Go Beyond | Water

Valle Nuevo, El Salvador

Sooner or later anything mechanical will break down. We drilled through so much rock on our second day of drilling that we literally rattled some parts of the drill rig into disrepair. Fortunately, some of the guys in the village had exactly what we needed to fabricate and replace broken components. And, after a two-hour delay, we were up and running again.

Stopping to make repairs put us behind schedule so we have had to work into the evening the past couple of days. Once again, the people of the village were there to rig up lights so that we could see, provided coffee and snacks, and stayed with us until we called it a night. Last night we ended the night with a prayer circle, thanking God for the progress we have made. Every man prayed simultaneously. It was a wonderful way to end the day.

Today was another long but fruitful day. After hours of drilling, we finally hit water at a depth of 200-feet. The excitement in the air was palpable. People of every age watched the developments with great anticipation. When the first bursts of water shot into the air, there were lots of joyful shouts — or perhaps shouts of relief that the village will finally have a reliable source of water. It was a beautiful thing.

Tomorrow we will finish developing the well, set the pad and pump equipment, and get everything ready for dedication on Friday morning. The breakdowns and repairs slowed us down but did not shut us down. The people of Valle Nuevo will have the water well they have been longing and praying for. Every family will have finally access to a reliable source of good and clean water.

I am grateful for every member of our team. They are working hard and making meaningful connections with the folks in this mountain village. Today, Jim and Jason taught a math lesson to some students between their drilling responsibilities. And Lacey, the only girl on our team, has had her hands full teaching hygiene lessons with our partners here to more than a hundred local kids. It’s really cool to see each member of the team do their part and maintain a great attitude in spite of unexpected breakdowns in equipment. We look forward to finishing the task and dedicating the well on Friday morning.