April update

We are excited that we could send Luis to a seminar this past month for training on the latest technology in household water treatment. He got to meet the engineers that train local leaders in distributing these different filter systems as well as the politicians who can influence local leaders in the promoting better health.


Luis with his class

His certificate of completion:

Below is a ceramic filter that is good to use in urban areas that have contaminated public water that is clear of sedimentation.

The system that we use in Bocachica, the Bio Sand filter

Above: Another system used called the Life Straw.

It is great to see Luis growing in this work. He is learning more and becoming independent in his abilities. The week before this, he went out to the country, about 12 hours outside Bogota, to make a filter at an orange farm. The family gets water from a shallow well that is fed by a river. The water in the well is always cloudy. The family usually just drinks bottled water. Because of the distance, Luis designed an alternate filter from a road drain tile to use as the filter body.
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In the country, it is wilder too. Luis ran into a spider one night at the house, only bigger than normal. It was a tarantula



Back in Bogota, Luis is also helping out in a new ministry that a local church has with youth. The Colombian foster system is similar to USA because after a child reaches 18 they are considered an adult and are on their own. Without a family, many fall into bad habits and end up with the wrong friends. The church meets with some of the young adults that age out and try to mentor them and help out by giving them a support group.


We are happy to see Luis and his family still doing ministry even though they aren't in Bocachica. This work is able to be done through the support of many friends who support them. He is always thankful to you even though he can't communicate often with us in the USA.
 This month Luis and Nate are going to be in Bocachica to check on things on the island. They may even install another filter during this trip. They are also bringing more books for the local pastors that will edify and build them up to be better equipped for preaching.
 There is always something to do there. We are happy for progress and look forward to doing more work for the glory of God.

Family update on Bocachica

“What's next?” We ask God that question often as well. While we thought our visit would be for a year in the States, we have found that now, more than ever, life in the States is busy. We have our two oldest girls getting ready to graduate high school in May. This is their senior year, and they are both dual enrolled at our local community college. Valerie is in the Culinary program and Alicia is pursuing her Associates of Science degree. They both have their permits and are busy learning to drive. Valerie can test for her license in May and Alicia can test for hers in September. We had the idea to come home and prepare the girls to be more independent and ready for their next stage of life. We originally thought we could return to Colombia after a year's time. It turned out to be more complicated than we thought. As soon as Valerie and Alicia are set to go, we will start all over again with Jaiden going into that stage of driving and being able to go to college as well.

Even though our heart's desire is to continue full time in Colombia, at this period in our life, due to family responsibilities, we cannot. So what does this mean for our mission work? We have decided, for now, that we will do short-term mission trips. Our hope is to have Nate go down to Colombia 2-3 times a year. He will be checking up on the filters we have installed, and also maintain relationships with those on the island. Nate has a desire to be more involved with discipleship and bringing better doctrine to Bocachica. (Colombia has very limited resources for mature doctrine.)

Nate has also been asked to help with a school that will be constructed on the island. This will be a bilingual school, for which there is a huge need! The current public school system on the island is very broken, and the education received is poor. The new school will be run by the local church in Bocachica, and the parents of the children enrolled will pay a monthly tuition. This will help hold the parents accountable to ensure they are involved with their child's education.

The goal is to build two classrooms and an office by the end of 2017. The estimated cost is around 8 to 10 thousand dollars (USD) per building unit. The school has already started classes in a borrowed building, and they are hoping to be in their own building this year. In September we will bring a team to Bocachica in support of this project. Please let us know if you would be interested in joining this team!

As the school is being built, the need for a full-time, English-speaking missionary to teach has emerged. This is a hard position to fill due to the living conditions in Bocachica. Please join us in prayer as the church continues to look for a willing volunteer(s).

This month we will be sending Luis Viracacha, a Colombian brother in Christ who worked alongside us on the island, to a seminar on household water treatment in Bogota. This will continue to teach him the latest information on water treatment and filters. Cawst is the name of the organization sponsoring this seminar, you can get more info by clicking here.

Although we are not physically in Bocachica, there is still ministry going on. We would love to continue the work to bring the gospel to maturity in all aspects of life on the island.  If you would like to support us in these projects or with our short term mission trips, you can still do so. Our church, Antioch Community Church, has an account that keeps our funds for us.

