Water tanks donation relieves summer droughts in Chuuk village

Mechitiw traditional chief, clan leaders and representatives, and N. Asia Area Church leaders with senior missionary couple living in Chuuk pose in front of the donated water tanks. (Contributed Photo)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Guam has donated 14 water tanks to Mechitiw, a village community in Chuuk on the main island of Weno, helping alleviate the seasonal summer drought in the area.

The church’s Asia North Area Church leaders, John A. McCune and William H. K. Davis, accompanied by their wives, presented the donation on behalf of the church to Mechitiw’s traditional chief Sitango Dawe and clan leaders last Nov. 11, 2022. Dawe presided over the formal presentation of the 14 water tanks, filters, and 5-gallon bottles of filtered water.

In the winter season there is plenty of rain for their water catchment systems that stocks rainwater in large tanks for the community’s use. When the dryer summer comes, there are times the rain is not sufficient to fill the tanks, which creates a drought situation for the village. They have had issues with drought in the past and so the village leaders got together to try to alleviate this issue.

Isuwen Lukas, secretary for the Mechitiw community, reached out to William H. K. Davis at the Guam Humanitarian Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints with a proposal requesting 14 water tanks to solve the drought problem.

The church, working with member Joseph R. Green, handled the details of ordering the water tanks and assisting the community in getting the water tanks delivered. These tanks will provide the community with a clean source of water for drinking and cooking. The community does not have direct access to city water and can only obtain water delivered to each household through a request from the local water company for a charge, or by rainwater catchment.

The tanks will be installed by the community. Where possible, there will be rain gutters installed to catch rainwater as well.

The project has taken several months to get to where the tanks have been delivered and placed strategically throughout the community.

“The group presence in our community today is an historical moment. This is the community’s first humanitarian assistance through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I’m very appreciative for today,” said Lukas.

Micronesia Guam Mission president Masaru Okuda and his wife, Megumi, and senior missionary couple Elder and Sister Green, who has been living in Chuuk since Aug. 1, also attended the presentation. (PR)