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Sister Bird is presented this prize duck as a token of appreciation by the Mayor of the Commune of Alatsinainy-Ambazaha where we turned over a new clean water system. Sister Bird decided to name the duck Daisy, but I think it is a male and looks more like a Daffy. Anyway, we gave him or her away to our friend Njara.
This sweet little lady is one of the school teachers at the village where the water project was installed. She was delighted to pose with the duck and Sister Bird. We don't know who the other man is, but they are all more than happy to pose for a picture any time.
We are at a ceremony to celebrate the completion of a school sanitation project. The local people thought we would look better in the traditional Malagasy dress, so they did a make-over on us. Between us is our good friend and guide, Gaby. He always has a big smile on his face, is always happy and loves to have his picture taken.
This was our special Christmas gift this year. It is the sight that greeted us as we came to the turn-over ceremony on December the 22nd. Thanks to our friends back home, the Peterson's and their friends, The LDS Humanitarian Aid Fund, Hermann the Contractor and the hard work of these poor farm people, this school was transformed into a much nicer, better and safer place of learning for the kids. Truly a gift from God.After the ceremony we are all wearing our new western hats that were presented as a gift from the teachers and parents at the school. We think the big Vazah (white guy) in the middle looks like John Wayne. What do you think??
We first visited this little school a little over a year ago at the request of a Church member who said they really needed some help. This is the condition we found the school in. It is a public primary school for about 220 children who come from a very poor agricultural area not too far outside of Tana.This is the entrance to the school. Several years ago, a cyclone ravaged the school and left it in bad need if repairs. The roof is in very poor condition and leaks badly each time it rains. Some classes are dismissed when it rains heavily. The town's people seemed to have given up hope and have not wanted to do anything to fix it up. The poor teachers and kids were just trying to get by in the school the way it was. They requested our help in any way we could. Within the scope of our Humanitarian Mission, we told them we could possibly help them with a water system and new toilets.
The Peterson's, our Mission Office couple, had some friends who had sent them some funds to use for humanitarian purposes for the poor. We had a couple of benefactors who had sent us some funds as well, so we decided to pool our funds and they hired a contractor to install a new metal roof. This was the result. This action seemed to infuse new energy and interest into the local people to try to fix up this once dilapidated old school. 
They went to work and patched up the walls, installed new window covers and doors, painted the inside and outside and even planted flowers and edged the flower beds. What we witnessed when we came to the turn-over ceremony was nothing short of a miracle. These poor people came together and really made something of this once forgotten little school. They are now extremely proud of the school and we are very happy to be a part of this effort. Wow!! What a difference a year and a little effort makes. Merry Christmas, Ampitatafika, Ambohibary.
This was the old well at the school where they got their water in past years. Some time ago, the well lining collapsed and the well became unusable. The school is some distance from good water, which has to be hand carried to the school. There is presently no school lunch because of the lack of water.With our sanitation project, a new well is constructed. It is 1 meter wide and lined with a cement lining to a depth of 15 meters.
A three cubic meter elevated water storage tank was constructed to provide gravity feed water to the sanitation wash station.
Located above the storage tank is the India Mark II hand operated water pump that provides the lift for the water into the tank. The Vazah with his hand on the pump is none other than the author of this blog. Left to right are: The Commune Mayor, the District Deputy Chief, Hermann the Contractor, the Fokontany President, me and Sister Bird.
Our good friend and short-term water specialist, Larry Robinson, appears to be having a hard time breathing as he tries to decide whether or not he will try to use the toilet that formerly served as the school toilet for 220 primary school students.This is the newly completed toilet (on the left) and sanitation/wash station with the ribbon cutting ceremony just moments away.
The closing ceremony for the clean water project at Morarano was held on Dec. 21st. It marked the conclusion or our second major clean water project. There were five villages as part of this project. This village alone contains 6,400 people. Maire Anaclet is giving the concluding speech. Sister Bird and Maire Anaclet cut the ribbon, officially opening the water system to the public. This water is more clean and pure than anything the public utility company in Tana can provide. One leader, in his speech at the ceremony stated, "we are saying goodbye to stomach ache and doctors". We hope that is true.Sister Bird and Maire Anaclet doing the Malagasy Jig. This was quite the party.
