This little boy just stole our hearts. He stayed around our camp constantly with unlimited energy, curiosity, and determination. These photos show the typical “toys for a child in a village. He would sing or whistle constantly while creating things to entertain himself. Two of our cardboard boxes and a piece of wire off the ground= a truck. A bamboo stick and a broken piece of plastic= a spear. Only play through imagination. He would just wander around on his own and never wavered in his tasks as water buffalo and goats wandered through the camp. So stinking cute!

While part of the team stayed to share crafts and activities with the children, a few of us accompanied a few villagers and a young engineer we hired to join us to assess the main water source for the village. It was about an hours hike across the most beautiful terraced mountainside. They grow maze and rice on the terraces. It’s like time stands still in this little piece of paradise. We actually saw an extremely large white snake. They say these are rare and good luck?!?!?! We also traveled the monkey path. We found the source and this village is extremely vulnerable. Clean drinking water is scarce for them. I am so honored to be part of this project. It is hard, I am learning every day, and we ARE making a difference.

These precious children do not have toys. Toys are a luxury. Thanks to a dear sweet friend of mine, each child in this village received either a doll & hair bows or  a soccer ball. Baby dolls were a first. We kept seeing the girls cuddling them, pretend playing, and singing to them. The boys loved the balls! Too precious to capture in words. Thank you for loving these kids Ralph A.

The first photo is Borang School when I visited two years ago after the earthquake and the second now after the safe learning space. We spent the morning at the new school giving out ENG scholarship girls supplies and I’d necklaces and celebrating their success in school. We also had an engineer talk with the girls about safe water engineering for villages. 

Villagers making us a “western” toilet seat for our toilet tent/outhouse. Creature comforts?!?!?!

Just as we finished unpacking Supplies and setting up camps huge storm developed over the mountain. The villagers shared that flat areas, not many of these around but our camp site is one, flood quickly from the run off on the mountain. Uuhhmm….​

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85 water tanks have also arrived in the village with us… this is a major accomplishment! I must admit I had my doubts about getting them all up the mountain. The road stops about 4 miles from the village and the tanks were carried from there. We spent the afternoon accounting for every tank and recognizing every donor! 

We made it! The entire village was waiting with special flowers and food. Seeing these people again makes my heart smile! All familiar and so happy to see us arrive!

We traveled in a caravan of three keeps fully loaded with people and supplies. The road to Borang is very difficult with many stops and discussions for navigating the drive. Areas are too washed out so drivers fill holes with rock before we can continue. We are so hot and dirty and tired, but so excited to arrive.