Lasstic Update

Operation Lasstic is now in operation. It is an irrigation project. It is a canal being excavated in a canyon that will channel water into a valley irrigation system that will help 1,500 farm families. It has been in operation before, but engineering needed to be done to ensure that it would be easier to maintain in the face of hurricanes and erosion issues. Project Director Kevin Bronson flew out Sunday. I was in California this Christmas and got in on the Lasstic talk and updates. Neil Toews is the ground chief for the Haitien work force. He is a former CSI boy that has also grown up in Haiti as a child of missionaries. Lorne Toews is going down as blast manager. The blasting is taking place the end of this month into Feburary. 39 or so other volunteers, mainly from Canada have offered to pay their way and work on the project. Roger Jantz of Winton CA is in charge of coordinating the volunteers. Reg Bronson of Ballico is the treasurer handling the finances and donations. Raymond Withers is the consultant and grandfather figure in the operation. He deals with the Haiti relations,goverment ,etc. The containers loaded in Walnut Hill, FL have been on there way for over a week. They had a repair that had to be made in Miami, enroute. Those containers were loaded with all the equipment and tools necessary to keep the job rolling. Walnut Hill also sent clothes and corn. They filled them up to capacity with love and goodwill. Godspeed, Meticulous details, time charts, and prep work have made this whole project possible. CSI could not afford the technical expense to make it happen, brethren stepped to the plate to make it happen.
The spiritual factor is that a few brethren flew in this Fall to double check calculations and see if it was doable. Yes it was, but was its God's will. Kevin's testimony was that he read the daily readings after praying. He had forgotten what the lesson was even about. He read Isa. 41:17-20. It was so tailored made to the project that it makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck. Raymond was even planning to plant oil trees in the area after the project. When Kevin got home for Sunday, the Sunday Superintendent preached a 45 min. sermon on the sins of omission. ( the ministers were elsewhere that Sunday) It hit Kevin like a ton of bricks and left any doubt in his mind of God's will. That is the short hand version.

The cost: $165,000.

The benefit: It will supply approx. 1,500 families with farmland in the valley. This ground will yield two to three crops a year. 70% of our Fond Parisien congregation will benefit. Ontold numbers of people will benefit from having drinking water.

The project plan: The lower canal works and irrigation is already in place. Two miles of 16" pipe is already laid. Much prep and fore site went into supplying materials so the project will not stall. Three months with 100 men onsite, (mainly Haitien labor $1/day with free noon meal) NA volunteers are roughing it. They are not coming back home without loosing weight. They are sleeping in a rented house and are eating rice and corn gruel and only one NA meal a day. The budget is tight and there is still a need for donations. Imagine how much money is needed to build one of our churches, imagine you can use that money to feed 1,500 famalies! Pray about it. More questions e-mail me at jonluketws@gmail.com I would love to write more, but I am running out of time. Send donations to Good News Foundation; it is tax deductible and ran by our brethren: 9391 Lupin Ave, Winton CA 95388.