Guatemala Site Investigations
After systems are installed, Agua Viva tries to return every year to see how they are doing. So, in June 2018, Agua Viva sent our two-foremost specialist to all of our sites in Guatemala to “see how they are doing”. The results were amazing. All sites “loved” their system and all systems were fully operative. Praise God from whom all blessing flow”. Several sites were producing thousands of five gallons bottles of pure clean ozonated drinking water every MONTH! Far exceeding even optimistic goals, our new friends are experiencing better health, increased income, and a whole new sense of community!
Quezaltepeque, Guatemala 2017
In September 2017, Agua Viva dispatched a dedicated team to a large Catholic Church and School in Quezaltepeque, Guatemala: Iglesia Catolico Mixto San Fransisco de Asisi. Beginning with the nicest water room we have ever seen, Agua Viva installed a complete water purification system with the added benefit of a sand filtration system. Although the sand filter adds another level of complexity, the team was up for the challenge and everything is working famously. The team was also blessed with a wonderful group of new local Educators. The Education Team was excited to share the importance of clean drinking water and the new curriculum with the community, church, and school! In a follow-up visit in September 2018 Agua Viva learned that operator Mario is bottling so much water he needed a more efficient way to distribute 5 gallon bottles, so the community helped purchase a motor truck to assist with water delivery. Truly a success story for this community!
Huehuetenango, Guatemala 2016
In June, 2016, 12 Agua Viva volunteers travelled to an orphanage in the city of Huehuetenango, Guatemala. The orphanage, Fundación Salvación, is home to 120 orphans. Director, Alycia Harrah, was thrilled that we transported our mobile dental care unit so a team of Guatemalan dentists including Raquel Poz Diaz and Wendy Calderon along with trained volunteer hygienists could provide full dental service to each child as well as many of the adult workers. Though filled with challenges, Agua Viva successfully installed a complete operative water purification system and bottling operation. Agua Viva was pleased to hear that, in only one month, Fundación Salvación was already selling pure clean ozonated water in their Coffee Shop, and Ms. Harrah was very pleased! As of summer of 2018, the filtration system is operating and supplying pure water to the children at Fundación Salvación.
Monjas, Guatemala 2015
On October 31, 2015, Halloween in the US, Mike Springer led a group of volunteers to Shadow of His Wings Orphanage in Monjas, Guaemala to do a full installation. Along with the water team, Jared Orr and Andrew Ferdon taught the Agua Viva health and Hygiene curriculum to leaders and students at Shadow of His Wings. Overwhelmed by the needs of the people in nearby communities, Agua Viva delivered food baskets and evangelism to manyfamilies in the area. A number of new adventurous volunteers joined our team for this installation and now, for the very first time in their lives, the 100 orphans in this community will be blessed by pure clean ozonated water. Our September 2018 follow-up trip found the bottling operation is going strong providing pure water to all the children in the orphanage. Shadow of His Wings gives water away as an outreach to the community. Now, that’s sustainability!
Chimaltenango, Guatemala 2013
Casa Angelina is a beautiful orphanage situated on a mountaintop near Chimaltenango. Many of the children who live here were abandoned at landfills in Guatemala, but now live in lovely family homes with a “mother and father” figure. Twenty-two Agua Viva volunteers spent Spring Break at Casa Angelina installing a water purification and bottling system at the orphanage that serves about 120 children. In addition to the main filtration system, one of the 10 existing homes on the property received a point-of-use Sterilight Ultraviolet Filtration system for cooking, drinking, teeth brushing, and baby care. Two teams of volunteers worked on the Health and Hygiene Education: one team trained six adult educators in a train the teacher model, while the other team provided health and spiritual education for children at the orphanage. Educators had the privilege of visiting the local public school, Tululche Public School. Agua Viva was greatly blessed to bring a dentistry team who, along with a team of assistants, served the needs of the orphanage and surrounding community during the week. For many of the children, this was their first visit to a dentist. The AVI purification and bottling systems are dependent on an adequate water supply and the existing wells on its property run dry at times. They have been raising funds to hand dig a new well that is expected to become the primary, future source for the growing population at the orphanage. Agua Viva volunteers were so moved by this need that they. During our 2018 follow-up visit, the well is complete, the systems are in very good working order and continue to provide pure water for children, adults and widows in the community.
Aldea Las Cruces, San Carlos Sija, Guatemala 2012
Huerto de Getsemani is distributing so much water they had to purchase a special truck to haul it all over their mountainous community. Agua Viva educator Doris McAfee and Keisha McAfee taught 13 local adults eager and ready to learn. Doris McAfee and Nancy Allen did a stupendous job training and teaching these adults to continue the education program after we left. Our new friends proved to be particularly handy. We had a great install team headed up by Didier and Franklin (the pastor’s son). The install went very smooth and was practically finished by Tuesday evening when we experienced our “first big problem”. The system became air-locked. As we slowly discovered that the problem was air in the water supply piping, the water team came to our first realization that possibly, water would NOT be ready for the celebration! This would have been a tragedy and many prayers were said in a matter of a few minutes. After several hours of debate, the system was partially disassembled and the water flow was reversed. This pushed the air out of the piping and suddenly a large surge of water blasted the water team with water (particularly Ron Stier). Success!! The celebration went forward as planned and the Water was dedicated to God. This trip was a real learning experience for the Water Team. We learned a great deal about the bottling operation, the covenants, and the way “real” people rural areas live and how they work together for good.
