One of the many values we hold dear at TPD is service. We are committed to not only serving our customers with integrity and respect but also doing our utmost to serve the community, especially those communities that face the greatest challenges and experience the greatest need.
It is this heart for service that first took members of our TPD family to Guatemala. Several years ago, our owner, Jon, was given the opportunity to partner with Water for Life, a non-profit organization focused on drilling wells in northeastern Guatemala.
The organization began as an effort to provide clean water for an orphanage in the Petén region. As they became increasingly aware of the need for clean drinking water in the many remote villages in that area, the work of Water for Life expanded. Today, drillers volunteer their time, money, and equipment to support this vision.
Jon, TPD, and the Hansen family have been providing well-drilling services and support in Guatemala for the past 6 years. The most recent excursion in rural drilling took place this spring as the team once again partnered to drill and establish wells for those in need.
Guatemala has become a home away from home for our team members who have had the opportunity to spend some time there. Through years of partnership and service, we have built relationships with the people who live and work in some of the most remote regions. It is both beautiful and overwhelming to see children, families, mothers, fathers, and grandparents drink clean well water for the very first time.
The most recent trip happened to coincide with the coronavirus outbreak—meaning canceled flights and a longer than expected stay in Guatemala—but the team is remaining positive and hopeful. While many of the hardware stores closed due to quarantine—along with restaurants, shops, and the implementation of a nightly curfew—the team has still been able to proceed with drilling and training others to repair and install both submersible and hand pumps. They also spend a good deal of time maintaining equipment and teaching the local drillers how to prepare for unexpected problems, keep records of their work, and keep the shop—their home base—in functioning order.
A more recent closure of grocery stores, and the grounding of all outbound flights, means Jon and the others are still in the country. Their regular updates remind us, however, that the work, and especially the outcomes, are rewarding for both the team on the ground and our crew back here in Washington. We are beyond grateful to live in a place where fresh, clean water is abundant, but we are also grateful to have the skills, equipment, and opportunity to provide that same blessing to others.
Thank you to all of those who have supported us over the years in our endeavors to provide wells in other parts of the globe! And thank you for the continued support of our customers here at home. Without you, Tacoma Pump and Drilling would not be where we are today!