Gifts

In the dedication we emphasize that this is a partnership. That Americans raised the money for the pipes, pump and cement but that the village did the work of digging the hole, making the bricks, sourcing gravel and sand and then maintaining the well. The well could not happen without both parties. 

Hand molded and then stacked and burned in the kiln

At the end we are gifted so many things. Leaders speak both to us and to their people. Thanks are given and we are asked to bring their thanks back to the US to those who supported them. Bananas, chickens (and roosters), bananas, maize, sugar cane, bananas, ground nuts, rice, bananas, tomatoes, eggs, mangoes. They are given to us and we give them to our builders and installation supervisors and field officers. 

Bananas are really heavy!

We take them with both hands as they are given with both hands, openly and with joy. There is often genuflecting as the gifts are given and many of the women actually kneel to give us the gifts-a sign of respect and gratitude. So humbling.