Below we have alot of photos of people having fun here on Shepherd Island and beyond. In this block though, we would like to ask for your help in helping our neighbors.
Nearly Spring and update below.
It is always the time of year for giving and there is no better gift than the gift of health to children and their families. We live in a beautiful place here in Panama amongst the Gnobe Bugle Indians. Many of them work for us now or have worked for us in the past. We become friends and they come to us for all kinds of help.
Many times they ask for help of money for burial of a family member. We have buried many friends of which a large part are small children. It is mostly because of the water they drink from the ground. There is a solution. The organization Operation Safe Drinking Water was started by very dear friends of ours about a year ago. They receive donations and then buy Rain Catchment tanks which are installed at schools or villages where needed. Many times groups come down and help with the installations. This project has already done so much good here.
There are two projects we are hoping to achieve which are especially close to our heart as we love our neighbors. The school nearest to us is the Valle de Agua School where the children we know best go to school. We are also interested in helping a nearby small village of about 30 people who drink from a hole dug in the ground. Recently, we paid for burial of the death of the 1 ½ yr old niece of one of our men whose name is Beto. They live in this village in Valle de Agua which means Valley of Water. The rain keeps falling and there is plenty of water . . . it is just not clean. As a matter of fact, Beto, is sick today. We sent him home this morning with a dose of Pepto Bismol and water from our tanks, both only temporary reliefs. We always say, “Do not let the children drink from the ground. Take as much of our water as you can carry.” But, this is no easy task as they have to travel far by cayuco and then trudge uphill. Along with our friends from Operation Safe Drinking Water, we are scheduled to travel and evaluate the school and hopefully the village on the 10th of January (now done).
With the help of your generous donations now, no matter how small, we can install these two tanks soon, hopefully January. You are also welcome to come down and help install them if that is something that would interest you. It is a true gift of the heart and very much needed. It saves the lives of children and their parents.
Please donate here and we or you can personally put your name on the tank and send photos of the progress.
http://www.operationsafedrinkingwater.org/donate_helpbuytank.html
Lots of Love
Jack and Kelly
Update:) On Valentines Day, a new tank was installed at Valle de Agua School due to donations of time and money. One goal achieved and many more families in need. Please donate now so we can help Operation Safe Drinking Water accomplish its goal of no children without safe water. And donate to help us buy a tank for the Valle de Agua village in dire need.
