Stoves for Guatemala

2011-03-24T08:44:00.000-07:00

Friday, March 18, 2011.

One highlight of the day was the health fair. Mary and I took pictures ("fotos") of the villagers. See a sample above. Our intention was to charge 1Q, about 13 cents U.S., for each foto as a donation to the school. The first family, about 6 in number and dressed in their finest, posed proudly. When told of the price, they fled. We quickly adjusted; the fotos would be free. Also at the fair, we displayed two methods of water purification. One was a carbon-based filter capable of producing 5 gallons of potable water per 12 hours. The other verion was called WAPIS. It is a system to determine when heated water is pasteurized. A glass capsule contains a wax that melts slightly above the temperature of pasteurization, but short of boiling. The capsule is on a string. The capsule is put in water that is being heated. When the wax melts and flows to the bottom of the capsule, the water is pasteurized. By the string, the capsule is removed. When cooled, the wax is again solid and capable of re-use. This process saves precious wood fuel by not unnecessarily reaching full boiling. Also at the fair, we displayed and sold reading glasses for 3Q, and toothpaste for 1Q. One of our local workers said that he thought the most valuable contribution we were making was the instruction of why and how to brush teeth. The typical Guatemalen diet appears heavy in sweets. Missing teeth are prominent in the early twenties.

After the health fair we had several ceremonies. With the church filled with an estimated 100 people, we were greated with two prayers, one in a form of chant with background recorded music. We heard appreciation from the primary and secondary school principals. Secondary school students performed a skit thanking our volunteer efforts. Two secondary students sang. We presented the school with some money raised at the health fair, and we were presented with gifts of woven pouches that were hung from our necks.

The ceremonies continued down at the school where the new wall and computer lab (the space exiists, but no computers are yet available) were celebrated, as was the new latrine. Everyone was happy and appreciative.

We spent the next several days as tourists in Panajachel and Antigua. Any travel guide can do better at describing those areas than I. The 2011 Guatemalan service trip is history. I have invited others on the trip to contribute comments and pictures. Check to see if anything gets posted.

Adios.

2011-03-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

Thursday, March 17,2011.

Construction continues. It is clear now that we will not be able take up the shower installation in the church. That will have to wait for another team apparently.

Clinic visits also continue.

The highlight of the day is that women from the team visited women from the community in the ChiChi market. There are two markets each week--Thursday and Sunday, with Sunday the larger. One of the team members participating in tht event will write that portion of the blog. Check back later.

I would like to note a few random comments about the Xecopol community.

During installation of the stoves we were able to visit homes. The typical layout is that of a "compound." Living quarters are separate from the kitchen area, which is in a separate small building. Work areas also appeared to be in separate small buildings or sheds. The kitchen areas I saw had wooden beam ceilings, or tile. In any event, in the "before" installation condition there were openings in the ceiling to allow smoke and heat to escape. The openings were not directly up, but were to one side or the other in order to prevent rain from coming in. The fire is set on the floor with three stones in a triangle to provide for some sort of cooking surface. I did not see one in action. The walls and ceiling were heavily sooted, and there was a strong odor of burnt material. It was easy to see the vast improvement a contained, vented, fire would make. In one home we were introduced to the mother and her 9 children, all of whom were grinning from ear-to-ear after the installion. A fire was started immediately. It was an emotional moment.

Transportation is worth a few comments. In small communities, travel by foot appears to always to be an option. This is even with large loads to carry by both men and women. A large load of firewood, for example, is carefully packaged with twine or rope into a stack 3 or 4 feet high, 1 1/2 feet wide, and 1 to 1/12 feet deep. That stack is then wrapped with rope that has a pad that hits the carrier at the forehead. The load is lifted to the back, with the back, neck and head bearing the bulk of the load. Bent forward, they walk for miles and up the steepest grades. The load might also be avacados, as the harvest season seems to be happening. Bicycles are prevalent for individual travel. In somewhat larger communites, tuk-tuks (sp?), three-wheeled golfcart-like vehicles, are favored. In larger cities, actual taxicabs may be found. Transportation from rural areas to various-sized communities appears to be by pick-up trucks that function as taxis, with the passengers seated on the edge of the truck bed. "Chicken" buses, converted and redocorated school buses primarily, are prominent within larger communities and from community to community. Getting from city to city we were most often on the Panamerican Highway. It runs north-south generally from the U.S. through Central America. It was in generally good condition, but there was clear evidence that it suffered great damage in the 2010 hurricane, as repairs were still being made. Other major roads in the area also suffered great damage. Getting out of Panajachel for several months after the hurricane involved ferries and chicken busses rather than the preferred use of private vehicles for commuters working further to the north.

