This Update was written by Marc Van Ruyven a nineteen-year-old student from Jordan, Ontario

Thursday, December 09, 2004

What am I to say? What words can describe the experiences of this week? The progress that we have seen as a group in both personal experiences and group accomplishments, the trials that we all face every day and the shared smiles and laughs over our daily talks and meals at one table, can never be expressed in words, pictures, or even videos. They say that a picture makes a thousand words and an experience makes a thousand pictures, but I tell you that no amount of pictures can ever express or even begin to describe the things that I see in one day alone, and now I'm supposed to give one of the weekly letters to keep you updated on what's happening here. Well, I can promise you that I will do my best to explain to you what has been going on, but that's all that I can do. Not even one million letters can give you a clear presentation of the joy and peace and love that I feel in my heart every moment I wake up and start a new day on this always progressing mission "Wells of Hope".
As some of you may have read in the last letter written by our founder, Ted, we have been facing some difficult times with the one rig. But before I get into that, I would like to tell you a bit about the progress of a few areas of this mission.
First off, we have welcomed three new missionaries into our group. George, who is taking over the drill rig that James has manned for the last two months, has come with his wife Margaret and his daughter Chantelle. They will stay with us for the next three months. They arrived Monday morning and are more than comfortable already. It's nice to have new and friendly faces on board. Chantelle and Sarah have been keeping extra busy helping Peter with teaching English. Margaret has been busy with sewing and any other help that is needed for the preparation of the coming of our first student group from Denis Morris High School. (My brother Mike included)

Last Sunday the majority of our group joined the entire "region" on the mountain for an outdoor mass that is held every month, in different areas of the mountain region. This month it was held not even half of a kilometer from our camp, so we were able to walk there with the entire camp family. When we arrived, in the same area that we were welcomed in and blessed before we started our mission here, we had to make our way through at least three thousand villagers before we found a spot suitable to see the priest. We stood there together and had the privilege of sharing an incredible couple of hours in the hot sun with the same people we are reaching out towards with schools, water-wells, English classes, sewing classes and much more including simple Christian love. It's amazing that though they have so little that is tangible and not worth much in Western standards, they still insist on walking many kilometers to join as one body in the presence of Christ our savior. This is one of the many occurrences that have awe-struck me and left me humbled and thanking the Big Guy for all He has provided for me. That same day we had a unique experience while at a meeting in Lagunetta (forgive my spelling) to convince the village that we will still give them a well, but we don't have the material needed and we're waiting for it. We also went to see their schools and see if it's possible to help them at all with repairs or new classrooms. One of the sides of the school was falling apart because of an earthquake in the past and they fear for the safety of their students because it's ready to fall over. They hold classes in the outdoor landing and complain that when it rains all the children and books get wet and in time ruined. I'm not sure what we can do for them because of time and priority. In saying that, I am very busy with the schools that Bob and I have started already.
This week we started the forming and pouring concrete for the first phase of columns on the first school. Today was my first day this week on the second school. That's a lot of firsts for this first week of December… We have completed the pours of both the columns on the first school and first section of footings on the second school. It has been an awesome week for the two schools and the experiences I am getting through this construction I know will last a lifetime. The friends that I have made at both schools have made me feel so welcome. I say this because every day I am either given corn meal soup (in a mug), oranges, bananas, lemons, limes, chicken, beans, tortillas or any other traditional foods of the mountain villages. Each day I am humbled in knowing that they have so little but want to give so much. It reminds me of the poor lady who gave all she had and the rich man who gave so much but so little. And then I am asked by a father that I have come to know and love if I can be his baby girl's Godfather. Now that's an eye-opening question if you ask me. First he wants me to name her, and I gave her the name "Deanna," and now he asks me to do him the honor of witnessing his daughters commitment to Christ. The Honor is all mine. So, yes, things have been really good for me and I can't see this ever ceasing. The schools are making their way, slowly, to completion and the people have been so hospitable. There have been a lot of difficult moments on the Well-drilling side of this mission, however.
James is leaving soon and we all hope that before he goes we can get his rig up and running. Although James has completed three working wells with ample water, his latest well has been causing a few unforeseeable problems. As we try each day to retrieve his drilling stem, we work with patience for the remedy. It's a small set back that we can't help and the only thing we can rely on is our personal knowledge and trust that everything happens for a God-given reason. I do want to mention though, that every morning Ted, James, Bob, and George have been waking up extra early trying to figure out a solution. Much time and effort has been put into this one rig and we are all doing the best that we can to keep going strong. We do appreciate your prayers and support in the matter and especially your understanding and patience. We are doing our best.
Miriam, Mary (Oma), and Margaret have been working hard, to teach sewing to the ladies four days a week. They are proud to say that one of the native ladies has completed a skirt and has now moved on to phase two: Bob's suit. So all is well in the sewing school, but we do pray for patience… can you maybe think why?

Bob and I were just having a conversation and he brought up something that brought tears to my eyes. I wish to share this story with you today. Bob was driving down the mountain and a little girl stopped him on the street and waved to her mom in the house. The lady came out in simple clothes, a typical outfit for the villagers here, and gave Bob a letter. This letter was expressing her and her family's thanks for the work that we are doing here and how happy she is that we are here in the name of God to serve the poor. She then went on to say that she has ten children and her and her husband are very ill and do not have work or the ability to gain any income whatsoever to raise their children healthily. She then asked if we could do anything to help her and that whatever we could to she couldn't pay us, but that God would pay us… Bob and I, like I am this very moment, stood with tear-filled eyes wondering what we could do for a family like this. We can't just give her money because we would have a full time job explaining to the rest of the families why we can't support them as well. So, what is there that we can do? I ask that you all ask yourselves this question, and if you have an answer for me, please let me know because I'm very stuck and heart broken that that is the case. Another story now crosses my mind that I wish to share with you:
Not too long ago I was introduced to a young boy who has just recently let go of his crutches that had become his two best friends for the last nine years of his life. He's finally getting over a severe case of Polio. This illness disabled his limbs and vocal cords and by the grace of God, is now able to walk somewhat. Last week I was watching this young boy as he, in the same way, watched the other kids running and playing. As he sat on a mound of dirt that we had dug for foundation, I could hear his thoughts as tears rolled down his face. "I wish I could run that fast; I wish I could scream that loud; I wish I wish I wish" I had the urge to go up to him and say hello. As I did so and spoke to him in broken Spanish, a scared, but happy smile came to his face. I walked away feeling sad, but shortly after, this young boy stumbled over to me with drool to all sides of his mouth and a big bright toothless smile. He then took my hand in his own and for a long five minutes, squeezing tightly my hand, just stood there with me as though we were best friends. Later that night I was praying for this boy and talking to God as I felt God say to me "I held your hand today, thank you for loving me." As tears streamed down my face I looked up into the starry night and realized how important it is to love one another, even in small moments like this experience.
I leave you now with this story hoping that you may, in some way, get the slightest picture of what I have been experiencing here. Although this is in fact a third world, God's grace never seizes to shine brighter and brighter. We are the light of the world. God's Love shines through us in every step that we take. We're not responsible for the results of our actions; we're responsible for the action in itself. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men and women to do nothing. Let us, brothers and sisters, embrace each other as one family, for in fact, we are one body, one body in Christ, and we do not stand-alone. It has been an honor sharing my experiences with you all in this letter, and I pray that some day I will be able to speak to all of you in person. Until then, may God hold you and protect you always.

Your friend,

Marc Van Ruyven