Reflections on the Lebo Community in Haiti
I’ve had the luxury of being able to easily access clean water my whole life. I can walk downstairs to the kitchen or even fill up my water bottle from my bathroom sink across the hall. The remote mountain community of Lebo in Trouin, Haiti, doesn’t have this luxury. There is a local stream, but the water is opaque and tinted brown.
Samaritan’s Purse began work in this community a few months ago through the water, sanitation, and hygiene program. We’ve successfully constructed two reservoirs at the bottom of a steep hillside, and the community has been gathering its water from these spigots. However, the basin is still a mile away from the majority of the community.
The heat and humidity alone are exhausting; adding in tricky muddy hills makes visiting these water basins an adventure. Children are often late to school because of the strenuous 30 minute hike. Many elderly people aren’t strong enough for the rocky terrain, so they simply don’t search out the clean water.
But the water basins weren’t the end of the work in Lebo. Recently, four rolls of HDE pipe were delivered to the top of the hillside that encircles the community. A few members of the village met the truck at the top, unwound each roll, and ran each one down the hillside into the valley.
These pipes will change the community forever by bringing clean water to it. Children will no longer be late to school after their usual morning chore, and the elderly can easily access the water without overexerting themselves. Parents can now manage their time more efficiently. What’s even more unique about this project is that, for the first time, this community has the opportunity to pipe the water directly to its homes. It’s absolutely incredible!
When people heard the noise of rushing water, they were confused. Then they realized that unfamiliar noise was water, clean water that is now only a few feet away from their homes. They rejoiced and have a new pride in their community.
We had to hike back up the valley to get back to our car, and I became fairly dehydrated; all I wanted was water. I can’t fathom how the people in Lebo day after day climb up, down, and around the valley in order to get to a clean source of water. I could barely handle the hike once. But God used Samaritan’s Purse to bring the water closer to this community.
When I return home in December, I’ll never take that 10-second walk to the kitchen for granted. I’ll remember the community in Lebo and praise God that they now have clean water close to them as well. I’m thankful that God sees the people in the crevices of mountains and orchestrated a plan to provide water for them.
God sustains us, just like water sustains us when our throats are dry and our heads are pounding. All we need to do is stretch out our hands and call out His name.