I've got 4 things on my heart right now, but we'll see if we can set pen to paper at separate times. The new year brought us several teams that taught us one main valuable lesson: preparation for a trip such as this cannot be undermined nor neglected. If you're not physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually ready to the best of your ability you cause a drag and a lull in progress. On the other hand, teams that have met together and have bonded together over the necessity of our work will encourage and revitalize projects and staff in a way that can put you ahead of schedule and leave you edified.

Alright, February team, no pressure! Please don't wear us out! ha

We're now working 7 hours north of our office, and figuring out what that looks like. 3 new staff were just added to the lone teacher we had up there, and their first task from their Khmer supervisor was to know those people - know their faces, their teachers, their stories, their needs. Last week we addressed the needs of schools to have easier access to their open pit wells. For us this looks like putting a "topper" on a dug well with a pump made out of used moto tires, ropes, and easily acquired other parts. Additionally, this keeps things, people, and contaminants from falling into the well.

One particular school was small and had to have 2 sessions to fit all the students in as well as teach outside at times. (see picture) Their hand pump installed by an organization had broken (very common), and another hand pump put in by another well-meaning organization isn't deep enough so it is dry for most of the year after peak rainy season ends. In looking at their pit well, we wanted to purge it of the funk that had accumulated in it, as well as take the opportunity of it being empty to seal the cement rings that shored up the sides so water would stay in the well instead of leaching back out. (Who wouldn't seal a well? I'd like to kick them in the shin.) The goal is that the recharging water will be cleaner and un-impacted.

Several factors and hours later, the water wasn't recharging and we couldn't get into the well. Our construction team, myself, team members, Khmer teachers all stood around the top of the well, peering over and afraid to look at each other and the kids. All wracking our brains for how to help. With 2 pumps broken and us having purged the water they DID have, what would tomorrow look like?

 Piled in the back of our truck heading back I couldn't help some tears. When would we get back to help? Would the water recharge eventually? If this was at a school, how bad was it at the villagers' houses? Its only the 2nd month into the dry season with 4 more to go til a potential rain. There's a pressure to do what we say we'll do. To help. To save lives. There is a new brokenness in my core. And its miserable, but its motivating.

I don't know what percentage of our country doesn't have good access to water, but its too much. Isn't water a human right?