April 17, 2011 – Mexico City, Mexico…Benjamin Garcia
It is one of the elements most mentioned by the hundreds of campers already installed at the 3rd Inter-American Pathfinder’s Camporee and by the thousands arriving at Mexico’s Ciudad Deportiva during the next hours.
Water, water, water! Water in the form of rain, cold water for showering, drinking water, spiritual water. afternoon rain down poured in the city again – and according to the weather reports, rains are expected during the week. For this reason, campers had to cover their tents and luggage with plastic sheets. The rain also has brought a cool breeze.
First Clubs
Water to shower is what the almost 50 members of the Minivet and Amiel clubs were searching for. Both clubs are from the Polaco District of Mexicali, a border city to the northwestern part of Mexico, after some 50 hours of traveling. They left Mexicali at 3 a.m. Friday and reached at the campsite Sunday after 4 a.m., being one of the first clubs to arrive.
Although the trip was very long, Genoveva Valenzuela, the cook for the group, says: “We were traveling so happy and blessed that we did not feel the tiredness.”
Nevertheless, they still had to wait until after 4 p.m. to finish setting up to take a cold water shower in the makeshift showers at the camp.
Sea of people
Hundreds of campers who arrived, bringing scores of people on the a main road dividing two softball fields now home to various campsites. Scores more will be added as thousands of people arrive Monday.
Water for everyone
Water, an essential daily elements will be used for four main purposes at the camporee: drinking, personal care, cooking, and to wash food. More than 500,000 liters will be used daily during the five-day event. To meet this need, the Water Commission, led by Raul Gonzalez from the Central Mexican Union, is already working to provide purified drinking water to everyone.