Thank you for letting us bring our needs before you all. We are thankful for all of your prayers and support over the years. It has been an honor to serve the Lord in Bocachica, and we are thankful to be able to continue.

With love,

The Ariels

Maria's story

I remember my first couple of months living in Bocachica. We had just had a team in January visit us. One of the things they brought was a bag of baseballs, bats, and soccer balls. The local kids were ecstatic. We would lend them out daily. The only requirement was they had to be returned. One afternoon, I was watching the local kids play from the porch and I saw this lady go to the side of her house and pick up our soccer ball and bring it into her house. 

Photo credit: Sarah Southern

Later that afternoon, I went to this house here shown above and asked for the ball back. My Spanish at this time was very basic. When I walked over the porch area was full of family members who lived there. Her house is known as "Maria's hotel" due to as many as 28 people living in this house at one time. Maria, the owner of the house came to me. I politely asked for the ball. She laughed and said the ball has been hitting her house. She got a machete and with a loud tone told me if the ball hits her house again she would cut the ball into many pieces.  Then proceeded to hand me the ball. I walked away embarrassed and upset. It had occupied my thoughts for a couple of days. Who would do such a thing? Clearly, I was showing love to the local kids and those kids were just having fun. I mean what's the big deal? I finally thought to myself. I can let this bother me and go on being upset or I could "kill her with kindness." I decided once again, even with broken Spanish to go over to that house one more time. I saw Maria sitting in front of her house, and gave her a plate of chocolate chip cookies. I didn't have to say much at all. Once again the following week, I made a loaf of banana bread and brought it over to her. Never saying much, Just a simple hello and a show of love. A couple of weeks later she showed up at the mission door with a tray full of fish for our family. I know she sacrificed food that they would have eaten to show love to us in return.

Maria is known by many in Bocachica, for a long time, she operated a bar at her house which blasted music. The house is one room wide and continues room after room until it ends at the ocean edge. There are drugs being used in this house, many young kids who are not being cared for like you and I would wish, and not to mention the countless stories of fights that happen in this location.

About a year after we had lived there, we had the pleasure of seeing and hearing how she became saved. Four years ago she became ill and was in the hospital. She said she was visited by an evil spirit, and he said that if she were to die she was going with him. This terrified Maria. When she returned to the island, Maria shut down her bar, began going to church and was discipled by Blanca Rosa, a missionary. She was baptized in the ocean by pastor Jorge Ivan. I could see the difference in Maria. She had a softer spirit about her. She tended to the children in the house better. I even remember her throwing birthday parties for some of the kids.

This past October, Maria was hospitalized for complications due to diabetes. She spent 10 days in the hospital. The doctor said there was nothing else they could do. She asked to be released in order to die in the comforts of her home. She made her way back to the island. Her family was around her and she was at home. When she was ready to go, she asked her son to bring out the music. A music system that is very loud like most typical Bocachicans. She told everyone to leave the room. Maria. by herself, sang and danced to worship music. Her son recounted that after a while she got tired and sat down in a chair and just continued clapping. After a moment more she died. Maria's life ended praising the Lord. A testimony to her family of her relationship with the Lord.

 She became a Christian late in life, she suffered poor health, and she never moved up financially from a small wood house. She died, though, with joy and peace that many that seem to "gain the whole world" lack. On the island, there is a rich man that has to travel with armed guards because he lives in fear. There is a contrast between the two lives that seems should be reversed. That is the mystery of the Gospel. This woman found peace in joy in apparent misery. We saw a life change 180 degrees and the difference was the Gospel. Jesus Christ can make a new creation.

Courtesy of Damaris

Berlin, Damaris, and Maria at a church dinner

January 2017 Bocachica filters update

Tara, Lincoln, and I made a return visit to the island this past week. We had a week of visiting followed by a week of work that needed to be done as well as checking up on projects.


 We were pleasantly surprised the first week with our friends from Bogota and Medellin who came and stayed with us at the house. We all met the first day and went to the island in the boat.


 Juan Bastidas has visited and worked with some young guys on the island. It was great to meet up with him and have mutual encouragement in what he loves to do and see it in action.
 Yaiker, Juan, and Papuo are three young men he spent time with this week. He has a great servant's heart as well, during the week he helped out with whatever was needed including photography and filters.


