Traveling with Rhona: Fixing a Borehole water Well

Fahy Bailey, Kayla and I ready to work!

Unloading the equipment

Rather than dig new wells in the area, Rotary Clubs are repairing worn and broken wells. Ben's Seattle club has a matching grant to repair and fix 19 broken water borehole wells in the area. Today we did one, and it was another amazing day. I know I use this word alot, but it is for lack of a better one. Again, the whole day is really undescribable, but I will do my best.

Frederick Ocaya Bese is the lead civil engineer from his company "Frontline Engineering" that is guiding our repair job. I am sure his company could have done it much faster without our help, but he was very fun and patient with us. He is an amazing young man. He is doing so much to help his people and he is caring and kind and responsible and successful. He is also very happy. One look into his eyes and you will see a genuinely good individual. Although not yet a Rotarian, we are lucky to have his honorable help on all of our Rotary projects.

This particular well has rusted out. We have to replace the inner channels and all the parts to the pump. We are all holding very important looking tools. A big storm came through later in the afternoon and one of our Rotarian friends became concerned that we were holding a lightning rod in the air! Once we replaced the shaft, we had to let the dirty water pump out for a couple of hours. Some, including Kayla, were taken to gather large rocks to line the run-off area of the well. They lifted some big rocks! I was taken away to a village hut and treated to some boiled pumpkin and pinto beans. During the storm, the goats and chickens tried to come into the hut with us! We had to shut the door when the rain came down real hard. It was pitch black in there until someone used their phone as a flash light.

After the water was running clear, the pump parts were replaced and the well was working again! There were many cans lined up for filling. This well will save many kilometers of walking for this village to find clean water. What a great day to be a Rotarian! We are helping ease the lives of a people that have been ravaged by war for the last 25 years. What joy this brings to our hearts!