Water is a Luxury

One of the common sights in Haiti you see is the women carrying the 5 gallon water buckets on their heads.  It always amazes me they are even able to do this.  Often times they have a 5 gallon bucket on their heads and a gallon jug in each arm.  I realize they start this at a very young age but still every time I see one of these ladies I am in awe and impressed. 


Photo by Russ Stone in La Biche, Haiti on a Solar Oven Partners Trip

I think about how we in the US take water for granted.  It is just there, always there.  You turn on the faucet and you even have a choice between hot and cold.  And many people have ice instantly available to them in our refrigerator door with the ice cold water.  I think consciousness of water has always been on my mind for some reason.  I remember being amazed by a Chemistry teacher in high school who said she showered in 3 minutes including washing and conditioning her hair.  I was impressed by how little water she was using.  To wash the dishers, I always fill the sink with just enough water; it bothers me when I see people just letting the water run down the sink as they wash each dish individually.  I used to have a friend that let the water run the whole time she was brushing her teeth too.  This was all before I lived in Haiti.  Now I take great joy in being able to dampin my toothbrush and then rinse it thoroughly when I am done, while in the U.S.  Not like in Haiti when I have to think about using too much, because I may not have some later in the day to drink, unless I buy some more. 

In Haiti I have a large barrel outside my home that collects rain water.  But during the 'winter' - dry season,  I continually debate how I will have water.  Most Haitians go and get their own water carrying that 5 gallon water on their head or kids go and get a gallon or two or 4 at a time in their hands.  However typically foreigners don't do that, they pay someone to go get their water for them.  This saves them from falling flat on their faces and it gives a local person a little job.  I live on the same property with a family so we share the water.  I one time suggested paying for water but the family wouldn't have it.  They thought they were responsible for my water supply.  But this has been a struggle, the mother's leg always hurts when she goes and gets the water and the brothers are never home.  Which leaves Eugenie but she has Jerzie at home so is usually busy with her and cooking; not enough time to get water for the whole family let alone this gal here. 

So one day I decided to go down and get water with Papi, just with a gallon jug in each hand.  I didn't know how to feel about it with many different thoughts running through my head - such as "This is no big deal, I can do this." to "This is a lot of work just for water; I could just have someone else fill the barrel for me."  And a whole range of emotions.  But the really sad thing is - I live close to the well!  Some people might walk for a mile or more to get water.  As all these thoughts were running through my head, climbing down the steep mountain down to the well; we arrive to find two of the children from New Life School there with their mother.  We all chatted as we filled our water jugs.  The mother had a 5 gallon bucket and 4 gallon jugs.  After she was done filling 2 of the gallons she put one in her 7 year old son's hand and one on her 5 year old daughters head, so they could start up the mountain ahead of her.  After she let us fill our 4 gallons of water.  After we left we found the children half way up the steep hill.  The gallon of water had fallen from Lydia's head and she was struggling to carry it in her hands.  I picked up her jug, along with my 2 and told her to head on up the mountain.  Once at the top of the mountain I told them to wait for their mother. 
And I joyfully carried my water home. 

I don't understand how the water comes out of the faucet in the United States but it seems we could make that happen in Haiti.  Well maybe we couldn't but someone could, or at least figure out a way to make it easier and give access for everyone to have drinkable water.  But in the mean time think about all the blessings we have like a faucet with running water and hot and cold and you can drink it! Most importantly appreciate it! but also consider what you could do so that everyone in the world could have that luxury.