Hoping for Water

drip

drip

drip

drip        drip                        drip

                drip        drip                                        drip        drip

drip        drip        pitter patter       drip

Pitter patter       pitter patter       pitter patter

ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRR*Splash*Gush*ROOOOOOOAAARRRRRR

ROOOOAAAARRRRRRRRRR*SSSSSHHHHHHHHH*Gush*ROOOOOOOAAARRRRRRRR

This is the onset of a rainstorm during rainy season.  Sometimes, it just stops after the pitter patter, but we LOVE it when it continues on to the ROAR stage and doesn’t let up for a while.  It’s kinda like the feeling you get in the states when a snow storm starts up quickly.  Everyone stops what they are doing and just stares out the window in wonder of God’s power in creation.  (well, some are also worried about travel conditions and how much their back will hurt after shoveling, but let’s dwell on the positive, shall we?)

water harvesting!

There’s another part of this story, though.  Since, ironically, we’ve had a water shortage lately, the pitter patter triggers a little game.  It’s called “quick, get as many buckets or containers as you can find and put them in the gutter!”  And on days like today, when the storm has already achieved the ROAR stage before we get them all out, it results in at least one of us getting drenched.  It is one thing to position the containers in the gutter quickly, but another thing to position them optimally at the direction of the (dry) spouse on the porch.  I (Becky) am often the wet one, but I eagerly jump in it.  It feels like a relay race at summer camp or Olympic day in elementary school.  These are good memories, and I’m making some more good memories in the process of harvesting water!

By this point, you may be wondering a few things:

1. Why would there be a water shortage during rainy season? 
2.  How does one position containers in a gutter (aren’t they on the roof?) 
3.  What does one do during a water shortage? 
4.  Can you get TOO MUCH water? (news/prayer update)

Read on to find the answers (pictures and videos will help!)

Why would there be a water shortage during rainy season?

Well, there is always a possibility of water shortage in both the dry and rainy seasons.  Beyond that, we really don't know.  From what we can tell, a lot of it has to do with infrastructure.  In other words, the way we get our water through the water authority isn’t perfect. Today (day 11 of outage) the water authority has acknowledged that there is a problem and that it may be another 2-3 weeks before it is solved.  Plus, the water supply we are connected to comes from downhill, so a number of things can go wrong there.  However, there is a tap on campus supplied from uphill which rarely runs out, so there is at least a place to go to get water, but even that has been affected, less severely, by the same problem this week.

How does one position containers in a gutter (aren’t they on the roof?)

Here’s a little video (3 minutes) explaining our gutter system and some footage of a recent rain storm.  We had a lot of fun making it!  :o)

God's beauty in Malawi - all green during rainy season!

 In case you can’t see the video, I’ll give the explanation in a nutshell.  Our gutters are not on the edge of the roof as they are in the states.  They are on the ground.  The water comes so fast, it would easily overwhelm a traditional gutter system.  So, as it pours off the roof (usually corrugated metal), it is caught by a 2-3 foot across concrete channel that lines the house and runs away from the house down the hill to a huge drain.  The live demonstration of this system is impressive!

What does one do during a water shortage?

We have been without running water for 11 days*, now.  There are a few hours here and there that we discover water in the pipes and try to catch as much as possible. This means that when we turn on the faucet, our expectation of water has changed to hope of water.  We no longer expect there to be water flowing when we turn the handle to wash our hands.  Instead, we hope, with baited breath, that there is water.   But there is none.  This has become the new normal.

catching rain water during our (almost) daily rainstorms

But, how do you get by for 11 days without water?  We try to be prepared for water outages by storing water in jerry cans in the garage and filtered water in other jugs in the pantry.  The jerry cans last between two and three days for things like flushing toilets and washing dishes.  When the reserve is used up, we are thankful that there is a tap on campus where we (and all the students and other campus residents) can go to get water.  This tap rarely runs out because that water comes from a different source.  However, this means that after you fill a container with water, then you have to walk it back to your residence.  For us, this is about a quarter mile.  (Not too fun, but before you throw a pity party for us, our house helper has been the one who does most of the water carrying when we need it.  She is amazing, as most any Malawian woman is, at carrying water or anything else on her head.)

Can you get TOO MUCH water? (news/prayer update)
 

Many houses collapsed in the flash floods

There are parts of Malawi that have received too much water last week.  Several regions have been experiencing flash floods which have affected some Brethren in Christ households.  At present, we are aware of 20 households who have been displaced due to these floods.  Yesterday, some of our coworkers and BIC church leaders loaded our truck with supplies (maize flour, plastic sheets, etc.) and traveled to one of the affected areas.  They went to deliver supplies, encourage the families and get first-hand knowledge about the extent of the situation.  Please pray for the safety of these families and so many others who are struggling right now.

A major problem across the countryside during rainy season
is that bathroom structures fall over or collapse,
leaving dangerous and unsanitary conditions.

Bags of maize flour piled up to distribute to BIC families
affected by the floods in northeastern Malawi.

 

* In the process of writing this post, our water did come back...and is back out again.