Migue and Elizabeth are from Medellin and have worked with us for a long time as well. They sponsor many filters with their program and also do video and photography testimonials and stories. We spent time visiting previous homes and seeing how they are using the filters as well as installing new ones.

 Luis, Juan, and I also went to another village to check on a filter that we had installed two years ago. We were happy to see that it is used all the time. We taught them how to clean the filter, and they are set for another long period of time.
 We have been very happy with this filtering system. In all the places we stopped we were able to drink the water without the bad side affects that are present in the untreated water. For the price of the filter, it is the best system available. It can treat all the water a family needs in a day. There are other systems available, but they can't treat the amount of water these can for the price. A family should use potable water for all aspects of daily living, cooking, bathing, cleaning, drinking, etc..  Most systems only treat enough water for a couple of people to drink a day. Our family used this system for our time there in Bocachica, as well as for hospitality to others when they visited. No one got sick with water-borne illness when using the bio-sand filters.
There is no potable water on the island and the water is stored and transported in unsanitary ways:

 Below is a collection of pictures showing all the activity:

These are the kids that will be benefiting from a new filter

Installing a new filter

Pictures from Recreo including a video of the river ride.

This is how the water starts. It is treated with a de-sedimentation powder and then ran through the filter. The water tasted great afterward!








 Some of the locals worked on more filters the following week with Luis.


This is the one at our house that we drank from.




We are thankful for the work we accomplished in this short amount of time, and we are thankful for all those who support this work.

The work still continues in Bocachica

 Many of you have heard us speak of Luis and Adriana Viracacha. They are our partners in the ministry in Bocachica Colombia. They have been with us for four years now, and are tent maker missionaries who work as well as receive support from others. We keep in touch with them weekly to hear the work they are doing, support them with prayers and to keep their spirits lifted as they live among hard conditions. Their language barrier of only speaking Spanish makes it hard for them to communicate with many of you.

 Luis and Adriana are natives from Bogota, the capital of Colombia. They have been missionaries in Bocachica for 4+ years now. They have been faithful to the work and are serving in all aspects of life on the island. They participate in hosting teams, building latrines, making filters, hygiene classes, tutoring students, and much more. On top of that they supplement their income by selling water to the locals in their neighborhood and sell cupcakes.

One issue we would like to point out is their need of more financial support. Living in Bocachica is more difficult because the lack of the opportunity. In the city there are better jobs,but the work requires them to be present on the island. So as missionaries it is important to partner with them so that they will not burn out try to make ends meet and serve in the work the gospel.  Please consider the possibility of supporting a Colombian national missionary. They are a trust worthy team that is willing to sacrifice their comfort for the work of the gospel. Any contribution makes a big difference. A monthly recurring gift would give them peace of mind, and allow them to more available to the community.
 If you would like to give please write the check to
   Antioch Community Church
  P.O. Box  40
 Elon NC 27244
 These can be tax deductible gifts.

Please note on memo line: Luis Viracacha

Recently we got an update from Luis and Adriana about a new way they are discipling the local boys in our neighborhood. Luis has taken 4 teens on our street and explained to them how a bank works. Why it is important for them to save their money vs. spending it once they have it. Luis came up with an idea. Adriana would make cupcakes and these four teens would sell them on the island daily. However, once they are done they would have to put their money in a piggy bank. Luis had each of the boys think of one big thing they needed or wanted to save for. They have a date set up in December when Luis will take these four boys to the city and they will purchase the things on their list. This may seem like a small praise, but remember the people on the island don't have access to a bank. Not only that, but the locals there don't think about saving their money. They spend what they make daily.  A simple thing that a parent should teach a child. But this simple skill is not even practiced by the adults living on the island. Adriana mentioned at first her and Luis thought these boys would be excited in the beginning, but by the end the thrill might wear off. To their surprise these four boys are still eager daily to help sell cupcakes and put away their money.

Piggy banks, one for each of the four boys + Luis, Adriana, and Juan

We are thankful that Luis and Adriana have a heart to go above and beyond the call of serving. They see many different areas they can serve. Many times wearing themselves thin, but they won't complain. It brings joy to them to see change. They know they are investing in a better future for the Bocachicans. To God be the glory.  We are proud to have had the privilege to serve with them.

