2009 Update

This past January, February, and March, Water for Life International, continued efforts to bring clean water to the villages of rural northeast Guatemala.

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Water for Life International has been granted 501(c) (3) status as a tax exempt organization by the IRS. We can now accept donations directly and give tax deduction letters to donors. We have established a bank account in Guatemala, and will retain the services of an attorney to register our corporation there as a foreign non-profit corporation.

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The drilling efforts resulted in new wells in five villages that previously had no reliable access to clean water.

At Santa Crux, good water is now being produced from a well about 160 feet deep. A hand pump was installed there because there is no grid power at this village. The drilling there was by John Hansen and Sam Knesal.

In the village of El Pato, which is a bone jarring journey 15 miles off the highway that takes about 1.5 hours to travel, a well was finished to a depth of 180 feet. A hand pump was placed there also. This village had only seasonal water before. In the dry seasons the villagers had to walk 4 kilometers to get good water. When the rig arrived after dark one night the villagers were all out yelling and whooping their approval. Dave Rutledge and Dominic Parmantier, both of the Seattle/Tacoma area, drilled this well.

Jabonche` is a village in an area that is high and dry. The drilling was done in a dry hole for the first 400 ft. The tools were lost deep in the well, but were fished out after 4 days of hard work. Bucky Mowrey from Ohio and his helper Speedy Gonzales (true name) worked on this well. Our efforts ended at the drilling limit for this rig of 560 feet which is all the cable on the rig. There is enough water there for a hand pump but the water is deep in the well. A volunteer group, Engineers without Boarders, is working on this problem of bringing the water to the surface in this area of no power.

A hand pump was placed in a previously drilled well at Saboneta. Although on the grid, the villagers are unable to get power to the well, because there is no way to pay for the transformer and for the connections to the power system. There is a water distribution system in the village, and an electric pump could be installed if the power problem could be resolved.

The village of Achiotalito has a well about 120 feet that was drilled by Bob Perry of Spanish Fork, Utah with Kyle Robison of Newport, Washington helping him. A hand pump was placed there which is delivering good water to the people.

In the village of Ixyuc a well was drilled to a dept of about 100 feet. Plenty of water is available but we did not have a hand pump to install there. Glen Frachiseur of Priest River, Idaho was the driller with Kyle Robison helping.

We were unable to take either drilling rig outside the country. Paperwork issues that developed, did not reassure us that when we brought the rig back, we would not have to pay import duty all over again. We decided that the risk was unacceptable at this time.

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This past season one of the major efforts we engaged in was to finish building up the shop building on the campus of ICAP. This building is our headquarters. It is a large structure 40 x 60 feet. There are large overhangs at the eves and tucked under them are two containers which function as secure storage. This building is large enough to house our rigs and trucks and necessary shop equipment for the continuation of our work.

In the rear of the building, the roof has been extended and we finished 4 apartments for housing the volunteers who come and work on the projects. These units can house up to 20 people. Each has a bathroom. There is a large common porch which can function as a meeting place for all the volunteers. It is a beautiful and very useful building to us.

We have established a good relationship with the local mayor. He had been very helpful to us and we have accepted his suggestions and assistance about where to drill wells. The mayor has provided us a document which will help us if one of our vehicles is stopped by the police for no license or some problem. There are literally hundreds of small villages throughout the area and he is very happy that we have helped him serve the people of his district.

One year ago we installed a merry-go round pump in a village called La Canoa. One of our volunteers was told at that time that 3 babies had died in the last year and that at least one every year before that had died. Our volunteer went back to the village to see how the pump was working and spoke with the women. In the year that they have had clean water, not one infant has died.

We have a group of dedicated drillers from across the US who traveled to Guatemala to drill in the villages. Some of them were on their third trip to help us. These fine men and women really do the hour by hour and day by day work which makes this miracle of clean water happen. There is more to do.

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In 2008, three wells were completed in the villages of Saboneta, Tanhoc, and La Canoa.

Completing the well at Saboneta was particularly satisfying since a previous attempt in 2007 resulted in a dry hole at over 500 feet deep. However, after working with the local government to obtain aerial photos and consulting a hydro geologist, Chuck Gruenenfelder, from Spokane, Washington we were able to choose a different site which resulted in water at 250 feet. Bob Perry of Utah was the driller and Ernie Parkins also of Utah along with Dave Klomp of California assisted in completing this well.

