Assuming you have access to clean water in an isolated area, what do you do if that access is interrupted and no

one is there who can make the necessary repairs? A broken water system or well means a return to higher disease
levels and infant mortality rates. According to a 2009 report by the Rural Water Supply Network, approximately 35
percent of water well hand pumps in Africa were out of service.
A group of engineers from the HCJB Global Technology Center (a ministry of Reach Beyond in Elkhart, IN)
and Water Technologies International decided to address this issue. Tese engineers wanted to develop a cost-
efective method for the water system to automatically report its condition, possibly with enough detail to predict
failure. Tis would allow quicker detection of maintenance and repair issues while saving the expense of unnecessary
travel to fully-functioning water systems. However, isolation often means there is no communications infrastructure.
Expanding on a monitoring concept developed by hydrogeological consultant Stuart Dykstra, the engineers
devised an innovative approach. A solar-powered water monitoring system will collect data and transmit it, via low
earth orbiting satellite, to a cloud-based server. Tis enables key information about the pumps, such as water fow
rate, to be accessed via a web site. Te original plan had been to test prototypes in the Central African Republic, but
political turmoil and violence there prevented the units from being installed.
Stephen Peacock, a missionary at the Technology Center, was attending IPWE 2014 (International Perspectives
on Water Resources and the Environment) in Quito to present a paper titled, An Improved Method for Rural Well
Hand Pump Monitoring. During the conference, Stephen met with colleagues from Reach Beyonds Community
Development team in Ecuador, which led to a new plan for testing the technology. Te monitoring system, designed
for hand pumps, could be expanded to include the electric pumps and tanks in the water systems in Ecuador.
In July, a team from the Technology Center installed the
technology on three water systems in the jungles of Ecuador.
Real-time data is invaluable for the development team as they
transition to full production. Te protypes are also bringing
immediate benefts to missionaries working on water projects.
Te monitoring system enables us to collect data that helps to
evaluate and improve water systems, explained Wim de Groen,
Reach Beyonds Director of Water Projects in Ecuador.
From the ofce here you can know exactly how the system is
working, said Peacock. You can know the efciency of the system,
you can gauge what the demand is on the system and you can work
out from the solar intensity how well the pump is pumping. For
Reach Beyond staf working on water projects in Ecuador, being
able to identify any maintenance issues will save both time and
money, resources that can be invested in more communities.
After their experience in Ecuador, the development team will be
working with another organization, Design Outreach, to add water
monitoring systems on their pumps, beginning with 25 pumps,
part of a 100-pump project across Uganda, Malawi and Kenya.
The Transmi t t er
Issue 59, September 2014
News f r om t he McConnel l s
Satellites Help to Monitor Water Systems
Financial Support
If you wish to contribute please visit
reachbeyond.org/missionaries/search
or mail your gift to Reach Beyond,
indicating account 110394.
Tank you for your partnership!
Reach Beyond
Post Ofce Box 39800
Colorado Springs, CO
80949-9800
(719) 590-9800
www.reachbeyond.org
HCJB Global Technology Center
2830 17th Street
Elkhart, IN 46517-4008
(574) 970-4252
smcconnell@hcjb.org
www.hcjbtech.org
Home
4806 Old Brook Circle South
Colorado Springs, CO
80917-1020
(719) 638-9086
usmcconnell@gmail.com
Probable Spin O of HCJB Global Technology Center
Gods global workforce includes many churches, Christian businesses and
missionary organizations. Sometimes it becomes clear that introducing a change to the
way we are organized will help Christs followers become more efective in the work God
has called them to. Te HCJB Global Technology Center will probably be undergoing
one of those reorganizations. We were established in 1986 by HCJB World Radio. Tat
organization, now known as Reach Beyond, is considering a proposal to spin us of to be
an independent, technology-based ministry partner. If the Board of Trustees decides, on
September 26, to support this proposal, our new name, as of January 1, will be SonSet
Solutions. Our staf will remain the same, as will our passion for Gods work and the
tools we specialize in to share Gods word.
If SonSet Solutions comes to fruition on January 1, it will not immediately have the resources to support the
McConnell family. Scott and Ulrike, along with most of the Technology Center staf, will be seconded (lent) from
Reach Beyond to SonSet Solutions. Tere is one change, as it becomes convenient for you: Please begin to use the
Reach Beyond name when making fnancial contributions to our support.
Ministry Update
Cody Hall's apprenticeship is going well. Cody is a member of the development team to produce the frst 25
water system monitors for Design Outreach (front page). Cody has recently decided that he wants to be the frst
SonSet Solutions missionary candidate. Scott hopes to deliver a SonSet Solutions application to Cody sometime in
October. If Cody is appointed, his eforts to develop a long-term support team will become his highest priority.
David Palmer, like Cody, is a mechanical engineer. David began the one-year apprenticeship in June and has the
additional task of completing Bible credits. His part-time work cleaning up mechanical drawings for a local like-
minded company will ofset some of his education debt. David is also contributing to the water system monitor
development and will be traveling with the Design Outreach team to Africa to install the 25 water monitor systems.
So far, four senior design projects have been selected by three colleges and we are still waiting on decisions from
two more colleges. Scott knows that he is the engineering liaison for at least one of the projects. Scott will also begin
to recruit students at three colleges early in October and four more from the end of October into early November.
Family News
Hans' and Haley's wedding was absolutely wonderful! Tey are living in graduate housing
in St. Louis. Haley has found a part-time position as a research assistant and is studying
for the GRE while Hans completes his master's degree. Tey have recently found a young
marrieds class at church and are making friends. Please pray for this new marriage.
Evan fnished his engineering co-op
with GE Aerospace on September 12 and
is returning directly to Northwestern to
help Cru welcome new students. Evan has
decided that rowing is too time consuming.
Pray for balance. Praise for great friends.
David is balancing a tough senior year with marching band,
visiting college reps and college applications. Te marching band
show this year is awesome! Please pray for stamina and focus.
Ulrike (check Facebook) has been hiking with a group of
ladies and climbed her frst 14er Labor Day weekend. Woo hoo!