Aldea San Jose, San Carlos Sija, Guatemala 2012
Upon arrival in June of 2012, the water room at Eben Ezer Church was constructed and ready for the installation. Pastor Bonifacio Rodas had eight Adult Educators ready to go and six Operators. The entire team was very pleased when Didier and Franklin, from Huerto de Getsemani showed up to assist with the installation. Progress was swift and the installation was nearing completion after only three days. One of the many great blessings of the trip was that dental students, Raquel Poz Diaz and Wendy Calderon came to provide dental education, hygiene, and fluoridations. Plus, the water team had one of the best groups of translators led by Isaac and Laura. These two components added a wonderful element of warmth. While in Guatemala providing this installation, the Team took this opportunity to visit our first two other installations and we were all very pleased to hear that 100 children from Colegio Mark, our first water system project were planning to join us for the celebration at Iglesia Eben Ezer. An entire bus oad of students showed up demonstrating Colegio Mark’s determination to reach out beyond the walls of their school in the name of Jesus Christ and Clean Water. Agua Viva believes that we have played an important part in this change of paradigm by encouraging our partners to assist with other installations in-country and out-of-country. On the last day in Guatemala, the team travelled to Casa Angelina. This is an orphanage with over one hundred children and they were prime candidate for a water installation. Once the covenant was signed the team agreed to return in March of 2013, completing one of our prime objectives: finding a new site for our next trip. The trip was a huge success and the entire team returned with joy in our hearts knowing that we had forged so many new friendships at Iglesia Eben Ezer.
Cantel Guatemala 2009
Agua Viva’s first installation in 2009 was also one of our most complex. With only a single hand-dug well 10 feet deep, the existing water source was inadequate to supply this school of 400 children. Agua Viva, in cooperation with Colonial Presbyterian Church, had a local contractor dig a 200 feet deep well and we hit the jackpot; an abundant artesian “pressurized” aquifer. This system is now one of our best performers. Colegio Mark Mixto Americano is now selling and distributing over 1,000 five gallon bottles a month. Under the strong leadership of Jacinto Poz Pom, Colegio Mark has continued to support nearly every subsequent installation in Guatemala with there technical ability, parts, gifts for the poor, and even their “Marching Band”. Colegio Mark has assembled a large leadership team of five indigenous women who manage and operate this vital water purification and bottling system.
News About Guatemala
Lluvia de Gracias, Guatemala
Agua Viva has new friend named Wily Zapeta! That is what Agua Viva is made of… friendships. Wily has helped Agua Viva sign yet another Covenant this year at Lluvia de Gracias. This church is about 30 minutes away from Quetzaltengo, Guatemala, and they were so excited to hear that they had been selected for […]
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2019 Travel Plans
Cuba Operating Partner: Iglesia Unidad Metodista Location: Baitiquiri, Guantanamo, Cuba Approximate price: $2,200.00 Leaders: Dale Wilson, Dale Bain Honduras MARCH 2, 2019 THROUGH MARCH 9, 2019 Operating Partner: Telanga Orphanage Location: Ojo de Agua Approximate Volunteer Cost: $1,800.00 Leaders: David Watts, Steve Wagner Guatemala MAY 18, 2019 THROUGH MAY 25, 2019 Operating Partner: Iglesia Monte Sinai Presbyterian Location: Nimasac, San […]
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2017 Annual Celebration Recap
Two hundred of Agua Viva’s best friends celebrated Agua Viva’s “Night at the Diamond” at Kauffman Stadium on November 17th. Guests enjoyed food stations featuring Aramark’s best gourmet entrees: lobster corn dogs, beef sliders, Chipotle Chicken Tacos and much more while they strolled the Diamond Club to learn more about Agua Viva’s mission. Our install […]
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Curt Mader Receives Honored Buck O’Neil Legacy Seat
Curt Mader, CEO of non-profit Agua Viva International, will be the proud recipient of the Buck O’Neal Legacy Seat when the Kansas City Royals play the Boston Red Sox at 7:15 pm, on June 19, 2017. Please watch us on TV! Or, better yet, come to the Royals Stadium and watch us on the big screen! Curt Mader and Agua Viva International have installed […]
Read MoreBlog Five; Teamwork
On this trip to Ecuador we have assembled quite a team. Our teams of volunteers almost always consist of several divine appointments. To begin, we have three volunteers from the United States. Nobody is paid… straight up volunteers. Many of us gave up vacation time… We all gave up family time. But, that is only […]
Read MoreHonduras 2016
Houduras 2016 The Agua Viva Team arrived in Quisgualagua, Hoduras, today, Sunday, just in time for church. God was with us and it was such a pleasure to meet our new friends. It was also troubling to see the extreme poverty in the area and I think we were all wondering what God has in […]
Read More2016 Year in Review