A merry-go-round style pump was installed in the village of La Canoa and a hand pump in the village of Tanhoc. Both of these wells were drilled by Bucky Mowrey of Ohio with Billy Hamilton of Ohio assisting him.

Another pump was installed by Lynn Bartholomew in a previously drilled well at a nearby medical clinic.

In addition to the wells, we started a 40x60 foot structure that will become our shop. The walls and roof were built and doors were installed. The donation of a forklift by Jim and Rhonda Beyreis of Arizona will greatly assist in loading and unloading supplies in and around the shop.

This year marked the completion of a major project at the Orphanage and school campus of International children's Care in Poptun, Guatemala. This was made possible through the generous donation of a set of steel forms by Mt Baker Silo Company of Bellingham Washington. The kind folks at Mt Baker gave us the forms and just as important, allowed our volunteers to watch and learn as they used the techniques on construction projects here in Washington. This gave our crew first-hand experience with the planning and construction of these water storage reservoirs.

These are not simple structures. They are twenty feet in diameter and twenty feet high. Each contains 10,000 lbs of steel rebar and used more than 400 bags of concrete. They sit on bases 24 feet in diameter that are 14 in thick. The walls are 6 in thick. Each is fully enclosed without any possible avenue for the snakes, bats, bugs, and other critters that slither, crawl and fly everywhere in the jungle in that area. They are connected to the campus infrastructure by 4 in water lines. They have valves so they can be filled simultaneously or separately as needed. The tanks have a float that operates a solar-powered radio-controlled switch that controls the pump at the well as the water is used.

The construction techniques used were a bit more primitive than here in the States. There was no redi-mix truck to deliver concrete of just the correct specification. There were no engineers conducting slump tests as the concrete on the project was poured. The concrete was mixed in small gas powered mixers, usually 3 or 4 depending on how many we could get and how many were working at the time. There is no equipment rental store to visit if a piece of equipment gives out. You just make do with what you have and what you can make work. This can be critical. The slab and each pour of the walls must be continuous without any "dry joints" that will leak.

The workers were a combination of students and volunteers from Spokane. The Foreman was Lynn Bartholomew and the Construction Superintendent was our heavenly Father.

The project was completed without serious injury to any one and the tanks are serving their intended purpose of storing the clean water that comes from the earth as a result of the generous hearts of many people.

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On December 7, 2005, a container was loaded at the Bartholomew's yard and headed to Poptun, Guatemala. It contained a well service truck, steel forms for a concrete water reservoir, generators, spare drilling tools, a spool of cable and other equipment; 40,000 lbs in all!

The container's journey was long and difficult. It went by truck to Seattle, then by rail to Long Beach, then by a ship of the Maersk line to Guatemala and then by truck again to Poptun. The transit was to take about 3 weeks. The container was not delivered until January 17th due to "problems" with paper work; issues between the main office of the shipping company and the Guatemala office. After days of negotiation, faxes back and forth and the payment of some "adjustments", the container was released.

All cargo was intact. Lynn Bartholomew immediately set to work placing steel forms on the concrete pad which had previously been constructed. After 2 days of hard work the forms were ready, but the weather was not. Rain every day disrupted the schedule. Lynn decided the best course of action was to wait until April for the pouring of the walls.

While Lynn had been working hard on the reservoir project, Gary Bartholomew and volunteer Brian Bot of Halifax, Nova Scotia, worked drilling a well on Los Pinos property. The drilling went well until at 280 feet the cable broke a few inches above the thimble. They prayed and then went "fishing". They were able to extract the tools. They declared that hole completed and the rig was driven to the shop for some maintenance. After some repairs the rig was driven 10 miles to Ixobel, a "suburb" village of Poptun. (If "suburb" can describe 300 homes and hovels with no water or sanitary facilities of any kind) You can see things swimming in the only water that is available outside of a bottle.

The mayor of Poptun indicated he wanted the well to be near the new school and assisted us by providing security for the rig at night and support during the day with water, soda pop, food, shade and interest. Men carried the bailed water away in order to keep the drill site dry and clean as possible. The mayor has promised to pay for casing and a pump.

