Written By Seneca Moraleda, Writer, Operation Blessing Philippines
MABALACAT, PAMPANGA – The country experienced abundance of water in extreme measure when the monsoon rains hit the Northern part of the country. Some people wished that instead of flooding the streets, water would flow freely from the faucets in their bathrooms and sinks.
Daisy Cortez, 40, mother of 9, of Sitio Dungan, Barangay Tabun in Mabalacat, Pampanga was one of them. Her family was one of the 17 families in the barangay whose daily routine was to fetch water from a source almost 500 meters away from their home. She would ask a neighbor to get water from the dike and would pay a peso for every pail. It may look easy but it’s not. Only a few families have wheelers to help them get water. When there’s a high demand, Daisy and her son would sometimes carry the pail themselves and fetch water back and forth. With two kids living independently, she would consume four pails just for bathing her 7 children. Water for drinking, washing and cooking would require another four pails. Out of the 800 pesos that her husband who works in Manila gives her every week, she would consume 8 pesos of it per day for water.Indeed, acquiring water had been a battle to fight each day.
With the help of Ms.Coney Reyes and her family through Operation Blessing, the battle for water has already been won. Ms. Reyes donated an artesian well to the community, which will supply them with water 24/7. She also distributed pails and bibles to each of the 17 families in the barangay. Not anymore will Daisy walk quite a distance just to have water for everyday consumption because it is already available just a few steps outside her home. Aside from this, the 8 pesos she pays per day for every pail can now be used to buy food to be set on the table. The ten-minute walk from their place to the water source can now be consumed for more important things like spending time with her kids.
When the artesian well was finally turned over to the community, the smile on Daisy’s face cannot be painted as if a burden has been lifted. She was overwhelmed with gratitude for Operation Blessing and Ms.Reyes for their warm generosity. But above all, she gave praise to the God who is the source of all things, not just the giver of water but the Living Water Himself, who cleanses and washes away every sin and through whom no one will ever thirst again.
HELP US PROVIDE CLEAN AND POTABLE WATER!
All over the Philippines, communities are waitng to be saved from thirst and deadly water-borne diseases caused by unclean water. Support Operation Blessing’s water and sanitation project TODAY! You can make a difference through your donation. Call us at 477.7802 to 04 for more details.