Animals. Walking daily from the church to the school, we construction guys pass several loose dogs and two tethered cows. The cows graze in a different 100-foot area each day, soetimes in a corn field that has not been planted yet for 2011. They are skinny, but appear contented. I am told they are brahmin cattle, suitable for a dry climate. We have seen 6-8 of them at a cattle sale, also skinny. The dogs are everywhere. They root about, well-behaved, searching for food. I understand they belong to a family and appear healthy, but also skinny. I am also told that some families have pigs and goats. although I did not seen any. At the homes I saw, chickens were plentiful, and some caged wild turkeys were kept. I saw one cat at Pastor Sebastion's home, and Mary saw one that apparently had mousing duty at a home with a corn bin.

2011-03-20T10:41:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, March 16, 2011.

Those of you trying to follow this blog now know that this is not a daily publication, even though it is dated that way. This is due to limitations of time and energy.

Our daily routine begins with the alarm about 6:15. 7:00 is breakfast, and 8:00 we try to have the transport leave. We break from work about noon for a simple sandwich and a piece of fruit. Balogna and cheese on white bread, lightly toasted, with an apple is typical. The end of the workday varies with the tasks in progress. Because the trip takes 30-40 minutes, we all wait until the last task is done. This occurs sometine between 5:00 and 6:00 P.M. This schedule has taken a toll on all of us. On one trip back to the hotel after 6:00 P.M., Heather was in a discussion from the front of the bus to the rear about the location of certain drugs or equipment necessary for the next day of clinic visits. The discussion lasted 30-45 seconds and was loud enough for all to hear. Seconds after the discussion, Suzanne turned to the rear of the bus and asked with some concern: "Where is Heather?" Loud laughter followed. Suzanne and Heather were seated next to each other. Dinner follows between 6:30 and 7:30 P.M. This team has an endless appetite for meetings to plan for the next day. These occur after dinner. Normally, the "team" day does not end until at least 8:30 P.M. At 6:15 A.M. the next day begins.

Trips like this must be expected to come with things happening that are not planned and not pleasant. We have experienced one pickpocket event with the loss of some cash and credit cards. Even notifiying the credit card companies was a challenge. The calls were passed from one to another, and just when it seemed the correct person would be at the other end of the line, the call would be dropped-the process would start anew. One of the team members also fell on an uneven section of a dock and suffered a nasty cut on the forehead. Not every tourist travels with a doctor with a surgical kit and a staff of nurses, but this one did. The hotel kitchen prepared boiling water. Ten stiches later the patient was back with the team, enjoying dinner and live music.

The highlight of the day was family planning for both men and women (separately of course). Suzanne will write that portion of the blog. She says it will probably not be ready until after our return. Check back later to see the addition to this date.

Today more patients were seen and work progressed on the construction projects. The new latrine is nearing completion. The walls are up, as well as a tin roof. The stool is set and flushes. The concrete is not set suffiently to allow use yet. The stool drains to a plastic pipe that passes undergound approximately 100 yards to a shaft like a well with approximately 4 feet wide and 45 feet deep. The shaft was dug by hand by some local workers. A wooden scaffold was built above the hole for the shaft. The clay-like soil was picked at and removed one bucket at a time. As the hole grew deeper, a man was lowered by pulley and rope. Buckets of soil were sent to the surface. I am sure hundreds of OSHA regs were violated, but in the Guatemalan way the work got done. At the bottom of the "well," sand was encountered. When in use, the solids and fluids from the stool are drainged to the shaft. The liquids percolate through the sand at the bottom and the solids accumulate. Theoretically, this could be pumped periodically. I do not what the actual practice is. Throuhout Guatemala we are advised that toilet paper, etc., are not to be flushed in the toilet. Plastic trash containers next to the stool are provided. Our American habits are hard to break, but we have granted each other one mistake.

2011-03-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, March 15, 2011.

Instruction with the children continued with the school grades and classes that had not been covered the first day. Our instructors are very excited about the reception from their"students."

