Tenemos agua!

Yesterday, was a very rewarding day! As the team winded down there week with a boat ride, zip lining, and the usual tip to the market. I loaded up in the truck with Pastor Franklin and a generator and headed back out to Los Cedros.

The goal for the day: Flush the pipes and let the water flow through the community!

We started off the morning smoothly as we hooked the generator and began pumping the water into the tank. Franklin, Daniel, and I were very excited as this 2900 liter tank began to fill up.

But then we hit our first and only bump in the road. The well we were pumping the water out of had ran out of water. The locals said, "una hora" and after one hour we were able to begin pumping water again. As the tank began to fill up more and more the buzz began growing around the community. And soon enough this community would have water.

View from the tank overlooking the community in Los Cedros

Finally, the tank has been filled as Franklin runs to one end of the piping and Daniel and I run to the other end. The people of this community began to come out into the streets in anticipation of the water soon being ran through the newly laid pipes under their ground.

People waiting down the road for the water

After opening up all the valves, we were ready to flush the pipes out so the community would have clean water to use for the first time at their homes. Prior to this moment they would have to walk to the well and draw water out and then carry the buckets full of water back to their homes. But not anymore!
As Daniel and I stand at the end of the pipe waiting for the water to flush out, we can feel the air from the end of the pipe. Daniel was so excited he could not wait to see the water flow. He made sure I had my camera ready for pictures and video of the water.

We have water!

The excitement that filled the community as these pipes were filled with water was incredible. Sounds of clapping, cheering, and praise to God filled the air. One lady washed her hands in the water and immediately began praying to God, repeatedly saying, "Gloria a Dios, Gloria a Dios."

As I walked back through the community it was amazing seeing the buckets fill up with the clean water and that same water running out of each families personal spigot. I was being asked to take pictures by every family in the community I will end this blog with a few of the other pictures and be sure to check out the video on my Facebook page of Pastor Armando drinking the water for the first time.

Pastor Armando with a family enjoying the water.

Group of boys at their house after bathing and washing off in the new water!