Our first test well that I talked about earlier we hit rock at about twenty meters. There was water on top of the rock so we cased and started to develop the well. It started rebounding and we were able to get about two liters a minute. It is water but it is not enough for most families. We decided to drill in the same area to see if we couldg get through the rock a little. We drilled down and hit the rock and did not change shafts and we broke the steel pipe at the threads. That was not fun but we did go to the hopital in town which is about a mile east away from the mountians. We started yesterday and drilled for about an hour. Today at lunch we are at 17 1/2 meters and it is a clay sand mixture. I dont think that we are going to hit the rock and could possible get the third aquifer. Be in prayer the whole proccess. Also about the fact that we have to finish it quick because we are only here for five more days. Addison- SIFAT is partnering with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and the Sparkman Center for Global Health (www.sparkmancenter.org) to offer periodic seminars/workshops combining the best in academic research with appropriate technologies in a community development context to address basic human needs essential to good health. This two-week intensive program will cover food and nutrition and related issues and is a field experience component of the Our e-Journal was sent out yesterday. Do you want to be on our e-mail list? If so, send a blank e-mail to info@sifat.org with the subject line “subscribe”, and you’ll be added. If you received the e-newsletter, the link to download the Journal has been corrected below. Harvesting Rice, Seeing Change – Rachel Parsons, director of our boarding home (internado) in Ixiamas, Bolivia. shares about the school year. As of March 10, 40 students are living at the internado. Recently, they have been harvesting rice for the coming year. Rachel also shares a story about Alex, one of the students who lives at the boarding home. Through Alex, Rachel has been able to see change and the positive effects of being able to go to school and live at the internado. Short-term Missions in 2008 – Peggy Walker, our international team coordinator, is excited about the 2008’s mission teams. With 688 people scheduled to go on 23 teams to Ecuador, we hope to be able to almost complete the church building attached to Mama Yoli’s Daycare Center ahead of schedule. Eight teams will travel to Ixiamas and Quesimpuco with 150 team members to begin working on new projects in both villages. In Ixiamas, interns and team members will continue building the girl’s dorm mentoring the young people in the internado. In Quesimpuco, work will begin on the footbridge proposed last year to cross the Chayanta River, providing much needed year-round access for the people across the valley. SIFAT Remembers: The Integrated Gospel – Ken Corson, cofounder of SIFAT, continues his column with an experience he encountered while representing SIFAT at a seminary. He explains the reason an integrated Gospel is needed in ministry. Sarah Trust Fund Update – The Sarah Trust Fund reached $123,430 during March. Remember, we are trying to reach $200,000 by November 2008. Are you interested in matching funds for this trust, donating stock or other planned giving? If so, contact our executive director Tom Corson, corsont@sifat.org.
Partnership for Clean Water – SIFAT is partnering with Water for All International to learn an appropriate technology that can make clean water a reality for many in the world. Our intern, Addison Shock, has spent time learning this simple well-drilling technology that uses manual labor instead of motors. Addison and WFA will work together to drill a well at our internado in Ixiamas, and we plan to follow WFA’s model of creating water clubs to be able to implement this technology to bring clean water to all the homesteaders in the Ixiamas area.
Quieres pintar? – Do you want to color? Holly Bolinger used this simple phrase frequently during her recent trip to Ecuador with the Auburn University Women’s Healthcare team. Holly leads our local County Road 88 ministry, and she worked with the Bible school part of the team. In this article, Holly shares about how God opened her heart to the community of Carmen Bajo. From the Desk of Tom Corson – This month, Tom writes about the recent board meeting and how SIFAT still follows Matthew 28:18-20 by sharing God’s love in pracitcal ways. He says that our responsibility is to model the love of Christ in all we say, think or do to share His love, peace and joy. We started work on the well this morning at eight. It went great and we made great time. At four thirty this afternoon we hit bedrock at 19 1/2 meters. We will try tommorrow morning to see if it is just a thin layer and we can break through but if not we will head out to the chaco and set up for our second test well there. Prayers are needed. Thanks. Addison- and The Juggernaut says hey…… We are starting the well on monday. We have most of the things we need and are set to go. Please be in prayer the whole process. Addison- |