Dots in Blue Water - Providing the Gift of Clean Water

One of the greatest needs in developing third-world countries is the lack of clean water. Water-born diseases are the leading cause of death in many of these countries. With that in mind, let me tell you about a team that was on the Nehemiah Vision Ministries compound last week. It is one of the most impressive projects we have seen. Not simply because what they were doing but because of who they are and what they have accomplished. Let me tell you more.

Bill Farrar is the founding director of Fountains of Hope. This is an agency that is committed to installing water filtration systems around the world and teaching people how to maintain them. Bill has been partnering with Dot in Blue Water which is an effort springing out of South Adams Schools in Berne, Indiana. Before I tell you about the mission, let me give you a little background. Michael Baer, working in conjunction with a number of other teachers and a group of students were introduced to the water filtration system being installed by Fountains of Hope and decided that they could improve on the design. Thus, a science project was born and the system was redesigned and improved. And now we come to their mission in Haiti.

It is a unique opportunity for high school students to work on a project and then join a team traveling to another country to implement the project. This is indeed a full-cycle learning project! Along with Michael Baer, Dots in Blue Water brought to Haiti a group of teachers and students. Myron Schwartz and Josh Roby are fellow science teachers. Kristi Geimer is a third grade teacher, Ashley Koons is a junior high teacher, J.D. Keller is a K-6 computer teacher and Alissa McMillian is a recent graduate of Ball State and has just completed her student teaching. These teachers brought with them a hand-selected group of students from the Berne School System who worked on the water filter project. There were 4, 2011 graduates and 4 juniors. Before coming Haiti they raised the funds to purchase 4 purifier systems. Each system costs $3,500.

This team was in Haiti on the NVM compound for one week. During this week they installed a:

• 2-tank unit (400 gallon) for the NVM school
  
• 1-tank unit (500 gallon) in the Chambrun community
  
• 3-tank unit (650 gallon) for the Bouzie camp (helping turn the cholera outbreak and support a clinic)

And they left one extra unit for future distribution. And along with the water work, the team also did work on the compound. They painted, worked on a drainage trench and sorted aid in the warehouse. This was a great team and we thank them for their work!