Greetings from Guatemala, It is time to give you all the latest stuff happening here. Well I guess the first thing to let you know about is that we had a wonderful visit with Georgette’s sister and her husband, Dennis and Anita Williamson. They came and stayed a little less than a week and it seemed like a half a day. We took them to see Charlie and Pat’s school and the kids there, they have a child sponsored in the school, then up to the mountain to see the house and restoration center. That was so nice, then we went to some old Mayan ruins called Iximche, They are not as big as Tikal but impressive non the less. That was all just the first day. Then we went to Rio Bravo saw the church and school there, them came back and spent a little time at Casa Shalom, played with the kids, and then on Saturday we went to a coffee plantation and shopped all day in Antigua. It was great to have them come and see us and see what God is doing here.
We have been helping with another church in the Rio Bravo area called Guatelone, It is pastored by Pastor Otto a wonderful man of God and he has a heart for the community. He gives away Purified water to that community of about 80 family’s, We had been purifying water with the chlorination system, well with your generous donations we were able to purchase an Ultra-violet light purification system. I took it down there installed it and now he can make all the purified water he wants to give away. Praise God.
The last two photos are of Amatitlan where we did much the same thing, giving them a UV system to purify water as they need for the school and community there. Only difference is that their system is smaller and portable so as to be able to purify water from almost any source. This small village only gets water turned on every eight days, so this way they could even catch rain water and purify it. We got the drilling rig here and I have already been trying to learn how to drill for water, It is great of Charlie and Pat Reynolds to let me practice on their place. They too need a well but it is comforting to be able to learn how, and take my time at that with someone who is from North America who understands better how these things go. And speaking of that, it did not go all that great, I learned how to make a hole in the ground but not a well right away. I have made two holes, the first I think was a good well but I put the casing in too soon and I think I plugged it up with mud, The next attempt I have drilled to a depth of 122 feet and hit rock and the rock bit that I got with the rig does not thread up on the drill stem. So I am working with the company that we got the rig from to try and get a new bit down here. I will let you know how all this turns out. Also we will be helping a group here called Aguas de Unidad, who have purified water in many different churches and schools, I have been told that they may need as many as 23 wells drilled. Oh the young man here helping me with the drilling is Justin Sullivan from Alabama. He is here staying at Casa Shalom as a volunteer for 6 weeks.
Next we have a major project coming up this week at Casa Shalom, there will be a team here from Florida, with Pastor Harold Hanks, we will be removing a concrete stage, to get the floor down to one level, and I have already installed bars over the windows for protection from balls, We will put wire protectors over the lights, and lastly install basketball hoops and backboards. This is all being done so that the kids at the orphanage will have a place to play when it is raining, We will also build some portable stage sections and some portable soccer goals, the building will also continue to be their worship center too.
For the prayer request, we ask you to pray with us for these things, Continued safety in this country, wisdom with drilling wells, and to know which areas need the wells the most. Pray for both of Georgette’s english classes at the church in Antigua, and her travel to and from. That we will be learning the language better. Thank you for keeping these before the Lord.
