Tai Po Organic Farm - October 11, 2014

On October 11, 2014, I went to the Tai Po Organic Farm again. This time, the work we did was not as tiring compared to last time. A volunteer started us off by giving us a tour of the farm. He introduced us to the nursery and the different plots in the organic farm.

After that, we planted broccoli and lettuce. We had to fill the pots with soil, cow manure, and seaweed pellets (provide nutrients). We mixed all the materials together. Then, we used the end of a gardening tool to poke a hole in the soil. We transplanted the young shoots, originally in a small pot, into the bigger pots we've prepared. Finally, we watered them.
 

It was a really good experience, I was able to help the plants grow and develop.

We went to help out in the nursery. We transplanted the baby shoots into small pots. We had to pick the baby shoots from clumps of soil and put them into their own small pots. I had to poke a small hole with a chopstick and put the shoot in. Then, I covered the empty spaces with soil. That is my favorite thing to do in the Organic Farm.

As I have said before, I really enjoy going to the Organic Farm. I can integrate a lot of symbolism in it. In order for our faith to grow, we need to have sufficient "nutrients". Those "nutrients" would include spending time with God and reading the Bible. I should continue to develop my faith.

Approved MAD Proposal Form

Here is the link to our approved MAD proposal form.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PdShI-wRNuX1xwiD1YQ4gf0rfIUmo2a4VNa-sTTmiK0/edit?usp=sharing

MAD - Proposal Form

Our group put together a proposal form draft. Here is the link to it:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wyDJdQonDjE3SApgOEcRixfK9lSYZC-pupFkEWgjSeY/edit?usp=sharing

MAD - Initial Ideas

During our first big group MAD meeting around a month ago, Victoria and I found something in common - we both wanted to help out the ICS community with cleaning and organizing. We formed a small group because of that. Tiffany soon joined us during that first big group MAD meeting. Rachel joined us during the second MAD meeting. We then shared some ideas on what we wanted to do.

These were a few of our initial ideas:
- Cleaning up the art room (gets messy, especially after painting classes)
- Helping the library organize (books, etc.)
- Helping teachers that are injured or could use some organizational help (Mrs. Hunter, Mrs. Wilson, etc.)

We're still coming up with ideas, but our main focus is to help the ICS community with cleaning and organizing.

To my group, I've proposed an idea about going to the food bank and helping out. That idea was put down because many people were not free on Saturdays. No problem. I will still go there myself to help out (this coming Saturday I will help out at the food bank). I'm also interested in Kiva (kiva.org). According to the senior in charge of managing it in ICS, it can count as a MAD project. In Kiva, you provide loans to those who need it. The people who receive the loans can use the money to buy seeds, textiles, appliances, etc. I thought about doing it for my MAD project, but I wanted to do something that can help the community in HK, including the ICS community. So, I've decided to stick with my group, participate in the food bank, and work with Kiva all at the same time. My main MAD project will still be helping the ICS community with cleaning and organizing.

Right now, my group and I need to think of steps and fill out the MAD proposal form by this week.

Tai Po Organic Farm - September 13, 2014

Last Saturday, on September 13, I went to the Tai Po Organic Farm. We met at Tai Wo station and rode a bus there. We walked through a village and reached the farm. A green-shirted guy introduced us to what we were going to do. Two other people and I have been here before, so we were put to work immediately. The rest of the group went on a mini tour of the farm. The three of us were given the task of pulling out old corn stalks. We were given tools to loosen up the dirt near the roots. When we got most of the dirt loosened up, we were (usually) able to yank the corn stalk out. It was pretty tiring, especially under the boiling sun. We had to remove around 20-30 of these corn stalks. There were many bugs and flying insects. The other group, the group that has never been to the Tai Po Organic Farm, planted seeds in the dirt. In total, we worked for around 2 hours and departed after that.

Throughout this service, I was reminded of God's blessings. Many people in China and other places in the world do this every day to make a living. Oftentimes, they don't get a lot of pay from it too. It reminded me to be thankful of everything God has given me. It was also pretty cool experiencing what some of my ancestors may have had to do every day. I wouldn't mind going back and working in the farm again.

