Closing ceremonies at water projects

One of the requirements of providing funds for water projects is that we inspects them when they are completed. We've been to about a dozen now--taken dozens of pictures and had lots of formal pictures taken. It seems to be a big event in the villages, and as we see how happy they are to have better access to water and realize how important having clean water is to them, we have come to appreciate the many blessings we have that we take for granted.

Formal pictures are taken at nearly event. The ones in front are teachers, the men in white jackets belong to an organization that makes it possible for us to get out into the countryside.

Many of the villagers had never seen a digital camera or perhaps even seen themselves. It was fun taking pictures and then showing them. Not time for great poses!

A group of boys -- curious and waiting to see what they looked like in the camera.

And the girls wanted their pictures taken too.

We've shaken a lot of hands in the villages we've visited. Many mothers wanted their children to shake our hands. They were less enthusiastic than their mothers.

Many of the older women sat under a covering while we were served a lunch--many dishes that they had prepared. It's always a challenge to be polite but also careful. Many of the foods are unfamiliar. If we're not having a meal, we're often served fruit, that's been peeled and open to flies, though they use fans to keep them away. Bananas taste good and we can peel them.

I think for many we are the first foreigners that they've every seen. We're certainly surrounded and watched.

At each of the ceremonies, there are some beautiful girls dressed in their finest, and others behind them with trays that hold scissors. So some of us pose with the scissors for pictures and then cut the ribbons. Only after that is the water turned on if there's a motor to start.

And part of the ceremony is making a speech and listening to others. Dad explains about LDS charities and the church in each one.

This is after the ribbon has been cut. A bit out of order.

We were amazed at the size of the buckets (large) and the ones filling them (small). Balancing the buckets on their shoulders must be the easiest way of carrying it. Here they are waiting for the water to be turned on.

And here they are filling the buckets. Most of the wells are pipe wells, quite small, but then a deisel engine pumps the water into a cement holding tank. The engine is usually turned on two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon. For many, these projects mean carrying the water only a few blocks (or the distance of that would be) instead of several miles.

We look with amazement at what is carried on mostly women's heads. They seem to walk so confidently with their loads. These jugs were not small, and full of water, I'm sure they were not light. This woman needed help to lift the container to her head.

But she had it up and was leaving. Her face was covered completely with the mixture of a compound that comes off the bark of a tree and is combined with water. It's a protection from the sun. Some women wear it like makeup, but many children's faces and arms are covered with it.

Some women put a wrapped cloth on their heads before they left the jugs onto their heads. I imagine it gives a little cushion for them and aids in balancing the load.

I have some more pictures from this trip, but this is getting long. Dial-up service to the internet is a real test of patience, but it's surely better than not having it at all.

We are going out to the closing of another project on Friday afternoon. We're told it's quite close by--just an hour by car and another hour by boat! Stay tuned for more adventures.