Greetings from Guatemala, We have been doing lots of things to fill you in about this last month. The Schaerdels were here for the month of March and we sure did a lot of good work with them here to help. We built two homes for families in need, drilled a water well for a new church building, moved an ultraviolet light purifications system to a new building for a feeding center. Then after they left to go home I installed a new purification system in Rio Bravo. The reverse osmosis system is being shipped to Haiti and should be there by the end of the month.
So first let me give some of the details of things we did with David and Pat Schaerdel. We have never had anyone stay with us for a whole month, but it couldn’t have been any better than to have these two God Loving people here to share our home with us. We, together with their help built two homes, one in Santa Maria de Jesus, and another in San Antonio Aguas Calientes. Both families needed this small tin home so badly. The first one we were able to help pour the concrete slab for it too. Then there was a new children’s feeding center built in a community called San Mateo, I had already put in a water purification system there, but they wanted it moved to the new center, so David and I went and did that. Then we went to a small community called San Juan where I have a pastor friend named Pastor Edy who has built a new church in that area. He wanted a water well, so we drilled one for him. We drilled to 70 feet and had about 30 feet of water in the bore hole and it made a good well. We installed 4 inch casing, gravel packed it and put in a submersible pump. We delivered a water storage holding tank, and later on, after the Forbes arrive with David Smith we will return and put in an ultra-violet light purification system for them and the people of that community. Then it was Samana Santa, that means Holy Week, it is the week leading up to Easter. We went and spent Thursday night in Antigua at Caminos Cafe which is part of our church. They stay open all night because there are processions going almost all night, a reenactment of the arrest of Jesus and his trial. It is really quite a site to see. The Guatemalans make these things called alfombras which means carpets, they make them out of colored saw dust and are very detailed with flowers and beautiful shapes. Then they just march over them in the processions. It is like a type of worship to sacrifice a lot of time and energy to beautify the streets, for the body of Christ to pass over.
After all the good help went home I had to make a food run to Rio Bravo, so while I was there I went ahead and installed a submersible pump and another 8 gallon per minute purification station in a small community called Santo Tomas. This area is very poor and this will provide pure drinking water for about 2000 people. This water station was funded by some good friends from Boston Mass. Kevin Pittie and his friends made this system possible. Thank you Kevin for helping with pure water for Santo Tomas.
Next we have some good people from Snyder and Fluvanna coming to visit for a week. That would be Joey and Bobbie Forbes and David Smith is coming with them. We have quite a bit of work lined up for them. They will help with installing an ultra-violet light purification system, build a house, install some stoves, and go to help at the feeding center at Santa Maria de Jesus. The Forbes have been here before but they will be bringing with them Mr. David Smith.
We are happy to tell you all that the Reverse Osmosis system for the orphanage Destiny Village in Haiti is ready and being shipped right now. It looks like it is going to make it there around the end of April, so Georgette and I will be going over there to install it and get it up and running for them. If all the plans work out, the system should make about 300 gallons of pure water a day for them. That water will be held in overhead storage tanks and used as needed in the kitchen and laundry room. Also for filling up five gallon jugs for drinking water. At this orphanage there are about 50 children plus staff of about 15. That will now get the benefit of being able to make their own pure water. The orphanage is right next to the ocean so the water that they now use is brackish and salty.
As I go through this list of things we have been doing, I sometimes feel like it could be mistaken as bragging. Please understand that it is God doing all this, along with your faithful support. We don’t want to ever be given any glory that belongs to Him. We are just very happy to be the facilitators of all His work going on here. Thank you for allowing God to use you to help the People of Guatemala.
Col.3 23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord Christ you are serving.
And now for the prayer request, We have lots of people traveling to and from Guatemala, so please pray for travel safety for them all. We also ask that you lift up the families that are receiving stoves, homes, and water systems, that they would know that is a gift from God not us. Please continue to pray for our safety here. Please join us in giving praise to God for the success of a water well in San Juan. Thank you all for keeping us covered in prayer.
