Day 6 Colombia--Wednesday

Day 6 Pictures

This was the team's last "field day".

Thursday they will teach people how to use the lab.

Pray for continued blessings as they complete their work.

Day 5 in Colombia--Tuesday July 14

DAY 5

The Wayuu have been very friendly and inviting and all the Colombians to be warm and kind.

           We have taken samples from 9 filters at 7 sites.  

We are standing in front of an empty reservoir meant for live stock. The drought forced the Wayuu to drink from this too until it dried up.

A young boy and his burro transporting water.

Installing a new filter so we can return with the used one for further testing at UMaine.

Cordelia likes the cacti

We pray for this team as they continue this important work!

Day 4 ---Colombia

News from Monday July 13, 2015 in Colombia

The first day in the field testing filters began at a school for 500 children. 

 Barb and Kirsty had to ascend a ladder and avoid barbed-wire to obtain source water samples.

Una chica filling the filter tank bucket by bucket. 

 The community received a tank truck today after being without water for a week.

Cordelia is in the background reading Green Eggs and Ham. 

 Water jugs wait to be filled.

Barbara explaining the test we will perform on the samples.

We are all in good health, focused on our work and appreciate the opportunity to serve.

News from Colombia---Sunday, Day 3

Sunday, Day 3 of Team Colombia's trip:

Acclimation day started with devotionals then a trip through communities where we will take water samples.

Stopped for boot-leg gas brought over the border from Venezuela which costs $1.25/gallon

Began lab set-up with help from Stanley of Aguayuda.

Put our toes in the Caribbean.  To have so much ocean on one side with a drought on the other side is hard to comprehend.



Monday we go out to three Wayuu* communities for samples.  We are anxious to start.

*Wayuu (also Wayu, Wayúu, Guajiro, Wahiro) is an American Indian ethnic group of the Guajira Peninsula in northern Colombia and northwest Venezuela. The Wayuu language is part of the Maipuran (Arawak) language family.

The Wayuu inhabit the arid Guajira Peninsula straddling the Venezuela-Colombia border, on the Caribbean Sea coast. Two major rivers flow through this mostly harsh environment: the Rancheria River in Colombia and the El Limón River in Venezuela representing the main source of water, along with artificial ponds designed to hold rain water during the rain season.

Guajira Peninsula

The center of the  circled area is Riohacha, and the Guajira peninsula is to the northeast.


We hope and pray that the time and energy spent in the Wayuu communities is successful!

The territory has equatorial weather seasons: a rainy season from September to December, which they call Juyapu; a dry season, known by them as Jemial, from December to April; a second rainy season called Iwa from April to May; and a long second dry season from May to September.

Team Colombia has arrived!

Team Colombia has arrived safe and sound!

Here is a message from Ellen:

We had smooth travels and all suitcases arrived.  We agreed that we would forgo our personal bags if all 5 lab bags made it.  
(Flights were all on time and everything arrived with them.--Yet another miracle!)

Recovery time after red-eye flight to Bogata

Arrival in Riohacha

We were met by Simon and Bill of Aguayuda and then settled into the hostel after lunch and a short city tour.

There is an immediate need from rain since the last storm was in November and Riohacha is in drought conditions.

Historic Mural on the shores of Riohacha

They are at their hostel and will be visiting the beach and setting up the lab tomorrow.  All are in good spirits and ready to get to work after a good night's sleep!

Pray for a successful week of work and that the team may be the instruments of many blessings. 

Team Colombia is en route!

Team Colombia is on their way!

They are thrilled, excited, enthusiastic and relieved that the trip is finally about to begin!

After devotions in the hearth room, the team made their way to Bangor International Airport to start the 23-hour travel to Colombia.

Here is the First God Moment:

Cameron Cormier was on their flight and was ticketed to sit next to Kirsty!

God Speed!

Team Colombia travel plans

Team Colombia is gearing up!

 Members of ASSIST-JC are traveling to Colombia in 

partnership with

 Water For Me 

to test water filters that had been previously 

installed to make it possible for people 

to have clean water. 

Please watch the following video on their fundraising page 

for more information.

The video is narrated by Olivia Duron, and there are pictures

 of Assist JC members when on previous trips to Honduras 

for the same purpose. 

https://www.crowdrise.com/aguayuda2015/fundraiser/waterformefoundation

Travel Plan

Friday July 10: Meet at All Souls at 10AM

                           United Airlines flight 3710 leaves Bangor at 1:07 

                                           arrives Chicago OHare at 2:59PM

                           United Airlines flight 1218 leaves Chicago                                                                        O'Hare at 7:28PM

                                           arrives Houston TX at 10:15PM

                           

                           United Airlines flight 1009 leaves Houston TX at 

                                                             11:59PM

                                           arrives Bogota, Colombia at 4:54AM

Saturday July 11: Avianca flight 8590 leaves Bogota, Colombia 

                                          at 9:50AM

                                     arrives Riohacha Colombia at 11:33AM

The team will start traveling back on July 19th and will arrive in Bangor at 9:15 July 20th.

                           

                         

Pray for safe travels for Team Colombia!