Rohi Newsletter September 2015

Labor Day Trip - School Suppy Distribution and Water Well Update

Over 250 bags of school supplies were delivered to students at La Union and Ramon Perez Schools over the Labor Day Trip.

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed to the school supply event. We had a goal of 225 bags – one for each student at La Union and Ramon Perez schools. But we really weren’t sure we would receive enough donations, as 225 bags was a lofty goal. But we did!

We made over 250 bags! Over 20 families contributed and each child received 2 notebooks, 8 pencils, 2 erasers, 1 pencil sharpener, a box of crayons, and a box of markers. The older children received 2 additional notebooks and 10 pens instead of crayons and markers.

The parents made it a potluck and David and Luzma arranged for a clown to open the night with entertainment. After the performance, the children assembled in their classrooms and each one received a school supply bag.

All the students were really excited about their school supplies and very proud to call them their own. Afterwards, we all ate together and celebrated the start of a new school year. Amazingly, over 80% of the students were in attendance. We left supplies for the kids who couldn't make it.School supplies are a constant need in the colonias.

Even just having enough paper is a huge obstacle. If you have used notebooks, coloring books, or learning books that you can donate, contact Cory Vessa at vessacory@hotmail.com. We can take them down on our next trip.

The Well is Pumping Water!

The pump is in at La Union well and running! We will be purging the well for several days to flush out the drilling mud. The storage tank was delivered but was the wrong type (translucent made for chemicals) and the black tank will be delivered soon. The water supply looks good. We are currently pumping at 30 gallons per minute with 25 ft of draw-down (how much the water level goes down during pumping). The old well at David and Luzma’s supports 15 gal/min with a draw-down of 70 ft. Water quality will be measured when we clear the drilling mud.

We could not have done this without your support. We received the needed funds before the Labor Day Trip to purchase the pump, storage tank and control unit. Praise God! We are hoping to start the distribution pipeline in October, beginning with the north side of the canal, the one which La Union School resides.

Let us know if you would like to participate by giving or going on a trip to help with the installation. What a huge blessing this will be to the many families once it is complete.