Temporarily ... I'm sure they probably do have a water problem. It would help them a lot if some organization would go down there and dig some fresh wells.

The third world is very harsh. Remember that in Haiti you can find people eating dirt. Literally. They make small pies from mud, dry them in the sun, and sell them as food. It makes no sense nutritionally - people are just desperately hungry and will eat anything. I've seen similar things in the ghetto's in Africa. People will sell rocks (actually small stones) as food in the ghetto markets. The stones are also eaten by people who are desperately hungry - esp. pregnant women. I suppose the rocks act as a "space filler" in their stomachs.

other Pete