DR PURE WATER - CONT'D
Of course, we would need very honest and trustworthy local people to carry out such a
pricing system. Such a system could be corruptein many ways. However, my Dominican
friends understood both the need to avoid having the purifiers misused in ways that did
not result in producing a source of safe water for people, and they also understood the
need to get purifiers into the hands of the people who could not afford bottled water
(the only safe water). These helpful and upstanding parishioners of the church promised
to do their best to carry out these objectives. The priest, Reverend Margarita, gave
her blessing to our plan to have Nicolas and Aneudi delegated to do the education about,
and the distribution of the home water purifiers. Aneudi worked with the medical team
as a translator, but he also learned all about the home water purifiers whenever he was
not occupied as a translator. Nicolas worked exclusively with me. I would give a
preliminary presentation that led up to the question: “Would you like to learn more about
the home water purifiers?”, and then Nicolas would take over and explain how to use the
purifier and how one could be obtained. The three of us made an awesome team! By
the time that our mission team left Gautier, the flame seemed not only rekindled, but
the project seemed ablaze with new interest. The outcome was very satisfying.
At Buen Pastor, Sister Jean Gabriel assigned me to the task of repairing the small
water treatment plant at the mission. Improper storage and disuse had caused a lot of
corrosion damage. It was agony for me to invest so much time repairing something
that was sure to fall into disuse again as it had for the past 3 years. The damage was
finally repaired, however, and, in anticipation of more disuse, the plant was at least
properly prepared for more long storage. (Already, it seems as though changing the
location of the water treatment plant will be a goal for next year.)
In an effort to inspire Sister Jean Gabriel to use the plant, I told her that I had never
expected the plant to succeed at Buen Pastor. This statement was somewhat of a ploy
to induce her to make an extra effort to prove me wrong. (If only all failures could be
remedied with tools and hardware, then I would be invincible. Psychology is a tool at the
very bottom of my toolbox.)
As the clock was running down and all hope for success seemed lost at Buen Pastor, I
had an opportunity to talk with Ramona, a pillar-of-the-church lady and a much
respected member of the community around Buen Pastor. Ramona has the nicest smile
that I have ever seen, and she was very interested in the home water purifier. She
alternately knitted her brow, trying to understand my poor Spanish, and then
encouraged me with her radiant smile. I could see that Ramona was “in love”
just as our medical team is in love with just about everyone. People “love” Sister Jean
Gabriel and people “love” me for the things that we do to help them. People love Ramona
because she loves them. It was apparent that Ramona could do for Buen Pastor what
Nicolas and Aneudi would do for the people of Gautier. In short order, I invited Ramona
to teach people about the water purifiers and to gather up a few apostles to start a
home water purifier program for the people of Buen Pastor.
pricing system. Such a system could be corruptein many ways. However, my Dominican
friends understood both the need to avoid having the purifiers misused in ways that did
not result in producing a source of safe water for people, and they also understood the
need to get purifiers into the hands of the people who could not afford bottled water
(the only safe water). These helpful and upstanding parishioners of the church promised
to do their best to carry out these objectives. The priest, Reverend Margarita, gave
her blessing to our plan to have Nicolas and Aneudi delegated to do the education about,
and the distribution of the home water purifiers. Aneudi worked with the medical team
as a translator, but he also learned all about the home water purifiers whenever he was
not occupied as a translator. Nicolas worked exclusively with me. I would give a
preliminary presentation that led up to the question: “Would you like to learn more about
the home water purifiers?”, and then Nicolas would take over and explain how to use the
purifier and how one could be obtained. The three of us made an awesome team! By
the time that our mission team left Gautier, the flame seemed not only rekindled, but
the project seemed ablaze with new interest. The outcome was very satisfying.
At Buen Pastor, Sister Jean Gabriel assigned me to the task of repairing the small
water treatment plant at the mission. Improper storage and disuse had caused a lot of
corrosion damage. It was agony for me to invest so much time repairing something
that was sure to fall into disuse again as it had for the past 3 years. The damage was
finally repaired, however, and, in anticipation of more disuse, the plant was at least
properly prepared for more long storage. (Already, it seems as though changing the
location of the water treatment plant will be a goal for next year.)
In an effort to inspire Sister Jean Gabriel to use the plant, I told her that I had never
expected the plant to succeed at Buen Pastor. This statement was somewhat of a ploy
to induce her to make an extra effort to prove me wrong. (If only all failures could be
remedied with tools and hardware, then I would be invincible. Psychology is a tool at the
very bottom of my toolbox.)
As the clock was running down and all hope for success seemed lost at Buen Pastor, I
had an opportunity to talk with Ramona, a pillar-of-the-church lady and a much
respected member of the community around Buen Pastor. Ramona has the nicest smile
that I have ever seen, and she was very interested in the home water purifier. She
alternately knitted her brow, trying to understand my poor Spanish, and then
encouraged me with her radiant smile. I could see that Ramona was “in love”
just as our medical team is in love with just about everyone. People “love” Sister Jean
Gabriel and people “love” me for the things that we do to help them. People love Ramona
because she loves them. It was apparent that Ramona could do for Buen Pastor what
Nicolas and Aneudi would do for the people of Gautier. In short order, I invited Ramona
to teach people about the water purifiers and to gather up a few apostles to start a
home water purifier program for the people of Buen Pastor.
Home
Pg 2-History &
Mission
Pg 3-Report 2009
Pg 4-Mission
Details
Pg 5-Human
Interest
Pg 6-Pure Water
Project
Pg 7-PW Cont'd
Pg 9-PW Cont'd
Pg 10-PW Cont'd
Pg 2-History &
Mission
Pg 3-Report 2009
Pg 4-Mission
Details
Pg 5-Human
Interest
Pg 6-Pure Water
Project
Pg 7-PW Cont'd
Pg 9-PW Cont'd
Pg 10-PW Cont'd
