Interfaith Efforts for Drip Irrigation

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Report from Jon Fripp and his work around the world using "Bucket Kits"

Top picture: Students assembling "Bucket Kits" before shipment to Nicarugua.

Bottom picture: Project in Pakistan

A safe, consistent and reliable food supply is a universal need. People of conscience from a variety of faith backgrounds have joined together in North Texas to provide drip bucket irrigation kits to families across the world. Members of Rush Creek Christian Church, Congregation Kol Ami, students at Nolan Catholic High School, engineers from North Texas Engineers Without Borders, as well as Muslim, Jewish and Christian members of an interfaith group called Sons and Daughters of Abraham have packaged almost 200 kits. Monies for the raw materials were collected at a 2009 fundraiser held at Rush Creek Christian Church.
These kits and training have been have been provided to a variety of faith based as well as secular NGOs including Fort Worth Mission Council, Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church in Thibodaux, LA, the Baptist Mission of Uganda , Texas Christian University, and Southern Methodist University. So far, these kits have been distributed to Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Uganda, Pakistan, and Bolivia. This has been a remarkable success and through the generosity of spirit, time and resources from people representing a variety of faiths.

Eastbrook Church: Past work

Administrative Assistant to Sr. Pastor Dr. Marc Erickson

Dates Employed June 2000 – Oct 2005

Employment Duration 5 yrs 5 mos

● Administrative Assistant to Sr. Pastor. I used my #1 Strength (Connector) to assembly a team to develop our first website for our church. As part of the “staff” and being new to the church myself, it offered me a perfect climate to interact with the staff and design a website for “new” people looking at our church and looking at how to get involved in a “large” church. I looked at the website as a “newbie” myself. Exciting project

● Part of my “Assimilation” project, working with a small group we revamped our membership class and used "Networking" from Willow Creek Church to help people discover their spiritual gifts. Later added module for helping people discover their S.H.A.P.E. (Spiritual Gifts, Heart or Passion, Abilities, Personality, Experiences) to assimilate new and “older” members into God's place of service in our church and the Church and the world. Patterned after Willow Creek's "Networking" and Saddlebacks "S.H.A.P.E program.

● Assembled and trained a small group of interviewers personally meeting with each person to help them get "connected" and assimilated into a place of service in our community of believers.

● Helped people see the connections among their Spiritual gifts, passions, abilities, personalities & their experiences. ..that they would feel part of something bigger than themselves, the body of Christ.

● Started a new ministry, C.P.R. Career Path Restoration for people out of work and desiring to find new employment. Had a weekly prayer and networking meeting.

● Part of a group that helped start "Free Medical Clinic" for uninsured.

● I did make good use of my top 5 Strengthsfinder 2.0 “strengths”. “Connector”, “Belief”, “Achiever”, “Responsibility”, “Relator.” Each one played a vital part of the ministry I was apart of.  Resigned in October of 2005 to devote more time to other interests and volunteer opportunities to better make use of my gifts, talents, abilities and strengths. 

Volunteer: CPR Career Path Restoration

CPR Career Path Restoration at Eastbrook Church
A weekly prayer and encouragement group meeting at Holy Grounds for anyone looking for a new job was begun sometime in 2002.

Attendees were encouraged to use LINKEDIN as a "tool" for connecting with potential employers and people at Eastbrook. Not limited to Eastbrook people. A new Linkedin Group was started. Eastbrook Community Group for attendees and people connected with Eastbrook Church and continues. Formal meeting group was ended somewhere in 2011 but Richard continues to meet with individuals both in our church and not in our church as needed for anyone wanting to use linkedin as a tool. Eastbrook Community group on linkedin is for Eastbrookers looking for a new job to connect with other Eastbrookers who can post open jobs at their place of employment on the group. 

Christmas Message 2014

Change The World?

Yes, you can change the World!


By helping start a small pilot project in a developing country, you can help one or more families grow enough food for themselves and some extra to sell!

If several families participate in the area and do the same, it makes a small but important change not only in their family but also in the community!

And if they "tithe" any profits from their extra veggies that they sell, it helps the church in it's mission!

A small step!

Want to help?

You can contribute towards a project. People are waiting!

How to Start a Pilot Project

This is how a family or NGO, Non Governmental Organization in a developing country can start a small "pilot project".

1. Place 5-10 “Bucket Kits” with 5-10 families in your area. Or “Super Bucket Kits”It all works by gravity, no need for electricity!We can help via phone, fax and email.

2. Start a Demo plot or Garden: By a School, Clinic, Church, Village, etc.5-10 “Bucket Kits” or “Super Bucket Kits”Bring in people, show how it works, use the produce it provides in your school, clinic, church.

3. Set up a ¼ acre or 1 acre system. For this you will need water pressure.

4. Later after steps 1 and or 2, a request can be made to us to come in and conduct a 2-5 day training workshop: Show how and involve people, families in setting up a “Bucket Kit” and training them in other agricultural topics. Train the Trainers concept! We continue with follow up AFTER we leave. Call or email us for more details.

We have people waiting for your help.

Afghanistan Drip Irrigation Project

Email from Jon Fripp.

"Sometimes efforts come together in unexpected ways. Last month, Dick Dassow began corresponding via email with SFC Mark Fettinger of the 1-19th Indiana National Guard Agribusiness Development Team (ADT) about the application of the Chapin Drip Bucket technology to Afghanistan. The ADT units focus on combating terrorism by rebuilding Afghanistan’s economy through agriculture. Mark is stationed at the Forward Operation Base Salerno in Khost, Afghanistan. Mark had recognized the benefits of the drip bucket approach and was attempting to fabricate kits with local materials. After some consultation, Dick Chapin mailed several kits to Mark for his use.

During this email exchange, it occurred to Dick Dassow that Jon Fripp had worked with drip irrigation in Afghanistan in the past and he forwarded Mark’s contact information to Jon. As it turns out, Jon was on his way to the same base that Mark is stationed to provide training which included the use of drip buckets. Jon arrived on the base about the same time the kits that Dick had sent arrived. And Jon brought several additional drip bucket kits with him as part of the training.

The workshop was organized by the US Department of Agriculture with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Team leader was Sylvana Li. Instruction was provided by primarily by George Hernandez and Jon Fripp. A variety of people participated in the training including active duty military personnel, US civilians, UN representative and Afghan nationals. The workshop addressed a variety of soil and water conservation techniques. These included the use of the Chapin Bucket Drip Irrigation system. Several kits were provided to the workshop participants and an example system was set up and examined during the workshop. The photos shown below include the set up of the drip bucket irrigation system at a demonstration farm."

Additional photos can be viewed at:
http://www.chapinlivingwaters.org/Chapin%20July%202009%20Newsletter.pdf

Hope Without Borders in Kenya

Greetings from Kenya - during the past weeks, we have enjoyed working on assessing and implementing 10 community development projects accross Kenya and Tanzania along with sharing the hope we have in the Savior Jesus...We have much to share with all of you as BAT plans on reaching out to the central city of Milwaukee...
Peace and Hope,
Lance, Howard and Josh Lutter
Hope Without Borders-USA
http://www.hwb-usa.org/

Lance sets up new drip irrigation in Kenya

Report from Lance Parve in Kenya this morning. Thursday.
Hope Without Borders. http://www.hwb-usa.org/


We set up a Super Bucket Kit in Athi River - took pics - worked well...
Others will be installed in Machakos, Athi River, and a small village in western Kenya...Kudos...The 1/4 acre kit is to be set up later...
We have so much to share on CommDev projects - will debrief everyone when we return shortly - the internet is intermittent here so I will send this out before I lose you...
Peace and Hope,
Lance