How Many Cows

Hydromissions has just completed our 4th rainwater catchment and storage project in Uganda! Each of these projects provide tanks that will store 10,000 liters of water. The tanks and gutter systems are usually attached to either schools, churches or medical clinics. Each of our rainwater projects cost approximately $1200 (most of that material cost is just for the storage tanks themselves). We provide the trainer (Washington), the tanks and gutters, while the community provides the tank platforms (brick, mortar) and labor.

We are primarily constructing rainwater catchment and storage systems in Uganda this year because our drilling efforts have not been as successful. The particular Regions that we are focused on in Uganda do not have the proper conditions for our manual drilling equipment (i.e. water table is too low, soil has too many rocks, etc). Rainwater is a safe source of drinking water so we have focused our efforts on rainwater catchment and storage where we cannot reach the groundwater.

In addition to rainwater catchment, Hydromissions has also funded latrines for two different schools. These projects cost about $1200 each and provide a safe sanitation facility for the students. We raised enough money this summer to support 5 more projects in Uganda over the next few months 🙂

While I have been Stateside, most of my work has been sitting at my computer or talking in front of groups, but I was lucky to be able to assist teaching a Well Drilling class at Equip International in Marion, NC. In other words, I got to spend a week playing in the mud!

Equip is where I learned how to drill wells, repair pumps and build bio-sand filters back in 2009. I have kept in close touch with the trainers and missionaries at Equip over the years and was happy that my scheduling worked out for me to be with them for training this summer.

Our class consisted of missionaries/aid workers, who are going to serve in Madagascar and Cambodia.

Kieth Larrimore and Van Smith (both with Equip International) are a big part of the reason there is a Hydromissions organization today. They trained Steve and Jen Lorch in well drilling and appropriate technologies. Steve and Jen later went on to become the founders of Hydromissions International. I met Steve and Jen in 2009 at Equip (when I attended the well drilling and technology courses). I applied to be part of Hydromissions after my training was finished. I joined Hydromissions in 2010. Our organizations continue to work together to train and equip individuals Stateside and Abroad on how to access safe drinking water.

I have put at least 3000 miles on my little CRV while Stateside with my travels (my favorite vehicle is nearing the 300,000 mark!). Most of the travels have been Hydromissions related (driving to South Carolina to share at a new church, to North Carolina to assist with the drilling class, etc) however I did get up to the mountains in NH to enjoy a weekend of R&R…which in my case means that my friends and I drove all night, started hiking as soon as we arrived at the trailhead and covered 5 Summits of the Presidential Traverse in the White Mountains before calling it a day (not your typical definition of R&R 😉 )