Day 3 - Monday, Sept. 7th - Start Drilling, Teaching Hygiene

We loaded up the truck and drove to the community this morning.  We walked around the community and visited a few houses. Most had hand  dug wells, some with submersible pumps. But you could see scum on the surface of the water in the well, and the water had been making people sick.

The trick to providing clean water is to drill past the first water zone into the second or third, because that top zone is where the contaminated water filters down to. Contamination can be from latrines, pesticides, even spilled diesel or gasoline. Most natural contaminants will filter out if passed more than 50' or 100' through sand, but chemicals, perhaps not. The water table is shallow in this area (15'-20') so we should find clean water below that; we're targeting 60' or so.

Phyllis taught a hygiene class to the ladies this morning, and children this afternoon. 46 kids this afternoon, and they're expecting more tomorrow. I'll let her fill in the details later.

The rig was already on site so just hooked up  hoses and  refueled, and were ready to go. We're drilling with air as I said earlier; this means you really know when you drill into the water... the air blows from the well carrying dust initially, and mud when there's water. Woodie, from Crossroads, was drilling when the water came in, and ended up covered in mud. A good initiation! We drilled below 50' before we had to quit for the day, so should finish drilling, then run PVC pipe (casing) tomorrow.

Hand dug water well

Monday Afternoon Children's Hygiene Class (46 kids)

Air Drilling - Water Flowing Out of the Well With the Air.
Lots of Sand and Mud Blowing Too

Day 2 - Travel to Nicaragua, set up in Living Water's Compound in Granada

Flew from Houston to Managua, met the rest of the short-term missions team, and drove to the Living Water compound in Granada. We toured Granada a bit (Lake Nicaragua is the largest body of fresh water in Latin America). In addition to Greg, Phyllis, and Woodie, team members are Cindy, Marcella, Jordan, and Brian. 3 guys, 4 gals. Phyllis will be working hygiene full time and  Marcella part time.

Missions trippers, plus Leo (Driller) and Liseth (Hygiene teacher)

Tomorrow we'll start the well - drilling with air. And Phyllis and Marcella will have hygiene lessons - on sanitation. I prefer drilling.

Lots of thoughts as we prepare to work... all of Nicaragua is parched; they usually have a rainy season May through November but last year was dry all year, and so far this season there's been very little rain. Jorge, the Living Water director here, pointed out that if the crops fail you and I pay more for our food, but in rural communities, if their crops fail they go hungry. We can't help that larger problem, except to pray.

Isaiah 41:17-20

On Our Way to Drill a Well in Nicaragua

Saturday, September 5, 2015

On Our Way to Drill a Well in Nicaragua

Nicaragua
Drill, Teach Hygiene

Day 1 - Travel to Houston   

Saturday, September 5

Several people asked if we would be posting to a blog while we're in Nicaragua... here 'tis.

We're on our way to Nicaragua to help drill a water well. Phyllis will be teaching hygiene while Greg helps with the well. 7 people total are going, most women - don't know how many will be with Phyllis, and how many drilling.
Overnighting in Houston - usually we get up really early Sunday and fly with just a connection in Houston, but this year Living Water (the organization sponsoring the drilling projects is now putting people up for the night near the airport there.
Phyllis has been on 14 trips and Greg 22 - so it's not new for us. But we've found each missions group we're with is different, and each community we serve is different. So we're looking forward to some surprises!

Please pray for us - that we have a right mind to serve the people in the community, that we stay safe and have an uneventful journey, that we do find water, the community members learn good hygiene practices, and that the community see a reflection of God's grace in what we do.

Here's a map of Nicaragua, and a few pics from our trip to the same area last June.

Sorry the map isn't very detailed. But we're staying in Granada, just South Southeast of the capital, below the 'n' in Managua. We usually drill in a community generally South of Granada.

Drilling crew mixing drilling fluid - 'mud'.

Setting up the drilling rig. We had to move the rig later,
because the ground proved unsuitable.

Phyllis working with a grandmother in the community.