Community
From A Well Flows Hope
Cambodian family ’ s access to clean water traces back to beloved MCC instructor
As fresh drinking water pours out of the well pump , the two young boys ’ eyes light up and they giggle with excitement , rubbing their hands together under the running water and splashing it in their faces .
It ’ s evident from the recent Aqua Share video posted to social media that having clean water at their finger tips is not something these boys are used to in their rural village in Cambodia . But now , if their family needs clean water for drinking , cooking , bathing or washing clothes , all they have to do is pump it from the well outside their home instead of carrying it in buckets from the nearby river .
The mission to bring clean water to this Cambodian family , surprisingly , began nearly five decades ago and more than 9,000 miles away in Meridian , Mississippi .
It began with one woman , Darlene Gilliland Tingle Withers , who was the first program coordinator and instructor of the radiologic technology program at Meridian Community College . A stern but fair teacher , the petite Withers commanded the respect of her students and ended up gaining their love and devotion over the two years it took to get their degree .
“ You just had such respect for her ,” said Mike Smith , a 1985 graduate of the MCC program . “ She was one of
By Glenda Sanders
A Cambodian family stands beside the well Meridian Community College radiologic technology alumni had built in memory of their former teacher Darlene Withers . Photo courtesy of Aqua Share .
those that she didn ’ t need a stick to get your attention and respect . She didn ’ t bend the rules or change the rules . She made you earn it , and you just respected her . She was special .”
When Withers passed away last November , at the age of 85 , dozens of her former students turned out for her visitation and told lots of memorable stories of their time in her classroom , said her son , Shayne Tingle . A large group of her former students went a step further and decided to honor her memory by building two wells in Cambodia through Tingle ’ s nonprofit charity Aqua Share . The wells were recently dug at homes in the rural villages bringing new hope to those Cambodian families , Tingle said .
“ Several of us donated to the ( Aqua Share ) fund in general when she passed away and then we decided why don ’ t we do a well from us in her memory , so we started collecting money ,” said Kenny Myers , a 1978 graduate of the MCC program who currently serves as supervisor of radiology at Ochsner Rush Medical Center .
“ She would be ecstatic that we all came together and built her a well ,” said Tingle , who noted his mom was prudent and practical when it came to spending money . “ It ’ s the way she would have been . Don ’ t waste money on flowers . Build a well because it ’ s going to continue to give life to all these people .”
Over the years , Tingle has worked in Hollywood as
28 • MERIDIAN LIFE