Projects Guatemala Bridge Inauguration Ceremony
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Bridge Inauguration Ceremony Print E-mail
Wednesday, 08 October 2008 08:30

On August 23rd a group of us from Association SAQ BE left Quetzaltenango for Provincia Chiquita in the early morning hours. The first part of the trip is paved, but soon we left the highway and found ourselves on a winding dirt road. At one point we were delayed for 30 minutes while two trucks tried to pass each other on a narrow stretch of road. Men had begun working on a drainage ditch and placed rocks so that we could drive our pickup across.
Dignitaries from the San Pedro, the local capital, had been invited and we waited for them before beginning the ceremony. Together we thanked God for the support of Word and Deed Holland and North America. The bridge represents a friendship tie between communities half a world away. More importantly, a bridge is a wonderful image of how God reaches us and makes it possible for us to come to Him through Jesus Christ. This was the theme of the dedication ceremony.




The plaque bears testimony to this truth.




Following the ceremony at the bridge we hiked back up to the village center where we had a thanksgiving service. Words of appreciation were spoken by local leaders as well as members of SAQ B'E. The logistics of building a bridge in an area like this are challenging and the mayor's wife observed that while other bridges might cost more money, they are often built with relative ease. In this instance, not only did the local people put in over 1,000 days of manpower, bridge parts were welded together near the village center and then carried down in 6 meter sections where they were later assembled on site.
On behalf of the people of Provincia Chiquita, and especially the Emergency Committee of the Presbyterian Church, we thank Word and Deed supporters for making this bridge a reality. Recent heavy rains wiped out the makeshift bridge and now children have access to school, everyone has access to health care facilities and church members can attend services without any danger.

Pastor Ken Herfst
 
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