Spoiled...48 hours of uninterrupted electricity!

April 30th brought us the grand opening and celebration of our new hydro electric dam. It was standing room only, as representatives from AUSAID and Nazarene Health Ministries, along with community leaders and many others, shared in the excitement of a new, reliable, power source at Kudjip Nazarene Hospital.

  We came into the project a little over a year ago as it was about 1/3 of the way done. In the past year they have finished building the dam, canal, & power house, along with installing the gates, penstock, turbines, and new power lines through most of the mission station. However, not all of the change has been by means of physical construction. Around Christmas time last year, the national crew from the project had a revival which stretched into their communities and lines (tribes). Earl Hartwig, the project manager, has done an amazing job overseeing this project and leading by example.

The gates being lowered

Reservoir being filled

This past month , in preparation for the opening, we had a christian team here from Pennsylvania called “i-tec” (International Technical, Electric and Construction). They were made up mostly of linemen, but men of varying construction skill sets. They gave the station a much needed over haul in regards to our power lines. I really can’t explain what all they did, but it looks really nice! You can read more and check their group out at www.itec.org.   

Scott Dooley, Hospital Administrator,
helping to lower the gates

For the grand opening celebrations they closed the main gates at the reservoir and opened the gate to the new canal that leads to the hydro power house. This week they actually started up the turbines and we are officially operating on hydro power. It has been a shock to all our systems as we went a whole 48 hours without a power outage! 

"Kudjip Water Park"

There have been so many instrumental people over the past several years working to put this whole project together. I can’t even begin to name them all, but am very thankful for the long hours and sacrifice it took to get this project to completion. It will make a big difference for the community, but especially for the Kingdom, as Kudjip Nazarene Hospital is able to function on a more reliable power source.