Dear Friends:

A good update for you.

Many things accomplished.

Due to the good donations of friends such as yourself via our credit card site, and we thank you all, we have been able to catch up on some very slow projects.

The cement mixer has been paid off, final modifications and repairs are being made to this mobile unit now.

It has a 11 horsepower diesel engine and 3 inch centrifugal pump, and can be towed to any village with the 4 wheel drive for laying a well pad, building a toilet, or running pumping operations while a well is dug.

This has long been a need and I am glad to say that it is finally finished.

With it comes a rebar cutter and many tools which are now mounted firmly on the truck.

As well, truck chains are getting closer to being finished which will surely get us in and out of most villages in a good hard rain.

Not your average truck chains. Think lots and lots of steel cleats.

We are narrowing down the major projects now that we have left to do.

There are only two actually.

One is the printing press, with $1100 owed to pay this off and start printing books in Akha Language.

And then as part of our Fish 'n Books project, we have to pay for fencing and cement for a very large well which will supply the fish hatchery with fresh water. This will cost us $2000 in cement as I may have noted before, and $500 in fencing to make sure the fish stay in the tanks till they are big enough. Lots of hands that would help us out just a little at night.

At any rate, the fish tanks will be for growing fish for the villages and this will go right along with our books projects. Well fed protein makes for a few better minds.

Our take on endangered language support.

And fianally we need about $600 for new tires for the truck.

Apart from that, much of the project is caught up and we are looking at maintenance costs on much of what we regularly do.

Currently making up alphabet boards for the villages, and looking forward to being able to roll with the books.

The weather is definitely rainy, truck tires are a bit bald and don't go to well in the mountains.

Mountain rice is looking good and terrace rice is just finished planting.

If you are interested in sponsoring one of the above projects, please write.

Till next time.

Matthew McDaniel