The closing ceremony for the 2009 "Dental Week" campaign was held at this school in Nosy Be. This is a public school sponsored by a wonderful woman from Italy. There is 1200 kids in this school, many of whom went home with one less tooth.
Our friend and guide, Gaby, Dr. Lucie from the Health Ministry and the two of us relax prior to the beginning of the ceremony.
This is Madame Marnina with Sister Bird. She is a retired college professor from Italy. She came to Madagascar over 10 years ago, and seeing the state of the poor people, decided to return and use her resources to build schools in the area for all children. She has funded the building of 5 schools serving around 12,000 poor kids around this area of Nosy Be.
One of the classrooms served as the work area for the dentists who just mainly pulled teeth. These kids showed amazing courage.
Colorful costumes and lively dancing add spice and variety to these wonderful turn-over ceremonies.
All ceremonies are highlighted with the ribbon cutting at one of the water fountains. The young man to the right is the Commune Maire.
It is customary for us to put our lives on the line by taking the first drink of water from the new system. If we are still standing at the end of the ceremony, they deem the water to be safe for the rest of the community.Here we are with the rest of the dignitaries. This is a very happy day for all. One we always look forward to.
We visited and inspected a water project that is nearing completion. The beneficiaries are really pitching in and working hard to complete the work. In another 10 days they will no longer have to go miles each day in search of water. This is clean, pure spring water taken right from where it comes to the surface in the hills above this reservoir. From here, the water is piped to two villages.We came unannounced to inspect the work in this village. While we were up on the side hill inspecting the reservoir, the townspeople hurriedly prepared this decoration around one of the water fountains. They were so grateful for this blessing. We were told by the townspeople that we were the first white people (Vazah's) to ever visit their village. You could tell by the way the kids followed us around the village, we were truly a novelty.To show their gratitude, they presented us with numerous pineapples, manyoke (tapioca) roots, beans, peanuts and a live chicken. We felt bad, but were humbled by their gratitude. We could not refuse their offering and could not leave town without attending a pineapple feast in the upper room of one of their homes. How we truly love this, The Lord's work, and these wonderful people. They are so poor and yet seem so very happy.
We stayed over night in this quaint little bungalow on our last out of town trip. It was a truly unique experience and one we hope to never repeat.
We are shown here at the Ambostra Medical Facility where we gathered a few of the dignitaries for a picture. Left to right: Olivier Rabinjamina, President of Lion's Sight First and also a good friend, our guide and interpreter Gaby, Sister Bird (always photogenic), The Region Chief (equal to Governor in the U. S.), Elder Bird, a representative from The Health Ministry, and the District Lion's President.We took our turn on the program. This is always an excellent opportunity to talk about the Church Humanitarian Program and where the funds come from to finance these programs. We also took the opportunity to tell all about the new group of LDS starting up in Ambostra and the arrival soon of our Missionaries to their City.The official ribbon cutting ceremony included Olivier (Lion's), The Regional Chief and Elder Bird. This event was on national TV here.The Doctor, who has recently been assigned to operate the eye clinic, demonstrates the operation of one of the new pieces of equipment donated by LDS Humanitarian in partnership with Lions Sight First. What this means is that they will now be able to give a fair degree of eye treatment to people of this remote area without their having to travel many miles for treatment. There are around one million people in this region, many of whom need eye care.
The road to the relief site was not without it's challenges. This town sits right on the beach of the Indian Ocean. The supply truck got bogged down in the sand road and was not going any further. The supplies were hand carried the last several blocks to the distribution site.
This is a scene of the aftermath of the tragic fire that devastated this quiet little coastal town. Estimates are that over 500 families lost their homes and most businesses were destroyed as the fire was carried right up the main street by a stiff wind. Most homes are wood sided with thatched roofs.
This young man sits dejected in what was once his home. A pretty helpless feeling.
The Toamasina Saints traveled to Foulpointe in this bus that is parked along the main street, in the middle of where the fire was. To the left, Sister Bird and some of the volunteers look in amazement at the devastation. The man in the blue cap is President Paul, the leader of the Toamasina "Helping Hands" volunteer force.