Writing this post it is hard not to get emotional! God has done so much through this organization, touched so many lives, decreased disease and malnutrition risks for so many children as well as brought us into new uncharted territories! We could never have dreamed 6 years ago that installing one little water purification system at an […]
Read MoreHuehuetanango Team Refections: Education and Evangelism
The Education Team: Jared, Deanna, and Nancy along with interpreters Anna and Stephanie, trained a group of four adult Guatemalan teachers to share the principles of hygiene to the rest of the community, using the curriculum that AVI compiled. These teachers were so great. They took the material and really made it their own. As […]
Read MoreHuehuetanango Team Reflections – The Dental Team
The Dental Team Lea and Jim (team members) and Raquel and Wendy (Locals from Guatemala) comprised the very dynamic and hard working dental team. Jim was the set up man, while Lea assisted Raquel and Wendy, the dentists who serve with AVI, but live in Guatemala. Their friend and fellow dental student, Neddy, also joined […]
Read MoreHuehuetanango Team Reflections: Getting There
The following are stories gathered from members of Agua Viva’s recent trip to Huehuetanango, Guatemala. Stay tuned over the course of the next 5 weeks for the series of reflections. Getting There: June 11th, 2016 On June 11, ten well-equipped Americans arrived at KCI at 4:00am to fly to Guatemala City via Houston. By well […]
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Guatemala 2017
Quezaltepeque, Guatemala Agua Viva has a new and wonderful opportunity to provide clean ozonated water at a beautiful church and school in Quezaltepeque, Guatemala. In January 2017, Curt Mader and Dale Bain visited the Colegio Catolico Privado Mixto San Franscisco de Asis where 500 children attend school with NO access to clean drinking water. This […]
Read MoreGuatemala Reflections: My Life in Monjas (part 4)
Author: David Watts, Agua Viva Volunteer and Benefactor Thursday: After a few more wrinkles and surprises the installation team completed their work, trained the system operators (two of the three are women who cook for the orphans). Thursday evening our work was done and the first six bottles of water were sealed and we had […]
Read MoreGuatemala Reflections: My Life in Monjas (part 3)
Author: David Watts, Agua Viva Volunteer and Benefactor Tuesday: We got the materials and work really picked up on the system. The installation team led by Dale Bain and Harold Barnett punched holes in cinder block walls and solved one challenge after another. It’s not like you can run down to Home Depot for more parts. You […]
Read MoreGuatemala Reflections: My Life in Monjas (part 2)
Author: David Watts, Agua Viva Volunteer and Benefactor Sunday: We drove the winding mountain roads to “Shadow of His Wings” Orphanage, a rural compound housing some 70 kids in Monjas, Guatemala. Shadow’s houses are grouped in a horseshoe each with 10 to 12 kids and house parents. The Shadow project has its own school and it […]
Read MoreGuatemala Reflections: My Life in Monjas (part 1)
Author: David Watts, Agua Viva Volunteer and Benefactor If someone offered you the chance to avoid having intestinal worms I bet you would take it. That is the reality of the work we (Agua Viva) did in Monjas, Guatemala, a small rural community East of Guatemala City. It is a comfort to know the work […]
Read MoreGuatemala Trip Report (numero tres)
Author: Jared Orr, Agua Viva International Volunteer Midway through the week, we had the privilege of taking non-perishable food items to some of the poorest of the poor in Monjas. It was heart breaking seeing the state in which some of these people lived, yet we saw God in the midst of our evening. We […]
Read MoreGuatemala Trip Report (part dos)
Author: Jared Orr, Agua Viva International Volunteer The main reason that my team traveled to SOHW was to install a water purification system. Up until this point, they have been using a rudimentary filtration that did not remove nearly enough bacteria and parasites from the water. After we left, their water was cleaner than the […]
Read MoreGuatemala Trip Report (part 1)
Author: Jared Orr, Agua Viva International Volunteer I made it back from Guatemala after a jam-packed week of labor and ministry, and the purpose of this writing is to encourage you in the Lord. I want to explain how the trip went from my perspective… as well as show you the greatness of our God. I […]
Read MoreBlog 14 – What Madeers; Shadow of His Wings Orphanage Pre-install Meeting
July 4, 2015 The James Project – Shadow of His Wings Orphanage Monjas, Jalapa, Guatemala Today we traveled from my friend Ruben Noguera’s home in Quetzaltepeque to Monjas, Jalapa to have a pre-installation meeting with our newest Guatemala Operating Partner at the Shadow of His Wings Orphanage. This is my first time at the orphanage. […]
Read MoreBlog 13 – What Madeers; Huerto de Getsamani Follow Up Visit – July 2015
July 5, 2015 Las Cruces, Quetzaltenango, Guatemala Today Dale Bain, Mario Mejia and I attended church service with Pastor Miguel Calderon doing the preaching and a number of community/church members performing a number of songs and sharing the Gospel. Today’s service lasted nearly 3 ½ hours and we had the wonderful opportunity to share […]
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