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
UAB Certificate Course in Global Health.
“World Hunger and Malnutrition: Practical Solutions to Make a Difference” will be held on SIFAT’s campus May 27-June 6, 2008. For more information, please visit the training page of our website, e-mail Kathy Bryson (brysonk@sifat.org) or download the Field Course Training flyer.

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.
Wow! A lot has been happening on our international campus, as well as in our international projects. You can read summaries of the articles in this month’s Journal below. To download a complete version of the SIFAT Journal, click here or go to the news page of our website.

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.

Bridge Update: Honduras trip – In late February, Tom and two members of Auburn UMC’s Quesimpuco team traveled to Honduras to meet representatives of Bridges to Prosperity and see a footbridge being built. Bolivar Sanga, a SIFAT graduate and bridge engineer, was in Honduras receiving training from Bridges to Prosperity. This photo (left) shows the team at the Honduran bridge. The bridge in Quesimpuco will be about three times as long as this bridge.

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.

Sure, I can do that! – Volunteer Ellen Harper is profiled in this quarter’s volunteer spotlight. Ellen works with the CARES program, mainly, but has also helped decorate for International Night and Team Leader Training, as well as with office tasks. Our staff counts on Ellen and her usual response of “sure, I can do that!” when we ask her to help us.

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.

Learn & Serve (L&S) begins in less than two months! Our eight counselors will begin training the last week in May, and students begin arriving the first week of June. You can see our counselors by heading over to the counselor page on the L&S site.

We still have room available for individuals or youth groups during weeks 1, 4, 6 and 9. For information about registering, contact Jamie Waldhour, waldhourj@sifat.org, or click here.

Don’t forget about Elementary L&S during Week 5. Click here for more information. Forty (40) spaces are still available for rising 4th-6th graders.

Last week, Jeremy Steele contacted SIFAT wanting to help us set up a Cause on Facebook. Working with SIFAT staff, Jeremy has made this idea a reality.
If you are unfamiliar with Facebook, it is a social networking site that allows users to add one another as “friends” and show their personal interests and activities. Various applications can be added to personalize each users page. The Causes application lets individuals join causes they support. Users are also able to donate to SIFAT.

If you are a Facebook user and would like to join our Cause, click here – http://apps.facebook.com/causes/76368. If you’re not a user and would like to join, you’ll find all the information you need at that link.

Do you have an idea like Jeremy and want to get involved? Contact Marie, lanierm@sifat.org, to share your idea.

Did you know that World Water Day is tomorrow, March 22? Lifewater International sent an e-newsletter about this observance and why it happens. World Water Day is officially being observed in 69 cities across the US. During the entire week, many restaurants are asking that you donate $1 for your free water; the money collected will be donated to UNICEF for improving access to safe water and sanitation facilities. You can find out more information about World Water Day on the official website.

Having clean, safe water is part of SIFAT’s training. During the Practicum, students take classes and learn about the importance of clean water and the many organizations available to help projects become a reality. Currently, Addison Shock, one of our interns in Bolivia, has been training with Water for All International to drill a well in Ixiamas. An article in the upcoming Journal explains the process and what SIFAT is doing to help Ixiamas and surrounding communities receive clean water.
In the US, we take clean water for granted. In fact, the water bottling industry is booming because we are so particular about our water – the right taste, brand, etc. One of the amazing statistics we share with students in the CARES program easily shows the need for clean water in the world: The World Health Organization says that 70 percent of the world’s illnesses would be eradicated if everyone had access to clean water and sanitation. Wow! So tomorrow, as you enjoy a nice warm Easter weekend, think about clean water, and the possibility of supporting a Practicum student so clean water can become a reality in his or her community. Or, begin “paying” for your water and donate your payments to SIFAT each month. Find a creative way to involve your Sunday School class, Bible study group, civic organization or family to bring awareness of the lack of clean water in the world and ways you can get involved to help everyone have access to clean water.

Did you come up with a great way to commemorate World Water Day? Let us know if you did! We’d love to hear ways you brought attention to the need for clean water and SIFAT.