As of this writing the drill is at 187 feet in limestone that does not have the clay layers we have seen previously. The well is cased to 120 feet with steel. There is plenty of water in the hole. Yesterday 43 feet was drilled. A good day in the life of a 1942 GMC 22W rig far from it's Oregon home in the highland jungle of Guatemala.

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At the date of this writing in early December 2006, the pace of preparations at the Bartholomew shop and yard is hectic. The new rig is being prepared. Tool boxes are being built and steel covers on all tanks and tool boxes and compartments. The propane engine on this rig makes it very useful as propane is easily obtained in Guatemala and a cover has been fashioned to prevent theft of propane. The brakes were checked and repaired by our mechanic Frank Clark, and all changeable fuels and lubricants were changed.

At the same time a container is being filled with drilling steel tools, pump wire, pumps and electric equipment and boxes and boxes of items destined for the orphanage campus.

A special friend of the project, Mr. Willis Robinson of Spangle Washington, has offered to transport the high-cube container from Spokane to Galveston for the cost of fuel. This kind assistance allows us to stretch our dollars and makes the project possible. Another friend, Tom Richardson of H2o Drilling in Hayden Idaho, delivered his contribution. A brand new, in the box, Lincoln Welder! This generous gift completes the tools on the rig and will give many years of good service.

Two weeks ago, I was in Guatemala and visited with the Mayor of Poptun. He reported that our well in Ixobel had been tested by the authorities in Guatemala City and found to be capable of producing 300 gals/min. He was very happy. He intends to hook it to the plumbing infrastructure that is being installed in the Sante Fe and Ixobel area. I spoke with him about whether he could help us get the rig and the container into the country without paying duty. He promised his help and said that he would take the documents to his contact with the secretary of the President. He said that it would be possible to get them in to the country without paying duty. I also told the mayor that we plan to begin two wells in January.

We look forward to a good drilling season with several volunteers who learned about this project through this publication.

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Preparations are underway at the Bartholomew yard for the drilling season in Guatemala. The new to us but used rig is being readied for shipment. A large tool box is being built to go behind the cab of the truck. It looks like a sleeper on an 18 wheeler, but it is very necessary for security. The rig is being checked from top to bottom and repaired as necessary. We are collecting tools and equipment for shipment in the container that will accompany the rig to Guatemala.

A generous supporter, Don Bean of Pacific Northwest Supply, has given us 1500 ft of #6 submersible wire for the wells and Tom Richardson of H2O Drilling has provided a welder for the rig. These generous men have helped us preserve the funds we have by their donations.

We have promised help from a few drillers who will be coming to Guatemala to help for a couple of weeks at a time and we look forward to what we can accomplish with their help and the blessings of God. It is our intension to drill at a hospital in Belize near the Guatemala border. They are desperate for good water and they can help defray the costs of a well. With the new rig being more road-worthy than the 1946 GMC 6x6, we can more easily travel to meet specific needs such as this.

We intend to ship the rig and the container in early December to be ready to drill in early January.

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The GWP is happy to report the progress of this last winter's drilling Project and the prospects for the coming season. This past season saw the completion of the drilling on the International Children's Care campus, completion of one of the concrete water storage reservoirs, and the completion of a well in Ixobel, a village outside of Poptun.

As a result of the generosity of Mt Baker Silo Company of Bellingham, Washington, who donated the steel forms, we were able to construct a 20 ft diameter by 20 high concrete water tower. It was completed in two visits by Lynn Bartholomew and his faithful volunteers from the Spokane Area with local help from students and workers. It was a big project, with the base pour being 18 yards mixed in three mixers. And then subsequent 12 yard pours for each time the forms were raised higher. No one got hurt, and the project was completed without incident.

The GWP was blessed by a grant from a Christian organization of businesspeople with $30,000.00, to devote to further work in Guatemala. With this money we will ship a newer drilling rig which we have to support further drilling efforts in the villages around the area of Poptun, Guatemala. We will also purchase supplies and equipment that we cannot obtain in Central America.

Please help us. We need money for fuel for the drilling and we need to buy many items that are necessary to support out project. Most of all, we need people who are willing to pray for our efforts and we invite anyone who feels willing, to come and help us drill.

We offer a life changing experiences. Not just the lives you change by giving them water, but your own, as you see the difference you can make in the world.

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