by Nathan Ramsey
Water team serves both camp and valley communities
Gingerly feeling with bare toes in 3” of silt-y slime and anxiously looking around for snakes, I cautiously waded waist deep in murky brown water. Startled when a slimy wet tree frog jumped on my bare back, I let out a yelp as I continued measuring and photographing the river intake for the San Isidro water supply system.
I couldn’t help wondering why I was doing this at the request of Monte Blanco’s neighboring community’s, San Isidro, water board president. What did this have to do with leadership training and development?
Water has everything to do with it! Both Monte Blanco’s and San Isidro’s water supply is non-potable and neither one’s treatment facility is adequate to produce drinkable water. In fact, the majority of the residents in the San Isidro valley have intestinal problems directly related to the river water, heavy with siltation, contaminants and agricultural runoffs.
It is very difficult to focus on learning or even sit still long enough when dysentery or an intestinal virus is disrupting your thoughts. Monte Blanco provisionally solves their problem by providing bottled water for all guests. San Isidro does not have that option.
It was this issue among others that led a volunteer team from the USA, , all experts in their respective fields, to Bolivia in November. They spent two weeks analyzing Monte Blanco’s electrical, water, sanitary and farm needs in order to prepare and plan for this coming year’s projects and teams.
This desperate need to improve the two valley’s quality of life needs is what prompted the mayor of Comarapa and the presidents of Comarapa’s and San Isidro’s water boards to request the analysis and advice of our team.
In Matthew 25: 31 to 46 we read that one of the distinguishing marks of the true Christian is service to those around us.
“I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink...whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matt. 25: 35, 40
Those of you curious on how to help with these major tasks, please contact: Nathan Ramsey at
nathan.ramsey@latcom.org •
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