Greetings!
I mentioned in a previous email that farmers in Lalander had requested funds for a dam project. The dam channels water from a river to farmland below. TIE paid the cost of building the dam years ago and it needed repair. I received these photos yesterday from Maiwand and knew you'd enjoy seeing them.
Instead of funding the entire cost of materials, as we had done before, TIE paid half and the farmers paid half. Volunteers did the work. We have not funded one wish list project in 16 years where they asked us to pay for labor, including construction of the school for girls in Farza.
Volunteering in Afghanistan is much greater than here. Is it because they lack money or have a greater commitment to their community? Probably both. Interesting phenomenon . The less one has, the more one is likely to help others, and consequently the greater the sense of community.
Our contribution for materials:
Fencing: $421
6 bags concrete: $16
9 trucks of rock: $253
Total $690
Number of farming families impacted: 20 -- ( assuming 10 members per family that's 200 people)
Number of Acres: 50 (100 jeribs)
That's not all the news but it is for now. I head to Montana next week where I will have more time to bring you up to date, when the fish aren't biting.
Budd
The greatest rewards in life come from the impact we have on the lives of others.
