Ministerio Agua de Vida

The barrio of Divino Niņo is located on the outskirts of Chinandega, where our ministry is located.  It began as the Nicaraguan equivalent of a new subdivision, but the developer went bankrupt before the houses were built.  After sitting vacant for a while, squatters began moving in and now every lot has some semblance of a structure on it.  Most of the houses are what is locally called a "champa" which is black plastic sheeting wrapped around some wooden poles and maybe some rusty tin for a roof.  The lots are only 40 ft. by 60 ft. and the houses are typically 10 ft. by 15 ft. with a pit latrine for a bathroom (also of black plastic).  There is no water or electricity, although some long extension cords and hoses snake to the adjacent barrio (Divino Niņo Phase 1?).  Jobs are scarce and drugs and glue sniffing are common place.

We attend a Nazarene church in Chinandega and the congregation selected Divino Niņo as the location of their mission outreach.  Pastor Paulino asked us if we could drill a well at the future site of the Divino Niņo church annex.  Since there is no dependable electricity we decided to install a hand pump.  This was the first well that we drilled with the small LS200 drill rig that we shipped from Paraguay (we had previously used the larger rigs of Amigos for Christ).   Our rig was perfect for the small site.

Our LS200 drill rig mounted on a double axel trailer - much easier to use!

Here we are setting the 4 inch diameter PVC casing.

We drilled the well 198 feet in record time - Monday mid-day to Wednesday afternoon.  The water table is only 67 feet deep but with all the pit latrines in the area we were worried about contamination, so we drilled about 130 feet deeper and double sealed the well. 

As soon as we started cleaning out the well people came from all around to get the water ...

  ... and to cool off a bit in the process!!!

The hand pump - an India Mark II - was installed by Living Water International of Houston, TX.  This great group of folks does work all over Central America and installed the pump for free.  We then hired the Amigos for Christ construction guys to build the concrete apron around the pump to keep it from getting muddy and a small metal roof for shade.  When done we had a wonderful service to dedicate the well to the Lord.

Pastor Paulino trying out the newly installed India Mark II pump

  Here we are at the pump on the newly placed cement apron and metal roof - VERY NICE!!

Ed and Pastor Paulino praying for the well at the dedication service

The Cannon UMC team with all their new friends at Divino Niņo

Our home church, Cannon UMC in Snellville, GA came down right after we finished drilling to assist with the construction of a church beside the well.  They funded and helped build the metal structure and galvanized sheet metal roof.  We plan to install a concrete floor with the funds left over from the well.

This was a great project - one that Ed's father Jim Baker would have been proud of.  We were honored to do this one in his memory.  Having our friends from our home church, Cannon UMC, there to help made it all the more special.  Once again - we give God the Glory!!!

Technical Details

Project date: July 12 - 25, 2010

Location:   Latitude -  N 12° 38' 55.55"     Longitude - W  087° 07' 44.0"

Elevation:     231 ft. above sea level

Total Cost:  $2,501

Drill rig used:  Drilled with LS200 (trailer mounted) with 7 3/4" roller cone bit

Drilled Depth:  198 ft. below ground surface

Well depth:   193 ft. below ground surface

Casing  type: 4 inch diameter Schedule 40 PVC bell & socket

Screen length & type:  40 feet of 4 inch diameter Schedule 40 PVC with 0.20 inch machine slots

Length of Gravel Pack:  69 ft.

Length & Type of Seal:  2.5 ft. of bentonite pellets

Static groundwater level:     67.4 ft. below top of casing

Dynamic groundwater level:     66.7 ft. below top of casing (with 3/4 hp electric pump)

Depth to base of pump:   100 ft. below top of casing

Pump description:    India Mark II Hand Pump

Flow rate:    11 gal/min (with 3/4 hp electric pump)