Let it Rain!!!!

In the time we are here, we want to be students of the culture here. We believe that understand the culture will help us know how to minister. One VERY small part of this is learning how to live.

Water isn’t always available in the Dominican Republic. The city of Jarabacoa rations water. Our house receives water every other night for about 10 hours. Across the street, the homes receive water every other day for the entire day (sometimes the grass is greener on the other side of the street!). We have a cistern (large water container in the ground) and a tinaco (smaller water container on the roof of our house). Our house does not have a well so we are dependent on the city’s water to fill our cistern and tinaco.

To have water, we need to use the same or less water than what is received every other day. If possible, it is best to save the water in the tinaco as it is there for when we do not have any electricity. Electricity is needed to run the pump to move the water from the cistern into our house and the tinaco empties into the house using gravity.

The result is: we are learning to conserve water. The following is a list of things that have become a regular part of life here. If you have more suggestions…please send them.

Our effort to Conserve Water

1. I have always heard, taking a shower uses a lot of water. Instead of showing, take a sponge or bucket bath. This does not mean you get more than one bucket for your bath. In fact, with “skill and planning” you can use only a third of a bucket. Maybe more experienced missionaries can use even less. Of course, when it rains, you can wash up using the water from the roof (as Ben and Luis demonstrate).
2. Laundry uses a lot of water. So don’t do laundry! Well, at least for a few days. Hand washing clothes can save water (use buckets and don’t let the water run). When we feel we have enough water to use the washing machine, save the rinse water for the next load.
3. Fill a tub of water in the kitchen and use it for pre-washing you dishes. Pre-washing dishes is particularly import in the Dominican Republic because if you leave dishes with food on them, uninvited guests (insects and possibly rodents) will come and help clean off your plates for you. And then you get to clean up after them. The good thing is, they use little water.
4. Keep about two inches of water in your bathroom sinks to use for washing hands. This is much better then, letting the water run.
5. Go to the river to cool off. We have only done this a few times. But some days, when living in a different house that had much more water, we took 3 showers a day, just to cool off. Well, those days are gone.
6. As used to be said when Rick was at a boys camp growing up… “If it is yellow, let it mellow. If it is brown, flush it down.” [Ah, the memories of camp] Yup, the toilet is a place where a lot of water is used quickly. Within reason, try to flush less. Add bleach as needed.
7. Place rocks in the toilet’s resevior. This way, less water is used per flush.
8. Catch water off the roof when it rains and divert it into your cistern.
9. Make friends with people who have wells. One day, when we had just a few inches of water left, I saw our neighbor out with her hose watering the grass and flowers. Our need and her abundance, was quite a contrast (humm…possible sermon illustration). That same neighbor gave us a bunch of water.

Dealing with a lack of water, was not something we thought we would have to deal with when we came here. But it is a reality of living here. And while it can be really frustrating, it has created a great venue for talking with each of my neighbors. All of them know and understand the problem. It has been a regular part of their life for years. And now, we get are part of the club.