Our first stop was at the Kageyo Primary School to begin the training of repairing the ten broken cisterns on site. We had a surprise when we discovered that the first gutter in line for the repairs (well over 200' long) was packed full to the top with mud. This was a minor setback, however this was a great teaching tool to the trainees in the importance of simple maintenance (ie - had the gutter been kept free of debris, water would've flown through into the cistern). With that being said we spent the next two hours mucking and flushing them out. Broken supply lines were then repaired and replaced by the trainees.
As God would time it, the rains came and flooded the gutters and clean water began to flow through the entire system. This was an exhilarating moment for all, especially when the 400+ school children that came running out just in time to watch the water flow whereas they had never see water flow through before.
Work slowed down a little for the next hour as we were mobbed by all the screaming and happy children. Stay tuned for up and coming video!
Out of the ten (100,000 gallon tanks) at this school site we were able to address four of the problems today. Our project temporarily ended, as we were asked to go to the "Yohana Wera" (St. John) Church in Kageyo to assess and address the broken water collection system there. We were successful in training the trainees in fixing the multiple broken supply lines to the cistern.
We still have roughly about one hours work at that site to repair internal cracks in the cistern then that system will be 100% up and running giving them 150,000 gallons of clean water at their disposal.
On a good note today ended with the instant availability of roughly 550,000 gallons of clean water (once the tanks are filled)!!! AMEN!
Tomorrow will bring another 600,000 gallons of renewable water storage.
God is good!
Please keep us in your prayers, knowing that at 11:00 a.m. tomorrow (Rwandan time) we will be swarmed with 400+ screaming 3' tall people......Can't wait for that!
Yohana (Johnny)