Nicaragua January 2012

This was my first trip with a different NGO www.livingwater.org .    It was rewarding to get back to a developing country to help make lives better.    I had never seen an active volcano before, but there are several with one smoking continually while we were there.

Poverty in Nicaragua did not seem as severe as in Africa and Asia, but life could certainly be better with safe drinking water.   Living Water has a different approach that appears to have helped them weather the recession.  Their WASH trips are more for people who want that first time missions trip.   The indigenous drilling crew was quite experienced and in fact was telling us what to do and how to do it.  Accordingly, we had some college students with great hearts and a fun spirit.

 The drill crew knew almost exactly where they

would hit water.    I had been trained to bail water out of the well by hand until it cleans up.  This crew was so well equipped that they had an air compressor to blow the drilling mud out of the hole.   Needless to say, those with a younger mindset than me, had a great time playing in the water.

Some great relationships were developed.  It was a great time and a worthwhile cause, but I hadn't added any expertise.