Brothers Find True Riches in Helping Central American Villagers
Millions of times a day throughout developed countries, people fill glasses from the tap, flush toilets and twist on hot streams from shower heads with little thought; fresh, clean water is there whenever we want it. Brothers Mike and Kirk Douglas believe that access, more than anything else, makes us rich. With the help of Little Beaver’s Lone Star Drills, they have made it their mission to spread the wealth of pure, clean water.
Only one in five people in the world has access to clean water. For those who don’t, the deficiency affects every aspect of their lives, from birth rates to general health and well-being.
About 16 years ago, Mike and Kirk, along with Colorado’s Littleton Bible Chapel, Deer Creek Church and a slew of caring volunteers, began drilling wells in villages across Central America. Recently, their work has focused on Honduras and Guatemala, in areas where there is extreme poverty. “A major factor is that they simply don’t have clean water,” Mike said. “Because of this, they suffer from all forms of maladies.”
Up until seven years ago, most wells were built by hand. Then, the brothers began training with Living Water International, a nonprofit organization that provides programs in shallow well drilling, pump repair, and hygiene education. During that training, they were introduced to Little Beaver’s Lone Star Drills.
With a donor’s gift and Little Beaver’s discount for equipment used in mission work, the brothers purchased a LS300T+. The fully hydraulic rig features an anchor kit that helps push beyond the weight of the drill’s trailer, which allows the roller cone bits to more effectively get through rocky soils.
The brothers were instantly impressed by how well it performed and, before long, obtained a second rig. They have used the drills on some of Central America’s toughest terrain, digging wells ranging from 90 to 300 feet deep. Over the past five years, Mike, Kirk and the volunteers have brought clean water and better health to more than 30 villages and thousands of poverty-stricken people.
The quality of the machines and invaluable support from Little Beaver has helped ensure the church groups are able to fulfill their humanitarian missions. “They’re very ingenious in how they built this machine, and they can solve problems around it,” Mike said. “That’s the main thing. We’re thankful that we’ve been given enough that we can give back.”
Even as the Douglas brothers continue to fulfill their mission, the improved quality of life in villages with new wells is testament to what can happen when the right people, resources and tools come together. Wherever the Douglas brothers are able to make that happen, everyone shares in the riches.