Costa Rica News – Bags are packed and check-in is complete. Six WaterStep and MSD representatives said they’re on their way to Central America to make a difference.
“The amenities that we have they don’t have and for us to make this trip, it’s going to be very positive and to give back,” David Glenn, with MSD, said
Glenn explained the purpose of the trip, telling us his group is going to a village outside San Jose, Costa Rica to implement safe water measures along with a sanitation system. They are hoping to make the area more self-sufficient and improve the poor water practices.
But on the minds of everyone gathering at the Louisville International Airport is keeping themselves safe from the Zika Virus.
Glenn adds, “They looked into it very well to see what precautions they could do. What we’ve done is gotten a repellant that’s very popular for campers. We sprayed all our clothes down front and back, it’s a two hour wait on it.”
Greg Heitzman, a WaterStep Advisor said, “We have essentially all types of repellant, insect repellant to apply. We’ll do that multiple times a day. Essentially, the other thing is we’re not in a jungle like type setting, we’re in a Christian work camp.”
Earlier this year, Zika, which is an infectious disease spread through mosquito bites, was found in an American living on the East Coast. Doctors said he traveled to Costa Rica this past December.
That news is not enough to stop these workers hoping to provide for their fellow man abroad as Heitzman details, “”We’ve talked to health advisors etc. What we’ll do is be able to go in and be able to solve a risk issue in another country. So it’s a passion of ours to be able to go down and help out.”
Mark Hogg, WaterStep Founder/CEO reaffirms, “We’re about multiplication, we’re about empowerment, and we’re about virtually anyone realizing that they can save lives with safe water.”
More than 60 cases of Zika have been confirmed in the U.S. including Indiana and Metro Louisville, which was added to that list this week.
Those travelling said their mission is too big to ignore.
“We’re going to do a good job and come back home safe and love our ones that love us,” Glenn said.
Daily updates of the group will be posted here:
· https://twitter.com/WaterStep
· https://www.facebook.com/WaterStep/?fref=ts
