HATO JULI, Panama—Texas Baptist Men plans to supply a drilling rig to a Christian humanitarian organization in Panama that will provide water wells for a school and a clinic.
LifeQwest International, requested assistance from mission partners in the United States when they discovered Hato Juli School, in Panama’s Chiriqui Province, had no water source after a shallow well ran dry. The Smiths lead after-school Bible studies and other Christian programs at the school, which serves more than 600 students in kindergarten through ninth grade.
Jerry and Susan Smith, directors of“A new well needs to be at least 60 feet deep,” the Smiths wrote in an email. “If you know of an organization, church or individual who could help with these needs, please pass this info along to them and ask them to contact us.”
for a village in Mongolia, where the local water supply had been tainted with cyanide.
Recipients of the email included Bob Denton of Grandview, who leads the Texas Baptist Men veterinarian committee. TBM worked with LifeQwest International about seven years ago to provide pure waterAfter additional contact with LifeQwest International, TBM learned a clinic in Hato Juli also needs a well.
Denton will join an assessment team—along with Harold Patterson of Scroggins, vice president for TBM water ministries; Mike Tello of Weslaco, a leader of Hispanic Texas Baptist Men; and Mickey Lenamon, TBM associate executive director—in Panama May 19-23. The TBM assessment team will meet with government officials about other possible well-drilling sites.
TBM will ship a well-drilling rig to Panama that is expected to arrive in early June. TBM volunteers will teach local Christians how to operate and maintain the equipment, which TBM will leave with LifeQwest International.
A participant at the recent Woman’s Missionary Union of Texas annual meeting in Waco learned about the project and donated $6,000—enough to cover costs of the well-drilling rig, shipping and travel for the teams, Lenamon noted.
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