Health care and nutrition training also continued. One component of our efforts includes time for clinical visits with our doctor participant, Dr. John, now retired and living near Chicago, but formerly of the Mayo Clinic. Dr. John participated in the health and nutrition training, but also kept an eye out for the possible need for medical attention as people came through the training programs. He spotted a case of conjuntivitis (sp?) in a participant. The patient was amoung friends and neighbors, so she was willing to share her experience. Dr. John was able to explain the problem, the treatment, and the importance of face, hand, and eye cleanliness--a teachable moment. There were at least two other such occurances outside of regularly-scheduled clinic hours. A probable broken arm was identified, as well as an ear-wax problem.

During normal clinic hours groups of pre-identified patients were seen. It often happened that the patient would bring other family members whom were thought to need medical attention. Thus, 20 scheduled patient visits may turn into 35. The examination process was different from your normal doctor visit. Because of the dominance of the local dialect, two tranlslators were normally necessary. History and symptom questions were presented in english by nurse or doctor. This was relayed in spanish to the local dialect translator, who spoke to the patient. The answers would come back in reverse order. We had only one local assistant who spoke all three: english, spanish, and the local dialect. Patients who needed specialized or follow-up care were referred to a clinic. Heather was raised in Byron, Minnesota, and worked as a nurse at the Mayo Clinic. About two years ago she came to Guatemala on a service trip. Within approximately six months, she moved here to work for a clinic that is run by a non-profit from Texas, which is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The clinic serves the public and has surgical facilities. It has five offices in the area, two of them are recent start-ups. It also coordinates with 20 to 25 service groups each year. She was able to stay with us the entire work period of this trip. Her work was invaluable.

Work on the construction projects continued. The crew working on the wall had an especially difficult time wrestling with the door installation. It seems the door was up and down from the hinges at least a dozen times. It seemed like there were more than three dimensions to keep track of. We now understand why pre-hung doors are such a good idea. Without a wood chisel or a belt sander, we had to be innovative. Much like the locals, we had to work with the equipment we had.

2011-03-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

Monday March 14, 2011

We intended to be on the road, fully loaded with necessary equipment and supplies, and fed, by 8:00 A.M. We were rolling by 8:25, or so. We are already calling this phenomon "Guatemalan time." Things are a bit relaxed in terms of time here.

At right, we posed for our group portrait. We are grouped in front of church facilities, which served as our home base for educational and medical activities. It lies within several hundred yards of a public school, which is the site of our construction efforts.

The trip from the hotel to the service site was an adventure. It is supposed to take approximately 30 minutes. This itself is surprising because I think at most the trip is 4-5 miles in length-winding, bumpy, dirt roads. On this trip some road construction caused us to take a "back way." It took about 40 minutes.

We were greated and by Pastor Sebastian, who is not only the head of the local Methodist church, but also one of the leaders in the community.

In the morning, members of the group conducted health and nutrition training at the school for students from 1st to 3rd grade. The same group members conducted the equivalent training in the afternoon for students in the secondary school.

In mid-morning, we received delivery of ten stoves for donation to the comminity. These stoves are concerte and designed to be used in a vented manner indoors. This type of stove replaces open fires indoors that are vented through small openings in the ceiling. The open fires are safety hazards, cause indoor pollution with related health damage, and are relatively expensive to operate. The replacement concrete stoves use 1/3 the fuel, vent the smoke outdoors, and are safe. A wire protective shield around the venting ducts keeps hands away for the dangerous heat.

Later in the day, the families who received the stoves were given training about installation. They would also receiving instruction about its use and nutrition. The families were chosen with the help of a social worker to assure the donations would go the maximum use. This project has historically donated about 40 stoves, 30 of which have been in this community. At the end of the day the stoves were removed by the families to their homes.

The construction crew started two projects.

First, the school has about 400 students and three flushable toilets. We are adding a fourth. This involves, first of all, digging a level foundation area. It sounds easy, but the soil at this time of year is like concrete. With the help of some hired local construction help, the soil was broken up by hand with picks. When reduced to large-grain sand consistency, the gringos moved in to shovel the "sand" out of the hole. The sun was out and the temperature warm. This was very challenging. The foundation area is approximately 6 feet by 8 feet in size. At its deepest point approximately 3 feet of soil was removed , and at the lowest point, about 6 inches. Steel corner posts were cut and painted by the gringos.

Second, the school wants a computer lab. This involves constructing a new wall in an wxisting classroom. By the end of the first day, the steel studs were in place.

2011-03-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

Sunday, March 13, 2011.

