Hear from our friend Alex as he shares a bit about his first experience traveling with ACF!
On this trip, I’ve witnessed the positive results of what clean drinking water did for the people of the communities we've visited. One of the communities, residing on the mountainside of a town called San Isidro, reported less diarrheal problems. This visit was a follow-up to see how the families fared after receiving water filters last September of 2015.
One woman shared a story about how all members of her family, except her husband, no longer had diarrhea. Her husband wondered why he still had diarrheal symptoms. It was because he wasn’t drinking the filtered water, so she urged him to drink the filtered water. Since then, he no longer experienced diarrhea. It was a classic story of the power of how drinking clean water can prevent people from suffering water-borne illnesses.
The highlight of the trip really was getting to know the people of the communities and hearing their stories. From the unfortunate circumstances they experience daily, to their hope-filled stories spiced with humor, I’ve captured a glimpse of the humanity we share together. It’s those moments that bring me to a sincere level of humility regarding the third world surroundings.
Other than the opportunity to ride a carabao (water buffalo) for the first time, this was an opportunity to see a bigger perspective of discovering a purpose in this world. People around the globe may be in desperation, but perhaps it takes the rest of the world to come alongside them, talk stories, share laughter, and advocate for rights to give them an opportunity to thrive. ARIA Children’s Fund seeks to be a voice for those children who may not have a fighting chance.
ACF is currently planning their next visit to the Philippines within the year, to continue its water and hygiene initiatives, including the toilet construction follow-up in Canlaon CIty. I hope that I can be involved in some of their future projects.
Until next time,
Alex
