A quick note to all... we are back and we did it!
Thank you for your support and thank God! The first operation with the drill rig and a great number of first time unknowns kept the team working hard and reacting to a variety of developments. But by Friday we had water flowing at 7gpm, the hand pumps max out at 5gpm... it was great to achieve this the day before departure.
More good stuff to follow but I wanted to share a quick update to all my family, friends, and supporters.
Hello all...
When I first heard the message about liquid water I was immediately interested. As I learned a little more about the project, I knew that I was going to do this. So here I am preparing to go to Haiti in October 2011.
Of course Amery is always full of surprises... and Amery being Amery I will always provide some thoughts... so it follows
Some might say this is a calling or it is an inspiration, but I really don't know if that is the reason. I just knew that I was committed because I understood why I felt so strongly about doing this project. It is what I understood about service.
I have served in way or another most of my life, so I understood that service is something beyond oneself, it is a personal sacrifice that is freely given with no expectation of reward but that there will be some outcome that was desired by those you served. This understanding certainly grounded me in my decision to volunteer, but I found there was really a greater reason I was committed to liquid water.
We often become so enmeshed in the needs of self, our pursuits of self actualization, what will makes us happy, fulfilled, that we can often forget what we already have, and it is plenty! It is not about us, when we have plenty, it is about others and the things that can enable them to seek happiness and fulfillment. We have more than we realize and I am not talking about material things, we sometimes miss this, if we can bring some piece of this to others then we have all gained more than any lottery ticket can provide.
So I am very excited about going to a place I have never been, with people I do not know, to help people I have never met, always knowing that God is with all of us providing all that we need. I look forward to posting pictures, but you might not recognize me, since I plan on getting dirty!
Amery
The Water & Sanitation Crisis - Haiti
Half of the people in Haiti lack access to clean water and only one in five have access to a sanitary toilet.
The water and sanitation situation in Haiti is among the most dire in the Western hemisphere. According to the WHO/UNICEF 2008 Joint Monitoring Program report, only about 70% of urban residents and 51% of rural residents have access to improved water services. Sanitation coverage is also very low in both urban (29%) and rural (12%) areas of the country.
Haiti is considered a water-stressed country. Total available water resources per capita are about 1,660 cubic meters (just under the 1,700 threshold). Less than 1% of these resources are in use. Groundwater potential exists in the mountainous areas and in some coastal areas, but accessing this has been a challenge for many communities. Virtually no water treatment facilities are properly functioning for the general public in the country. Soil erosion and deforestation have also contributed to diminished water quality. Moreover, Haiti’s seasonal rainfall patterns provide too much rain for some during segments of the year and too little for others during the dry season.
Current GDP per capita is approximately $570 in nominal terms and $1,318 in purchasing power terms. An estimated 80% of people live under the poverty line.
I have included a link below that has some fascinating information provided by the United Nations on water:
http://www.unwater.org/statistics.html
There are ways to help this all happen...
Thoughts and prayers... this is the greatest blessing you can give!
Financial support... there is a link to donate on this page.
I just added the video ... have fun with it!
I will provide some additional details on the project as I find out about them... I will also add a few more pictures... in another words this is a work in progress!!!
I just added a picture of the drill rig (brand new!) that we will be using in Haiti!
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