Well walking and severe sweating

This past week we were asked by one of our site monitors to visit some wells he has been assigned to. He knew we hadn't yet seen these particular ones, so we agreed. Dad is always anxious to drive around this crazy place, getting in all his 4-wheeling fun as we attempt to reach the wells. They are usually situated in very poor areas where cars, trucks, even taxis seldom go; therefore there are barely roads -- more like paths. It was extremely hot, as usual. It seems the farther you get from downtown Kinshasa the blue-er the sky and the higher the temperature. Kinshasa is usually under some sort of cloud cover. But you know Sister Bingham!! The sunnier it is, the happier she is!!

So off we went, equipped with drinking water and cups and a sense of adventure! We picked up 3 or 4 other men on the way: our translator Fils, Eric the site monitor, and various men who had something or other to do with the well, like show us the road that was least likely to get us stuck in.

The first two wells were very similar to the others we have seen. They are hand-dug and equipped with a hand pump. We met some very nice people who assured us that they were very happy with having clean water closer to their homes, and very happy that their children were healthier, and I was very happy that the mothers don't have to spend hours and hours lugging water on their head for long distances. So all was good. The last site we visited was actually a spring capture. That means that there were natural springs providing clean water in a pool except the springs were not protected in any way, so animals and people walk through them, wash in them, bathe in them, etc. The solution to that is the contractor we hire cleans out the area and builds a concrete tank over the springs with pipes near the top that lead to spigots on the outside of the tank. He also puts sand and small rocks in the bottom of the spring to act as a filter for the water to go through. The tank fills up at night, then the spigots are unlocked certain hours of the day for the people to fill their bidons, etc. But let me tell you how we got there. Remember I told you it was hot?? Well, to reach that lovely spring, we tromped down a very steep, ver-r-r-r-r-r-y long path in the blazing sun. We figure it was twice as far as the trail to Agate Beach at Patrick's Point, only steeper and narrower. On our way down, we kept thinking, "We have to go back up this trail!" And the second and most humbling thought was that "The women go up this trail with those 45 lb bidons of water on their heads!" And THIS IS AN EASIER LIFE THAN WHAT THEY HAD BEFORE because it is so much easier to fill a bidon with a water spigot (faucet) than dipping it in the dirty pool. Yikes!

So I am attempting to attach a picture of the contained spring, and also a picture of an old bucket well (not one we had dug) that the villagers use when there is water in it. The bad thing about bucket wells is that they are not deep, easily polluted, and dry out because they are shallow.

Today we went over to the Mission President's home to watch part of General Conference. Some of you asked if we got it, and no, we didn't, so we watched it after the fact on their computer. Only the Priesthood session (the guys won the toss).. Dad and I have been reading the talks online when we can. Today the members here got to see it at Church, but since it was all in French, we opted to stay home and read it, then go watch that one session.

Wish me luck putting on the pictures!