In this issue:

• we tell the story of the first Rainwater Collection Project installation,
• we ask for your strong prayers for a Peacemaking initiative next month and
• we preview our travels during Home Assignment to tell the story of this mission community in Chile.

Lots of Rain But No Water

Every year it´s the same problem.

When we visit Claudia and Manuel on their small farm in Curihue, we know they are rationing water. Their water source is a spring 650 yards away, and each day it provides less water.

Southern Chile gets more rainfall than Seattle, but every summer, when the rain stops, rural people run out of water, because the springs and wells run dry. Water is trucked in to some areas, but this is still a big problem that affects many people in our Mapuche churches. The deep wells that provide water for a cluster of households are expensive and not feasible in every place. I visited a family today who restrict their water usage to 15 gallons daily for 2-4 months each year.

"Chuck is in the truck!"

We know that rainwater harvesting systems can provide for all the water needs of these households. That's why we called on our friend Chuck Kinzler to help us. He and his wife, Nancy, are longtime workers and innovators in mission projects on the Mexican border.

Chuck also has a complete rainwater harvesting system functioning for his house near Austin, Texas.

What a blessing it was when Chuck arrived in Temuco, assessed the need and the materials available and said, "We can do this!" Our sons, Jack and Will, caught the excitement, and their chant of "Chuck is in the truck!" reminded us that we were on the cusp of a good thing.

The Plan

For Claudia and Manuel, we devised a simple system that will provide water for their gardens, fruit trees and animals during the nearly three months when water is scarce. The rains that fall in December and January fill the 1,320-gallon tank.

The system can be replicated and expanded for greater capacity. They could use the system year-round if they wanted, diverting the water for household use through a filter or adding chlorine.

You´re the One Who Goes Before Us

Finding the right parts and matching tubings and fittings for the system tested our wits. It turned us to prayer.

On the many trips to town, I kept playing this song by Fernando Ortega in the truck: “On This Good Day.” The line, "you´re the one who goes before us, and in my heart I know, that this good day, it is a gift from you," captured our experience.

Here are three examples of our experience of God answering our prayers of "help!"

• We finally found the water tank we needed, in the last place we expected to find it, after exhausting all the planned sources.
• The tank´s valve was the last piece we needed to install, but we ran out of pipe cement. Just then, the neighbor, who is a plumber, walked by, saw our plight and offered to lend us his tube, which contained only enough to finish the job.
• The road was too narrow and steep for our trucks with the tank. I looked up and saw this man with the ox-cart and he agreed to help.

We are only beginning. This kind of system is unknown and untried here. Will you consider coming to Chile to help install more rainwater harvesting systems?

Conflict Transformation Training in June

Dan Buttry, IM´s Global Consultant for Peace and Justice issues, is coming next month to train a group of church leaders who live and work close to areas where there have been tensions and conflict related to indigenous justice issues. Tensions between different sectors are high, and the potential for misunderstanding the purpose of this visit is great. Therefore, I do not want to say much more about it in this forum right now.

We are working on other conversation opportunities for Dan with other leaders. He will also speak in some other settings.

• Please pray for these workshops and conversations.
• Also pray for Dwight as he brings people together for these events.

Home Assignment Travels

We will be living in the Austin, Texas, area from August through February.

Here is a glimpse of where we will be visiting churches.

				July 12-26	Green Lake
				September 1-15	Pennsylvania
				September 20-31	Colorado
				October 5-27	Indiana
				November 15-31	Colorado

We are convinced God can do far more than we can ask or imagine. The dreams and callings God places in our hearts are the invitation to follow Jesus who goes before us and to walk into the good work he has prepared for us.

Your generous partnership—your prayers, financial support and friendship—makes these good things possible. Thank you!