Pit Partners

Or, The Scoop on Septic

August 24, 2007

Deuteronomy 23:13 As part of your equipment have something to dig with, and when you relieve yourself, dig a hole and cover up your excrement.

Matthew 9:35 Jesus was going through all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and announcing the good news of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

Parasitic and diarrheal diseases are endemic in Honduras. The so-called potable water supply is untreated; sanitation substandard or absent. Poor people cannot afford bottled water, chemical disinfectants or extra firewood to boil drinking water.

Our pastors live in poor squatter communities on the sides of the mountains ringing Tegucigalpa, formed when people move in from rural areas and build shacks on unused land on the edges of the city.

These are not planned developments, though some of them have been in existence for more than 20 years, and through grass-roots community organizations have petitioned the government for community services. As a result, they have electricity and receive water twice a week; open drainage ditches have also been constructed. However there is no sanitation. The people use simple outhouses with a hole in the ground. It is not unusual for one outhouse to serve a pastor’s family of 10-12 persons as well as those attending four or more weekly church services. These latrines leach into and contaminate the soil. They also fill with water runoff during heavy rains and overflow into the streets and drainage ditches.

Septic Pit Pilot Project

In 2005, Doctor Rafael Maradiaga, with Pastor Elías Ramírez, conceived the idea to construct a septic field on the latter’s property. The pastor, with his 8 year old son, dug two large pits by hand, and we partnered with him by providing bricks, sand and gravel to construct the settling tank and leaching field. He also constructed a simple curtained outdoor shed to house the toilet. God multiplied the resources by inspiring a church member to haul the excess dirt away, and by providing a donated used toilet.

Pastor Ramírez and his family now have a bucket-flushable toilet with adequate waste treatment. They and their neighbors have a lower risk of diarrheal and parasitic diseases. He has planted a garden over the leaching field.

Seeing this, the community nurse constructed a septic field at her own expense (dug by the pastor!) Having a decent toilet has had an unanticipated secondary result: it has given her the confidence to start a micro-business in her home.

Three more pastors have begun digging septic fields for their homes and/or churches.

We hope to expand this project, as God provides resources, to other evangelical pastors in Colonia Villa Nueva (there are more than 50!) As God-placed leaders in their communities, their example, encouragement and help will inspire others to follow suit, with an expanding reduction in contamination and improvement in health.

PART ONE

THE PROBLEM

Typical outhouse serves family and church

THE PLAN

THE PLAYERS

Pastor Elías in 2006 with wife Melba, Eric and Nimer. She was expecting #3.

THE PIT

Interior structure of leaching field

THE PILE
Excess dirt to be carted away by hand.
One shovelful was enough for me!

PART 2

THE PLAYERS

2007 Baby Elisabeth has made her appearance. Eric is at school.

THE PIT

The settling tank is smaller and simpler than the leaching field.

THE PRODUCT

The throne

Slab over settling tank

Garden planted over leaching field