hting mosquitos and mud. Armed (or maybe I should say legged) with some new rubber boots, we have been able to do several successful water projects and make preparation for the larger automated SNAKE unit arriving next week. It's also been a great opportunity to do some charity work, such as distributing food and supplies to a widow and family and a couple of orphans living with an elderly grandmother. We also helped start one feeding center and have plans for another. It's almost to where SWIM does as many non-water projects as water related ones. All of it, of course, is important and we try to let God lead us in how to spend our time an
d funds. Rafael & I were talking recently about how we are actually doing many more water systems than ever before, but in less time. I'd like to think that it's because of my great organization skills, but that's not really true. Part of the reason is due to the truck and motorcycle, which allow us to get to more areas faster and easier. Another big part of it is that the health departments are more educated and prepared for us than ever before. We don't have to spend so much time convincing them that their water is contaminated and that disinfecting it with a naturally produced chlorine would be a huge benefit.
For example, we spoke at a large meeting in Ocotal last week with all the heads of the recently organized water committees present. In 2 hours time they were all made aware of the SWIM ministry and how we could pa
rtner with them in their areas to save lives and improve their health. They were also clearly informed that we are a Christian organization so there is no confusion on our motivation or desire to share the gospel. Now the path is opened to organize the visits and train the ones responible in using and caring for the equipment. It's so much nicer now that our reputation for helping is preceding us!
Most of you know that we also hand out Bibles to the ones involved in the chlorinator trainings and others who want them. We had a couple of interesting experiences with that recently. One involved a little elderly lady that was so excited when I gave her a Bible that I thought she was going to cry. Later she came up to me and started babbling so rapidly that I was having trouble understanding her. She told me that she had a dream the night before that someone was going to come visit and give her a Bible for her very own. How extraordinary to be that person used by God! At another village 2 days later, we almost had a riot because so many were wanting more Bibles than we carried with us. We ended up having a drawing (their idea) to see who would get the Bibles. Some were disappointed afterward that they didn't get one, so I told them the story about my salvation bracelet and gave them all one to wear and they were thrilled! It's hard to relate to you the joyous feeling we receive from responses like this. Thanks again for being part of the SWIM team. Blessings,
Greg & Vickie Stout
hoped to sell our house, but that didn't happen. Fortunately God is in control and we're not (I've learned it's better that way) and it was a productive time nonetheless. We had several very good meetings, spoke at a couple of churches, and did some informal SWIM training sessions. I also got in some farm work with my brother before returning to Nicaragua for the summer.
ldn't be in the U.S. when the time came for the Lord to take him home, but God worked it out so we were there. He'll be missed and I sometimes think that he would have enjoyed what we are doing if he ever had been able to come down and visit. Dad always liked helping out others, and being out in the rural areas to work with farmers and impoverished people would have been right up his alley.
feel like our opinions are important and that we are somewhat needed. It's the rainy season so it makes it more difficult to get to many places where we work. He's been continuing work with a feeding program that we helped instigate at a church and also providing needed items to families living at the dump and to some recently orphaned children. We are so thankful for him and his ability to recognize how best to help in some difficult situations without intruding, invading, or making them feel dependant on our help.
exciting developments for quite awhile has been the progress made on the large automated unit we have been working on. People have been asking for help in bigger communities and we've just been unable to provide anything capable of handling the needs until now. Thanks to the ideas of Earl Ratcliff, Jim Jensen, and Rich Grant, we have a device we are dubbing the "SNAKE" (due to it's configuration) that promises to fill this need. We made some trial runs that been very successful and now we are moving to the proving grounds. Rafael has 3 possible sites chosen for us to set up this pilot project to monitor closely in July. I'll report more on this in the next blog or newsletter after we get it up and running. I can hear the comments now, "Can't wait to come down and see all the SNAKES in Nicaragua." 
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