March 19, 2009
What would life be like if you had to walk more than an hour each day to find water for your family? And what if you could only carry enough for cooking and drinking?
There is so much to take for granted in a developed country like the U.S., where the hard work of modernization happened long before many of us were born.
I am reminded of one of the first wells I helped install in the altiplano. At the dedication ceremony, I watched as tears rolled down the new owner’s face. He described how the soap foamed better in the water he drew from the well. The water he used before was so full of dirt that the soap seemed useless.
It saddens me to think that the simple things in life—like having access to clean water—are often not enough to make me happy. These things should be enough. I’m continually amazed at the capacity people in underdeveloped countries have for happiness in dismal circumstances.
In spite of whatever shortcomings life has handed them, I think that these people have some crucial priorities in the right place. Family comes first. Individual achievement is less important than giving oneself for the benefit of the community as a whole. Relationships are more highly valued than material objects.
I’ve come to Bolivia to teach, but most of the time, I’m on the receiving end. And that’s a good thing.
PROFILE
Sheldon Yoder
Program Manager
Altiplano region, Bolivia
After completing a five-month internship, Sheldon Yoder accepted a full-time position with Samaritan’s Purse as a program manager based in Bolivia’s altiplano region. As he works to provide clean water to indigenous populations, Sheldon is also learning how to live in a different culture and at a very high elevation.
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