Many of Ecuador’s highland communities plant and harvest in collective community efforts known in the Quichua language as mingas. The communities also take on other work projects such as one in Santa Rosa de Gaunán where a year of hard work culminated in late September 2011 with the dedication of a clean water system. Community members collaborated with the engineering staff of HCJB Global Hands’ Clean Water Projects team to make this dream a reality.
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| Bruce Rydbeck cuts the ribbon to commemorate the clean water project in Santa Rosa de Gaunán, Ecuador. |
Expressing delight during the ribbon-cutting ceremony, missionary Bruce Rydbeck called it “a pleasure to be present and to dedicate the water system to serve all of this community to the glory of God.”
“We’ve not only received this water, but also the water of life; we have received the gospel,” added Carlos, a pastor from Santa Rosa. “Indeed, some are now preaching the gospel. For us, for me personally, I say thank you.”
By digging miles of four-foot deep trenches for PVC distribution pipe, constructing spring protection structures and building reservoirs for storage, the community built a system that serves some 40 families.
In addition, Rydbeck’s team encouraged good hygiene and nutrition to improve health. With help from visiting team members of the First Presbyterian Church of Schenectady, N.Y., the Clean Water Projects staff also held a vacation Bible school event for the children last summer.
“As president of the Junta Administradora de Agua Potable, representing the nine communities of the Moste Chico sector, I’m happy we have a water system,” said Ricardo Huashpa who leads the area’s water board. Adding that it serves to illustrate Jesus, the Living Word, Huashpa said the project “has brought the gospel to us and many have become believers. They are in the Lord’s work now.”
