In January, God provided through generous donors for us to do a desperately needed Temporary Work Program. Inflation and a country in upheaval--on top of the usual survival challenges of drought, absence of economy, etc--hit families very hard.
This was one of the best programs we have ever run! Not only were able to accomplish some significant work in the community, but we were able to pay the workers a little better than usual and provide them with a meal every work day. In a context where you are never guaranteed even one good meal a day, this was a huge encouragement to them.
One of the biggest projects tackled by the groups of temporary workers was the huge community water hole. Men joined forces with the tractor to make our biggest reservoir even bigger! We cannot wait for the next rush of water through the ravines to fill it up!
This water hole is literally a survival piece, not only for our community, but also for communities surrounding us for a good distance. Other local sources have dried up. People come from all around to water their animals and collect water for household use. (PS We do indeed have water filtration in our sights to make cleaner water avaible in quantity...but, we cannot go more than one step at a time.)
In addition to the water holes, men and women worked on other projects, such as fixing a dangerous section of the road, cleaning out thorns and underbrush, and restoring eroded land in preparation for productive use.
For the first time, we sense that the majority of workers are finally understanding and valuing the work they are doing. They have begun to truly be motivated to invest in the development of their community, instead of only seeing the chance to make a buck.
It is good! All around, everyone was very encouraged, even in the midst of extremely tough times.
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