Water for Humanity

Unloading water jugs for the half-mile trek into the desert.

Last weekend I met up with a former colleague who when not writing about the activities of the faith-based communities, spend some of his time living it, working as a volunteer, assisting Humane Borders in maintaining water stations in the Arizona desert. 

It is an effort to reduce the number of deaths of illegal immigrants crossing one of the harshest landscapes in the country.

Using a specially outfitted truck with water tanks, five-gallon jugs, wheelbarrows and other gear, we set out with two other volunteers to service the stations. One of of the stations requires volunteers to wheelbarrow the five-gallon jugs to a station that is half a mile from the road in Organ Pipe National Monument.

One of the stations has to be reached by wheelbarrows.

Stations are marked by a blue flag.

 Fortunately, only two trips over rocky and sandy desert were needed to top off the barrels. The second station is near a dirt road north of the National Monument and is a little easier to service. In addition to filling the plastic barrel, the crew will check the chlorine levels to ensure drinkability, make any repairs if needed, and collect trash in the areas surrounding the stations.

In case you're wondering, HB has worked with the Border Patrol and a number of other agencies to identify where people have perished in the desert in order to install stations in areas that are most likely to save lives. 

More Humane Borders images on Corbis

Griffiths adds to a barrel before purifying the water.