Can Tho H2O
In the article, “Facts and figures: Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Links to Health,” Dr. LEE Jong-Wook, Director-General of the World Health Organization is quoted as saying: “Water and Sanitation is one of the primary drivers of public health…once we can secure access to clean water and to adequate sanitation facilities for all people, irrespective of the difference in their living conditions, a huge battle against all kinds of diseases will be won.”
In this article, found on the “World Health Organization” website, they explain how, “1.8 million people die every year from diarrhoeal diseases (including cholera); 90% are children under 5, mostly in developing countries.” It also states that, “133 million people suffer from high intensity Intestinal helminths infections, which often leads to severe consequences such as cognitive impairment, massive dysentery, or anaemia. These diseases cause around 9400 deaths every year. Access to safe water and sanitation facilities and better hygiene practice can reduce morbidity from ascariasis by 29% and hookworm by 4%”.
In Vietnam, Father Michael and I traveled by boat and motorcycle to many different homes and villages and time after time I was warmly welcomed by people who, in their kindness and hospitality, served me a cup of hot tea. I was a little apprehensive at first, but, knowing that the tea was boiled gave me some relief; many of these homes were at least from the Rach Suc Mission Church and I wasn’t sure where they procured their water. Now that I think about it, I can’t remember seeing a water pump anywhere close by. I can only assume that the water came directly out of a lake or a river because that’s where Father Michael said the mission church gets their water to flush, bathe and wash their clothes; it’s pumped directly out of the river that flows in front of the church.
The Rach Suc Mission Church facility did have toilets and showers (not sure where the waste water and excrement went) but, for the most part, many of the people in the nearby villages built their latrines over the open water. CAWST, a Canadian humanitarian organization states that “…human and animal feces are the main source of water contamination. Water is contaminated when people and animals defecate in an open field or near a water source and when latrines are not properly used and maintained. The feces get into the water and are spread to everyone who uses that water…There may be very small living things called microbes, pathogens or micro-organisms… in the water. These microbes can be worms, parasites, and bacteria. Most microbes are so tiny that we cannot see them with our eyes.” Cawst Water, Hygiene and Sanitation Document
On my first trip to Can Tho, Vietnam in May of 2012, I knew in the back of my mind that I was making this visit for reasons that weren’t completely disclosed to me at the time. I knew that it was a mission church – I knew that they desired a playground for their children, but what I didn’t realize was to what extent the Holy Spirit was going to goad me into serving his purposes beyond what seemed to be my capabilities. So far, my experience has been that, at every cross-road, where I find myself scratching my head and wondering what direction to go next to accomplish the task at hand, a clearer path presents itself. I knew that I wanted to serve the Rach Suc Mission Church in some way but I never realized that I would be working toward a way to help them provide clean water for their community; however, even without having water as the main focus for me being there, I couldn’t help but notice the horrendous condition of the water everywhere. Even from a nonscientific observation, it was obvious from the amount of plastic and debris floating in the water that something needed to be done to stem the tide of old habits that perpetually pollute their environment.
Soon, after I returned from my trip to Vietnam, I contacted Father Michael (Nguyen Khac Minh) by telephone to see how they were doing. While I was with him on the phone, seventy-two year old Father Francis Xavier (Dinh Trong Tu) could be heard in the back ground. In that conversation, I could hear him prompting Father Michael to ask whether or not I could help them with, in his words, “a clean water machine”. It was then that I began a quest to find the best way to meet that need.
I really didn’t know where to begin. I found myself studying up on something that, for the most part, I have taken for granted; to find “relatively” clean, healthy water one needed to look no further than ones kitchen faucet. I began searching the web, going to the library and talking to many different people concerning what might be the most effective way to make a difference in water quality whether people lived in the city or in the country.
One evening, a few months ago, one of my sons returned home with a pamphlet that he had picked up from a neighborhood coffee shop; it read, Thirst Relief International – The Difference Between Life and Death. I noticed on the back of the pamphlet that they were located in Lewis Center, Ohio – just over twenty miles North of where I live. I called them and they were so kind to direct me to Triple Quest in Grand Rapids, Michigan; the distributors of the Hydraid® BioSand Water Filter manufactured by Cascade Engineering.
It was the Hydraid® BioSand Water Filter that caught my attention, primarily, because it can work in the remotest of areas if need be. It is a simple, durable, lightweight unit with no moving parts – needs no electricity – powered by gravity – no filter replacement – provides cleaner, healthier water for a family of ten and lasts up to 10 years. Just by pouring surface or ground water through the filter, the user can obtain water that is safe for drinking, food preparation, personal hygiene and sanitation. More than 55,000 Hydraid® filters have been distributed in over 35 developing countries worldwide.
Another positive aspect of the Hydraid® BioSand Water Filter is that right now the price per complete unit is around U.S. $60.00 and a pallet of fifteen complete units Cost: US$ 850.00 making it a very cost effective solution.
In addition, Triple Quest and CAWST are also tremendous sources for educational material to help the Rach Suc Mission Church communicate to the people of their community the importance of proper latrines, garbage disposal and clean water.
Please consider making a donation to Bridges of Saint Mark as we endeavor to help the Rach Suc Mission Church improve the lives of the people in their community.
God Bless,
Randall Tipple
