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By Ken Askew

Almost 20% of the world's population lives in darkness every night—they have no lights. Add to that hundreds of thousands more are still trying to recover from Typhoon Haiyan since it hit the Philippine Islands on November 8, 2013, with incredible 145 MPH sustained winds. The dire result was 6,340 dead and 1,061 missing.

John Prusa (left) and Ruston Seaman merged their talents to establish New Vision Renewable Energy.

Halfway around the world, two men are working to provide lights to the survivors. John Prusa, of Philippi, WV is an electrical engineer and exile from Communism in Czechoslovakia. Besides working as a commercial pilot, his scientific interests include converting pickup trucks to biodiesel fuel, cultivating a hydroponic vegetable garden, and building a network of solar panels in his back yard. Because of his environmental conservation projects, he incurs no heating, electric, or gasoline bills.

Prusa's pastor in Philippi is Ruston Seaman, also a visionary thinker. He has worked for two decades to recruit volunteers to spend a day or a week to work in local residential homes to make much-needed repairs and improvements in an economically distressed neighborhood.

Together, they have formed a non-profit organization called New Vision Renewable Energy (NVRE), to hand-make battery-powered lights to ship to the Philippines. The lights are based on an 8" x 11" thin sheet of plastic with "shiny paper" on one side, donated by 3M Corporation. Three strips of LED lights are adhered to the reflective paper, and a lithium polymer battery is fastened by Velcro to the plastic base. The light is bright enough to illuminate a room; the LED lights will last for 30 years.

On June 21, 2014, 33 volunteers from the Pleasant Hills Community Church traveled to Philippi, where they assembled 75 lights. The Pleasant Hills church has been sending people to Philippi for Saturday-only mission trips for almost 20 years, averaging three or four trips per year. They have a history of serving the Philippi community, and when Rev. Seaman asked for their help for this project, the church was glad

Members of the Pleasant Hills Community Church bask in the glow of battery-powered LED lights they assembled in Philippi, WV.

to pitch in.

To date, over 200 lights have been assembled toward the NVRE goal of 1,000 lights. Their outreach program is much more expansive than can be described herein.

For more information, please visit their website at www.NVRE.org or call 304-457-2971

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