lightening visit to Kusuime

On Tuesday I finally got to visit Kusuime, though only for an hour and half! This is a community way down south that has asked for a water system. they have money available in the 'Municipio' (local government) and we have to produce the project budget. We have been waiting for a good flight combination because to pay for the whole flight would cost about $800! Because of rain the previous day the flight schedule was full so I had to wait for the plane to return from another trip before we could go, so I didn't arrive until 2pm and we had to leave quickly to get back to Shell before nightfall. I was able to visit their water sources and talk a little with them about the project and gave them the meter tape to draw me a accurate map of the community with dimensions.

The picture is of the canoe they have built in order to go up stream to 'civilization'. I crossed the river in this and it wobbled a lot, I cannot imagine travelling 4 hours in it to get to the nearest port with road access. we plan to transport the materials by canoe rather than airplane because it allows the community to contribute more to the project and will reduce the transport costs, allowing them to have a bigger water system built.

This project will be our first outside of the Parroquia (parish) Makuma, and by moving south we are moving closer to the communities that have previously rejected the 'evangelicals'. Water projects are opening up new doors for the gospel, please pray that people will not only want the physical clean water but also the real water that quenches thirst, Jesus Christ.

a piece of history is disappearing

For those who have worked in Hospital Vozandes del Oriente or who have visited Shell, Ecuador these pictures might bring a tear to your eye. The old hospital that sits on the main road is being pulled down as we speak. After serving for years as the mission hospital it then became the mission guest house, providing accommodation to all the visitors, work groups and holiday'ing missionaries. After standing nearly 50 years it has become a home to termites who have enjoyed feasting on the wooden framework, so it has gradually become unsafe. Alfredo was born in this hospital!

News on Fernando

Fernando, Alfredo's Dad now has a prosthesis and has a new job in a local government in the northern Ecuadorian Jungle. He started last week and is settling in. He travelled by bus the first time (10 hours) but plans to try flying to Coca instead as its only 1hr away. Please keep him in your prayers: we are worried about him maintaining his diet and looking after his health when he doesn't have lots of family nagging him and he is at least an hour away from the nearest doctor.

well, I have found something else to distract me in the office! At a recent communications meeting we were advised to set up a blog and I managed it. We plan to use this for photos of our work, trip reports, newsletters and our monthly prayer requests. enjoy!