I wish you and your family a joyous Christmas!
This year I volunteered with AVS from late April until mid-August. It was a very busy time, assisting work teams with their activities and projects. Teams installed wells serving groups of families, schools, and, in one small village, a water distribution network. By December AVS had installed over 50 wells.
Cleaning Chompipera well
AVS interns help with applying concrete mortar.
Another team built, in a week, the exterior of a new church building – walls, roof and floor – a major effort . Another constructed a small house for a family in Los Chiles.
Preparing the church’s floor.
Bob Meredith helping during the drilling
Three college-age interns served for two months while I was there. They were involved with all of AVS’s programs including English as a second language classes; children’s activities and the design of a water distribution network. Their creative energy, enthusiasm and hard work were real gifts to the program.
More pictures describing the teams activities are posted on earlier blogs below.
This Fall, I visited family and friends in New England and the Mid-West. A short trip in October to Finland and Germany visiting friends and seeing some sights was a highlight. In late December, I plan to have Christmas with my children and grandchildren in Boston.
People ask how I fill all my “free time”. Usually once a week I volunteer as a driver for the Shepherd’s Center of Oakton – Vienna. Driving seniors to doctors and other appointments has been very rewarding. Combined with volunteer activities at Church of the Good Shepherd, United Methodist and occasional local sightseeing trips I have a “full” calendar.
AVS will be involved with many wells in the coming year.Timing of my 2016 involvement with AVS is to be determined, depending on when teams are scheduled. Please follow AVS on Facebook and support their ministry.
Many blessings and Merry Christmas!
Bob Meredith
Fairfax, VA
Bob with AVS in Costa Rica 