A New Year - 10th Grade

Hi! I will continue to use this blog to write about my MAD project in 10th grade. It will contain posts about my decision making, progress, events, success (or failure), and reflections. Some other non-MAD related service opportunities that I participated in will also be posted on this blg. I will try my best to post often, especially when I just finished a service. 

Global Issues - Unclean Water

Person drinking contaminated water

More than 3.4 million people in this world die every year from issues relating to water, sanitation, and hygiene. Of these 3.4 million people, 99% of them occur in the developing world. According to the United Nations, unclean water kills more people than war combined with all other forms of violence. Because water sustains life, it is life’s most basic need, yet many people in the world are unable to have access to this necessity.

Child drinking unclean water

Many parts of a person are affected by unclean water. Unclean water can cause children to be unable to attend school and parents to be unable to maintain a job. Drinking water gives humans energy to perform their daily functions. If a person gets sick from drinking contaminated water, they are unable to go about their daily tasks. Children are unable to go to school, and parents are unable to work for money. Most of all, drinking unclean water can cause numerous health problems and diseases. According to Water Projects International, 80% of all disease in the world originated from unclean water, poor sanitation, or bad hygiene. Water and sanitation directly links to the health of each and every person. Drinking unclean can cause a person to get Typhoid fever, also called Salmonella Typhi. Typhoid fever can cause birth defects, cancer, and generic damage. From drinking polluted water you can also get Cholera. Cholera affects a person’s intestines. Without immediate medical treatment, a person affect by Cholera could die within 12 hours. A person can also get Trachoma from drinking unclean water. Trachoma irritates the eyes and can cause blindness. Unclean water can also cause a person to get amoebic dysentery. It is an intestine infection that causes severe diarrhea. Schistosomiasis is a disease that is caused by parasitic worms. A person gets infected when their skin comes in contact with contaminated freshwater, where harmful snails live. Crops need clean water to grow. Without clean water for irrigation, crops die, providing families with little to no food to consume.

Children gathering water from a local stream

The UN estimates that Sub-Saharan Africa spends 40 billion hours a year gathering water. That wastes a lot of time. A jerry can, the typical container used to gather water in Africa, weighs over 40 pounds when it is completely full. Children have to walk many miles to an unclean water source to collect water, when instead, they could be going to school. Malalatiana Rosoanisina from Madagascar said, “Twice a I’d have to collect water, it gave me stomach ache as the water was yellow. I couldn't go to school and had to go to the doctor.” Malalatiana would often get sick from drinking dirty water and would have to skip school. Additionally, Malalatiana had to collect water from an unsafe spring. The path leading to that spring was dangerous and slippery. She often fell over and lost water. As a result, she was forced to return to the spring to collect more water for her family. Shilpi Mondal from Bangladesh told the organization WaterAid about her situation, “We collect water from 20-30 km away, usually about once every ten days. We share a boat with our neighbors as we can’t afford our own. This water gives us diarrhea – we know it does – but what else can we do – we have no choice. When I give the water to my daughter I know it will make her ill. It makes me very sad.”

African children using LifeStraws, a portable water filter

Clean water

Many organizations are helping out with this global issue. Such organizations include Water.org, Water Projects International, Blue Planet Network, and Concern Worldwide. These organizations work together with the affected countries to build wells and other water structures. It significantly improves access to water for people, therefore, saving time. WaterisLife.com provides areas with unclean water with water filters, a water filter system for households, and clean water wells. Many organizations are doing their best to tackle this global issue as effectively as they can. However, they can always use help from you!

Ending poverty begins with clean water. Unclean water causes poor health, hunger, and a lack of education. These three things lead to a cycle of poverty.

Deuteronomy 15:11 - There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land.

Sites Used:

http://water.org/water-crisis/water-facts/water/

http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2010/2010-03-22-02.html

http://www.waterprojectsinternational.org/whywater.html

http://library.thinkquest.org/09jan-oracle-n-001/00423/page_469943279.html

http://thewaterproject.org/poverty.asp

http://www.wateraid.org/mg/what-we-do/the-crisis/water

http://www.concernusa.org/programs/water-and-sanitation

http://www.waterislife.com/about/donations/