Recently, Von, our Program Manager in the southern province of Kompong Som. came and gave me pictures of 10 families in her area. The families live in the village of Chong Ou, an area in which Tabitha has been active with its “Family Development through Savings” program for the past four years.

Often when I visit our project areas – I am dismayed with the sight of fallow fields – the lack of access to water for irrigation means that land is unused throughout the 9-month dry season. More importantly, just growing rice during the 3-month wet season does not provide enough food to sustain families for the whole year.

However, things are now different for the families in Chong Ou and the hundreds of other villages that Tabitha has assisted to install water wells. These families grow vegetables and/or raise animals such as pigs/chickens and/or develop fish ponds – all year round.

These particular 10 families had grown vegetables in increasing amounts over the past year. In January 2008 they harvested enough vegetables to make USD $250 – doubling their annual income.

Initially, vegetable plots tend to be very small – enough for family use but not enough to earn an income. During the next “savings cycles” the vegetable plots get bigger and this process is repeated every six week. Because of the wells, these families income has averaged $250 US dollars for the past several savings cycles. How good is that! Recently, these 10 families had bonded together and purchased is a petrol-driven rotor tiller – at a cost of $1310.00. This will save endless hours of backbreaking labour and allow them to time to improve their lives in other ways. It is so wonderful to see these families move from despair and hopelessness to a state of hope and vitality.

In April, I celebrate a big birthday – I turn 60 years of age. I too would like to share the gift of my life with others. So I would like to ask each of you to help me.

Instead of birthday cards, wishes, flowers and the like, I would like to ask for wells – 60 wells would be wonderful – 300 families would begin their road to hope – but 600 wells would be a true measure of the grace that has filled my life and 3000 families would be touched.