Wrapping up and coming home.

Saturday, July 10, 2010

We are finished and on our way home. (Actually, by the time this is posted we will be home.)

Friday dinner was a special dinner of water, black beans, and corn bread – so that we could contemplate on how we, in the developed countries and industrialized cities, have our basic physical needs well fulfilled – basic needs that are luxuries and unavailable to billions of God’s children. Basic needs such as plentiful potable water, plentiful food, clothes to protect us from the weather, homes with roofs, rooms, kitchens, heating, cooling, indoor plumbing, nice churches and buildings where we can worship, and so many more material possessions.

But all of God’s children can have God in their souls and love in their hearts, no matter where they live or in what conditions. Maybe, those who are really most blessed are more likely to be found at the very bottom of the consumerism ladder.

Friday night, the CWU staff presented an overall review of the LWW “Mission System” and pep rally to the students. Lots of fun and games, but also more info came our way.

The final review was followed by Devotion and graduation in the Civil War era chapel on the Grounds of Camp Hopewell – a Presbyterian owned and operated camp. We each got a diploma (stiff paper, suitable for framing).

Following the services, we ended Friday night with an ice cream social. The ice cream was cold and sweet, the personal bonding was deep and comforting.

Oh, we forgot – this is Saturday’s blog. So on Saturday, we has breakfast, final Q&As, not enough time to network with those that have installed LWW systems in countries where we (PCB) are interested in going, Devotion, and last of all – the packing of the bags and the driving to the airport.

On a personal note, Janet, Fred, and Ron would like to thank the PCB congregation and mission committee for allowing us to go through such valuable training. We will be forever enriched. We look forward to passing our lessons on to all of the LWW mission committee at PCB and the congregation.

More importantly, we look forward to successfully installing clean water systems for our brothers and sisters who are in great need of clean water for the health and well being of their families.

We did not and will not forget that we three are but a small part of the PCB LWW mission team.

Peace be with you,
Janet, Fred, and Ron

PS: We all got home safely.

Friday - Everyone learns what everyone else learned.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Friday activity. As we may have explained in earlier blogs, the CWU teaches three sections. Each person selects one of the sections for the entire time we are here. They are:

101 – Survey, initial contact, covenants, negotiation, and overall mission management. (Janet and Fred)
102 – Education (of the community where the system will be installed. (Linda Enskat will come to CWU in September for this section.)
103 – Installation – the actual clean water system design, installation, maintenance and operation. (Ron)

The students in each section prepared and presented to the other two sections a 90 minute summary of what they had learned. This is exceptionally valuable because
• It deepens and reinforces what we learned.
• It provides insight into how each section is valuable and necessary for a successful installation. (How the team works together.)
• It prepares the students for teaching what we learned to our mission team members back home who could not come to CWU.

We had classes today and finished all three section presentations. All presentations were well done and liberally dosed with humor, skits, songs, and just a little goofing off. The program is gelling quite nicely.

Right now, we have an unbelievable 90 minute break before our next classes. Except for sleeping each night, this is the longest personal break we have had all week. Most are napping – which sounds real good.

ZZZZZZZZZ

Janet, Fred, and Ron