Well, we had another meeting tonight and I AM SO EXCITED!!!! Tonight, Jim trained us on how to install the water filters. He is a part of safewater team - this is an organization that works directly with non-profits and Thirsting to Serve from Rotary international is one of the organizations. Tonight I got a few questions answered about how long the BioSand filter last (8-10 years) and why is it that we dont teach the Haitians how to install them. The second question is in the works. That is part of the master plan from Starfysh. I have to remember that Starfysh has only been in existence for 4 years and part of that 4 years they have mainly done medical mission trips and has just recently gotten involved in the water project. I also learned tonight that Starfysh is building a hospital completely "green and off the grid" on the island of LaGonave!!
It is truly awesome!!! And to think the filters started here in Cascade Michigan. The filters will hold about 10 gallons of water, and yes they will still have to go and get the water from the rivers or wherever they get it from and then put it through the filter to take out the "junk" that is contaminating the water. So our job will be to work hand in hand with the lead installer and assist them in installing them. They gave us a few rules:
* Work with the family - in Haiti, women rule!! So it is imperative that we get buy in from the woman in the house so that it gets maintained and the directions are followed. He said that we should interact with the woman and ask her where she thinks the filter should be placed. Yes we have an interpreter. Main language is Creole....last time I checked I didnt know ANY CREOLE!!
* They want the filters to be placed in the kitchen area - this is the part that shall be interesting. When Jim was talking about this concept we were sitting in a conference room, he said that the "house" that we would be going to is half the size of the conference room that we were sitting in. THE WHOLE HOUSE!!!??? Crazy!!!
One interesting fact that Jim said tonight was that the Navy has been an integral part of delivering filters to third world countries. Starfysh is not the only one that delivers these filters, Safewater Teams go into Dominican Republic, Ghana, Honduras, Kenya, and Nigeria. When the US increases their humanitarian efforts it increases the peace between the United States and other countries, so to the US Navy it was a natural and easy fit for them to help deliver the filters.
One final piece that still makes me think on how this will effect me was something that Jim said. He told us that the real purpose of our trip was not just to install water filters, but he wanted us to Go....Learn....Return....and Engage.
Obviously Go - leave our safe environments, leave the comforts of home, leave the things that we take for granted and see how others live.
Learn - when we go into the homes of locals learn about their culture, take pictures of the faces that we come into contact with and interact with the kids. He wanted us to understand that the place that we are going is gross, nasty, dirty, but also beautiful with caring people that are genuinely happy to just be alive.
Return....obviously safe and sound! Appreciate the world that we have around us and the water that drink that we dont have to worry about getting sick because of it.
Engage - help spread the word of the work that is being done and how there are organizations out there to make a difference in the world. Engage our youth to get involved - once we are long gone it will be up to us to pass along the feeling and the gratitude of helping people. Not "Haitians" but people.
I am completely inspired, and feel completely blessed, by the group that we are going with and the stories that are already formulating in my head. They are excited to have me a part of this group....I think I add a little spark to the group and laughter. I am still nervous but very anxious!