Many blessings,
The Ariels

In the News

A good friend of the family, Jordan Carey, writes for the local Teens and Twenties newspaper column. She wrote a great piece about our family for the paper. Follow the link to read it
 Times News Story

Nate, Tara, Valerie, Alicia, Jaiden, Kristen, Than, Patrick, Vincent and Lincoln. At first, these might seem like a jumble of names, but this is the Ariel family.
In 2011, the Ariels moved from Burlington, N.C., to Bocachica, Colombia, South America. At first, it seemed like a crazy feat to move to another country with that many kids, but maybe it wasn’t.
Their reason for moving was to become missionaries for the people of Bocachica. For four years, they lived on the island in order to teach the people there. Before their move to Colombia, the Ariels were members of Antioch Community Church, and are once more after moving back to Burlington earlier this year. Within the church, mission trips to Bocachica happened yearly. That was how the idea of moving to Bocachica came into being.
   “I got the first idea of moving to Colombia a lot later than my husband did,” said Tara Ariel. “For me it wasn’t until 2010.”
It might be hard at first to understand why someone would want to live there. Many people in Bocachica go without clean water, full-time electricity, indoor bathrooms and other essentials most people in the United States couldn’t live without. In Bocachica, the people are isolated in a way, which is why Tara says, “it’s about teaching them to do things correctly,” such as hygiene and sanitation.
Part of helping with those things includes teaching the people how to construct and use water filters. On Bocachica, there isn’t any clean water. Because of that, water is shipped from the mainland in large tubs. Unfortunately, the water is always contaminated by the time it arrives at the island. To help the people with that, the Ariels started a project to make water filters for families on the island. Each filter will provide clean water for 25 years and only costs $60. In their years in Bocachica, the Ariels have install around 100 of these filters.
Perhaps one of the hardest things about adjusting to life on Bocachica was taking seven kids.
“My first impression of the island was that everything was really dirty and I didn’t want to touch anything,” said Jaiden, age 12. “But now I love Colombia. I was really sad when I had to leave there.”
After a long time of living on the island, almost all of the kids are fluent in Spanish, one of the many things they have learned from their time in Colombia.
The youngest, Lincoln, wasn’t even born when they moved down to the island; he was born shortly before the Ariels moved back to the States. When they moved to Bocachica, the oldest, Valerie, was only 12 years old. The youngest at the time, Vincent, was only 1.
As missionaries in Colombia, they also wanted to teach the people of Bocachica about Christ. But besides teaching, learning from the people also is important.
“I learned to serve where I could and see the love of the Lord the locals had,” Tara said.
The Ariels hope to be in the states for two years before moving back to Colombia to continuing their mission.
For more information about the Ariels’ project in Bocachica, visit colombiamissionfamily.blogspot.com

Jordan Carey is rising freshman home-schooler and a Teens & 20s writer.

A mixing surprise.

 Here is some good news to share with you from Bocachica!  This is from June 20, 2016, but we wanted to share this with you all.

There are times in life when we experience discouragement. Have you ever invested in something only to have it wasted? Like a tree that you buy, plant, and take of only to have it die after a short while. It isn't only the money but time and care that hurts.

 We had a similar incident in Bocachica recently. After we came to North Carolina, we left Luis and Adriana in charge of the everything in Bocachica. Things were going well until a few days after we left, yes that soon, the Kitchen Aid mixer was stolen. Nobody knew anything about what happened to it. It made us sick to our stomachs because of what it took to get the machine there, and that it was well used for the work there. Adriana used the mixer daily to make cupcakes to sell. That is how they supplement their income as missionaries. The machine is irreplaceable due to cost but also getting it there. So, like most all things in Bocachica they continued the work doing it the hard way. Not that mixing by hand is too hard, but when all of life is hard this luxury was a blessing.  They regularly sell about 90 cupcakes a day.

 Last night Luis sent us a message in the middle of the night.

"Mira Dios es fiel no lo puedo creer no sabemos quien fue la acabamos de encontrar es por la mesericordia de Dios. Estamos felices."

Translation: 

"Look, God is faithful. I can not believe it. We don't know who it was, we just found it by the mercy of God. We are happy!"

​

 Someone for some reason decided to return the mixer last night. They set it over the wall that surrounds our property. Though we don't know who or why, we are really thankful to the Lord who cares about even the small things. Pray that the Lord continues to work in the heart of whoever returned the machine. Thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for the lost in Bocachica.

Blessings,

The Ariels