Hard Reality, Simple Solution
December 5, 2013
Greg and Jan on the road to a project site in Mexico.
In visits to La Zarca, it was clear they had another problem—bad latrines. Johnny, the Mexico country program director, proposed that WMI build Healthy LatrinesTM in La Zarca, and a plan of action was approved. My husband and I came to La Zarca with an approved but unfunded sanitation (latrine) project “on the books.” The next step, while awaiting funding, would be to interview the families, a due diligence effort to assure they qualify for a Healthy LatrineTM.
Getting to La Zarca to conduct these interviews is no small venture. Because demand is light, only the lowest form of public transportation is available to go to La Zarca. We are talking two dozen people crammed into a van or truck meant for 15. An additional couple of unfortunate folks rode on the top of the van (or the top of the cab of the truck) on top of luggage. It is not a trip for the faint of heart—a 10 hour, 200 mile journey over dirt roads with large ruts and lots of mud.
We expected that we would see sanitation needs in La Zarca. However, the extent of the needs was more than we could have imagined.
Structures like this serve as makeshift bathrooms for people in La Zarca, Mexico.
Late that afternoon, after the interviews, a community meeting was held to talk about the proposed sanitation project and answer questions. My husband and I had an opportunity to address the community and we asked for people to tell us their stories. We heard several testimonies about improvements in their families’ health from safe water. We also heard, “We know our latrines are smelly and we do need better ones.”
Before we left for Mexico, our pastor suggested to my husband and me that if we saw a compelling need while we were in Mexico, the timing would be good for asking for some year end donations. Our church subscribes to Advent Conspiracy, a movement characterized by its four founding principles: Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, Love All. This organization advocates giving to Christian non-profits in lieu of superfluous Christmas gift giving.
The community of La Zarca, Mexico desperately needs access to a sustainable sanitation solution.It occurred to us that La Zarca’s need for latrines just may be God’s plan for connecting our church in Pittsburgh, PA to this remote community. In fact, we were so compelled by this thought and sure that this was God’s plan that we told the La Zarca community in that very meeting that we had a plan to ask our church to fund this sanitation project. God willing, La Zarca families will have the dignity of healthy latrines in 2014.
Jan and Greg recently arrived home, but their work in Mexico will continue through their efforts to provide for the sanitation need in La Zarca. You too can take action to help those in need by giving someone a Healthy Latrine for Christmas, or learn more about our approach to sustainable sanitation here.
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