We have exciting news to share – the bridge project in Quesimpuco, Bolivia, has been completed! Bolivar Sanga, the SIFAT engineer overseeing this project, called right before the SIFAT staff sat down for Thanksgiving lunch on Wednesday, Nov. 26. He e-mailed some photos of the bridge to us, and we wanted to share these with you.

Thank you for your prayers and support during this project. By partnering with Bridges to Prosperity, we learned new appropriate technology to build this bridge with the community at a much lower cost than anticipated. Auburn UMC raised the money for supplies and sent multiple mission teams to help with the project. Mt. Bethel UMC’s first SIFAT team to Bolivia also served with this project.

Here are some of the photos for you to enjoy:

Attaching the decking to the bridge
The bridge is about 400 feet long.
It is 100 feet above the river.
      
All the materials not available at the site had to be transported by hand from Quesimpuco down the mountain to the site. Cable, cement, sand and wood were carried on people’s backs for hours.
       
This year, people will be able to safely cross the Chayanta River to reach the village of Quesimpuco, where they can attend church, receive medical treatment and go to school. They will be connected with the rest of the world, even during the rainy season!