CHALLENGE AND CELEBATION IN THE CAMPS

TENT CAMP CHALLENGE

It has been a challenge to try and find fresh water for this camp of around 3900 families, sprawled over some rolling hills just outside of Port au Prince.   It’s been a tough stretch with some unusual drilling situations. The Haitians have stuck with us in the camp, encouraged us, brought us cool drinks, helped anytime we asked, and gave good security at night.  So after watching us work, and listening to us explain everything as we went along, there was quite the celebration when we got water!  Thanks for those of you who prayed for us.

Around 10am today I was about ready to say we just cannot do it, we have to move on.  But Snaider and I stopped for a little while and talked things over, and decided to just move over 20′ and give it one last try.  I am so glad we listened to the gentle nudge from God to keep at it.  The little video is the result! (Click photo for youtube link.)

Celebration at Tent Camp (Well 12) Video Link

ATTITUDE OF HOPE

On another note, as we drove into the camp, a nicely dressed young couple was walking along.  He had a door on his head and she was carrying some supplies.  We gave them a ride to the rig and saw their house just up the hill, plastic stretched over posts.  As I watched them during the day, he worked hard with his roll of wire to make the door work while she gathered rocks to hold the bottom of the plastic walls down against the strong winds.  Occasionally she would pick up a big Haitian hoe and work on their little piece of rocky ground.  I wondered what they were thinking, having lost everything, and starting again with their own little piece of property. They didn’t seem discouraged and that kind of puzzled me.  I hope their love for each other and for God gives them a sense of adventure.  There is that famous saying about attitude can make an ordeal into an adventure (something like that).

Man carrying door to his new tent home

Couple Building their new tent home

ONE MORE TO GO FOR NOW

I’m working on my last well this trip, at a guest house for workers that come to Haiti to help.  I expect to be in Tulsa with Mary to visit our daughter, then back home on our little boat in Seattle next week.  Thank you so much for your prayers, and words and gifts of support.  You have played an important part in this ministry and many people appreciate it.

curt king
Port au Prince, Haiti
July 5, 2010

MAKING THINGS WORK

(Lisa Dunn for the team…)

CURT AND THE NEW RIG

Curt, Snaider and volunteer, Bill Moxon, spent Friday making adjustments to the rig to attach the external compressor, allowing the rig to drill without any needed imported items (foam or mud).  Those items were available for the previous 13 wells drilled with this rig but the reality of availability had to be considered now.

Saturday the guys started their first rounds of wells, and I’m excited to report that they hit water at 150 feet at the first site. The team and locals were very thankful.  Today they  drilled an additional 15 feet at that site, checked the water quality and put in the casing. Snaider will follow-up with the hand-pump.  We’ve been praying the water is good as the village is near a salty lake outside the city of Port-au-Prince, near Thomazeau. Once again we are thankful: it is good, sweet drinking water and is producing at a good rate.

We have visited some of the well sites (tent camps 1 and 2) and the people there are continuing to use the wells there.  There were groups of people pumping buckets of water the entire length of our visits to those camps (primarily children).  Thank you for helping to make those wells possible. Your partnership is vital to this work.

LEARNING FROM THE HAITANS

As we have been driving through town to pick up PVC and other parts we have seen the Haitian people continue on with life in spite of the terrible hardships they have encountered, especially since the quake.  They continue to press on and make things work. They are recycling the rebar, metal sheeting and anything else useful found in ruins and rubble.  They have set up store fronts in front of their condemned businesses.  Those in the tent camps that we checked on were gracious, thankful for the water wells, asking us to sit down if they had a bucket or chair.  They were open and honest of the living conditions but not complaining, just making things work as best as they could.

Life goes on amidst destruction and ruins – Making Things Work

What a lesson.  In a small way we simply adapted and made things work with the rig this week but how are we really doing that when it really matters in our everyday lives?  Not complaining or giving up, just “making things work.”

-Lisa Dunn (for Curt & Crew), June 21, 2010, Port-au-Prince, Haiti