We have water!

While yesterday was an extremely long and hard day at the drilling site, today was much easier.
All the drilling was completed yesterday, so today we set the pump and drill in a cement slab.  Living Water encourages the villagers to take ownership for the pump, so many men from the village helped lay the cement slab. They are incredible workers! They started this morning around 7:00 am and were still working when we left this afternoon. We have never seen people mix cement and lay it so quickly- especially without a cement truck!

Lindsey and Meghan taught several lessons on nutrition today, teaching the kids and adults about the three major groups of foods they should eat: rojo (meats, beans, chicken); verde (fruits and vegetables); and blanco (rice, potatoes, pasta, and more). The kids learned motions to remember what each group does for your body (growth, energy, and protection). With the adults, they played "hot potato"- and I have never seen a more lively hot potato game, especially with adults! The kids are anxious for any attention we can give them, and we have already been talking about activities we can bring to do with the kids when we come back next year.

After lunch, Abraham (Living Water missionary) wanted to show us a few water wells they had dug in the past.  When we arrived, there were lots of people (primarily kids) pumping water. Abraham had told us that no matter what time of day, there are people there getting water.

There was a boy there who loaded up his bike with 20 gallons of water!  The water is crystal clear and the missionaries said it will take hundreds of years for it to run dry.

We also took the drilling equipment to the village where they will be drilling next week. It is quite a bit more rural, and there is no question they are in desperate need of water. Below is a house from this village.

We are so excited about dedicating our well tomorrow and seeing the villagers pump clean water with it for the first time!  This has truly been a unique experience for all of us and we have been humbled to be a part of what God is doing here.  I (Blake) am still blown away that there are so many people in the world that long for such a simple, God-given commodity- and one that we take for granted in America.  Our hearts have been touched, and we definitely have a deeper understanding of the value of clean water.