Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Day 3 was a joyous day! As with the days before, it was busy. Pastor Fredy picked us up after breakfast to go to El Rosario to meet with our other LWW operating partners. On the way Pastor drove us by the Red Cross, which El Shaddai Church provides clean water to, but we stopped at the Reu Health Department to meet with the administator, and see and hear first hand the impact that the clean water from El Shaddai's LWW system is having on the people of Reu. The Health Department sees 500 people a day with aliments ranging from diarreha, maleria, colera, and HIV. The LWW water is used to help dispense medications and provide pure water to infants with diarreha. We also went to an orphanage/school that recieves the LWW water, supported by El Shaddai. 160 children have clean drinking water in their classrooms. The Director told us that she has seen a huge improvement in the health of the childrenn since receiving the clean water. The seeds that we have planted in this wonderful country have produced not only trees, but a forest is quickly forming!

We arrived at El Rosario late in the morning, and met with Eli, Czar, and Francisco. El Rosario continues to struggle with the system, and we came to find the system has not been operational since October, 2011. After long and prayerful discussion, we have concluded that the commitment to LWW is strong with our partners in El Rosario, and we are working with them to obtain the proper licensing. God works on his time, and we witnessed this today, as Pastor Fredy joined in on our meeting, and offered his help to El Rosario to obtain their license. He also offered one of his two operators to assist with the system at El Rosario, and train an operator in use of the system. We are very hopeful for the future of this colonia, and the school which it will support with the LWW system.

After we finished at El Rosario, Pastor invited us to his Mother's home, not far from our site there. We were feed a wonderful fish lunch.... David almost exploded from the amount of food that he ate! We then drove to the beach to see the ocean.

After dinner tonight, we surpised Claudia with cake and presents in celebration of her engagement to Robert, and to show our appreciation for her ministry in Guatemala. Pastor Fredy, Pastor Isabel, and their son Henry joined us, as well as Marco and his mother-in-law. Claudia really liked the prayer shaw that we gave to her, as well as the card. Pastors Fredy and Isabel and Henry also gave her gifts. Claudia is a very special person, and it felt good to honor her in this way.

Tomorrow morning we go to El Asintal church to survey this site, and in the afternoon we will go to nearby ruins that we are told pre-date the Mayans. We are thinking of you all back home, and grateful for the support you have provided in this ministry. We are witness to the wonderful ways that FVPC is changing the lives of the people of Guetemala... the need is great, and we are answering God's call. Keep us in your prayers.