. This year they are just beginning to dig at the end of July. I included pictures to show the difference. Over the next few years as the sand fills behind the dam this should get even better.
Praise God it is working! Let us continue.
2 comments:
God is indeed God!
Praying for you two!
That's great!
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