FACT global volzone pages:
• Malawi Project 2005
• Kisiizi Hospital, Uganda
• The Amos Trust
• Braintree: Pais Project
• Brazil 2003
• Bolivia 2001
• global volzone main
Regular FACT volunteers can sign in to the main volzone here:
FACT volunteers go beyond Tollesbury!
Read about some of the stuff we're planning to do (and have done) away from the saltmarshes...
Although the main focus of our work is on the Lightship in Tollesbury, over the last few years we have had the privilege of becoming involved in other boaty places somewhat further afield… in Bolivia, Brazil, elsewhere in the UK and, in 2005, Malawi. These places are a far cry from the Essex saltmarsh, but the projects that we have involved in have two important things in common with FACT: a love of boats and the water, and a desire to share Jesus’s love with others.As well as the projects that FACT is directly involved with, many of our trustees, staff and volunteers are also involved with other exciting projects in the UK and abroad. It’s always great to hear what everyone else is up to, so these pages bring together some of these other projects that have FACT people! Use the menu on the right to link to info on some of these.
Uk Thoughts…
While some FACTers have been off in distant parts of the Amazon basin, FACT trustee Jenny Noel has been thinking about the possibility of projects a bit nearer to home: ‘‘ We hope that when groups come down to the Big Red Ship they experience something of God’s love… However many of these groups have less resources and support than we have here in Tollesbury. We hope that by having deeper links with these groups beyond their visit, not only can we support them, but also translate something what is perhaps easy to experience of God on the Lightship into every day life.’’ These thoughts are only just starting to emerge, but one possibility is to have some kind of project in the UK linked to one of our visiting groups on the year when there isn’t an international project. What do you think?
The Brazil Boat Project 2003
With our friends in Bolivia set up for the next few years with two working boats we wondered if there any other boaty projects around… Through our partners Latin Link (see below) we heard about a very similar project actually on the Amazon itself in Brazil. Pastor Alberto’s boat, Misflua, was in very good condition – in fact the team lived on her for a month! – but their original boat was rotting away. In August 2003 13 FACTer’s went to Brazil to work on this smaller boat, to make it useful to the mission once more. We were also able to take money with us to buy an aluminium dory and engine, to enable supplies to be got to the shore without being lost out of canoes! Read about what the team did – and the amazing story of their week long trip up river on Misflua to see the mission in action.
The Bolivia Boat Project 2001
The first boat project saw a team of 10 FACT friends, volunteers and staff heading out to Guyeramerin in northern Bolivia for a month in July 2001. Their aim was to help Pastor Eliodoro, who had a mission on a somewhat decaying riverboat, Libertador, taking basic medical supplies and the gospel to remote villages on the Mamore River, in the Amazon region. While they were in Bolivia, the team strengthened and re-vamped Libertador, making her river worthy for a good few more years to come, and also bought and helped work on a new boat, Sembrador V. Since the team left, Sembrador V has been finished and fitted with an engine that the team raised money for when they returned home. Both boats are now being used to reach villages that are otherwise cut off from help and support. Read more about what the team got up to.
Back to Bolivia in 2004!! Maurice Burgess, a vital member of the Bolivia team has just returned from his third visit Guyaramerin, at Easter. As well as visiting other projects around Bolivia, Maurice and his wife Maureen went on a three day mission on Libertador and Sembrador V with Pastor Eliodoro. Maurice also took two brass plaques for the inside Sembrador V – one with the names of the Bolivia Boat team, and another in memory of Margaret Hillyer – whose timely sending of FACT’s monthly newsletter to Maurice in Bolivia in 1999 started the link off! Pastor Eliodoro has been quite ill recently, but despite his frail health the project is continuing, and during Maurice and Maureen’s visit they were able to take vital medical care to several villages.
Latin Link ‘Step’
With both the Bolivia and Brazil Boat Projects, we worked in partnership with Latin Link, who nearly 20 years experience sending young people (and the young at heart!) on Step projects to work practically, usually in building projects, alongside a Latin American church. Go to our hotlinks page to access their website.