Most of Sunday was relaxed. There is a large market in town every Sunday, mid-morning until mid-to-late afternoon. It occupied almost the entire town with, I would guess, more than a thousand stalls. It draws large crowds of locals and tourists. It is reportedto be the largest open market in Central America. One can buy food, produce, clothing, jewelry, crafts, etc. The sellers are very persistent. We all think we got bargins.

In mid-afternoon, we met at the hotel for planning for Monday, when the work begins. Here is how the planning looks.

After planning, we broke into groups to rehearse the programs for the school and community that relate to health and to pack 65,000 vitamins for adults and children into individual 90-day dose packages. Those will be distributed during the week.

Stoves for Guatemala

2011-03-12T05:46:00.000-08:00

The 2011 team had a travel day on March 11, 2011. Minneapolis to Dallas, Dallas to Guatemala City, and bus to hotel. About six hours in the air and a layover.Nothing eventful to report. We bus into the mountains today, about a four-hour trip. A new full-group picture will be available later. Here is the Rochester group as we left.

Actually, our first post entry went up on March 9th. Due to technical problems, it can be found under the post dated 6 mar 2011. Hope you can find it. The group photo and list of individuals is actually the 2010 team. A new photo and list will be added.

Stoves for Guatemala 2011

2011-03-09T12:20:00.000-08:00

Wednesday March 9, 2011.

On March 11, 2011, fifteen Minnesotans fly off to Guatemala to renew a service mission in an indigenous highland area known for its traditional K'iche' Maya culture. Three others will join us there. This "team" is comprised of individuals and couples with a wide variety of skills and experiences. There is one physician, a handful of others with nursing training, construction-savy foreman types, several with great general orginizational skills, and a few, like myself, who hope to follow clearly-given instruction. As a team effort, this trip has been taken numerous times in the past, each year with a changing membership. Our fearless leader, Kevin Schill, a United Methodist pastor who formed "Outreach Opportunities in Mission" returns. You can find his website at "outreachopportunitiesinmission.org." See the previous entry of this blog dated March 24, 2010, for details about Kevin and the NGO's he has involved in these efforts. The story is inspirational. We will also have the assistance of drivers, translators (although spanish is the official language in Guatemala, an indigenous dialect rules where we are working) and necessary community contact support. Suzanne and Jim Greenleaf are back for their upteenth effort. More than half of us are first or second-time participants. We need, and are getting, necessary leadership.

Last Sunday we spent much of the afternoon in final planning and dispersing large volumes of materials and equipment among our various suitcases so what we need to be there gets there. We divided up thousands and thousands of vitamins, reams of health literature, hundreds of pairs of eye glasses and cases, hundreds of toothbrushes, coloring books and crayons, circular saws, extension cords, cordless screw drivers, trowels, tin snips, and who knows what else: a strange choice of baggage for a "Spring-break" trip!

We fly into Guatemala City, the capital city with approximately 2,000,000 inhabitants within the city limits. Our home base will be Chichicastenango ("Chichi"), a city about 87 miles away with a population of a little more than 100,000. A map in a previous posting dated March 6, 2010, shows Guatemala in relation to Central America and the locations of Guatemala City and Chichi. These facts make it seem similar to flying into Minneapolis/St. Paul and driving to Rochester (roughly the same size towns and distance apart). Nothing could be further from the truth. Chichi lies at an elevation of 6,447 feet. The 87-mile drive is estimated to take about four hours. This is mountainous, difficult terrain.

We will actually be working in a smaller town called Xepocol, a relatively short drive from Chichi. The tasks are various. More stoves have been purchased and will be distributed to local families as they were last year. See last year's blog entries for a description of the stove effort. It is very important. Health education is also very important, so health instruction will occur daily, medical clinic services will be provided almost daily, and a "health fair" wraps it up. A "latrine team" will construct another facility, and a school room will be partitioned for use in part as a computer lab. Time permitting, we will add shower facilities to a local church. During the last rainy season, as many as seven families were forced to live in the church for periods of time.

Once there, the work schedule looks like this:

Monday 14-Friday 18: construction team at work on the above-described projects.

Monday 14-Thursday 17: health instruction and peridic medical clinic hours.

Friday 18: health fair.

While the adult locals are busy with these activities, child care and entertainment keeps the children occupied.

Right now, the work accomplished looks like this:

Two votes against the service trip look like this:

Stoves for Guatemala 2011!

2011-03-06T14:59:00.000-08:00

The Minnesota crew leaves for Guatemala next week; alas, Julie and I will not be with them this year. So, we are handing over the blog to Ken, who will keep the world updated about the trip by posting photos and stories.

Have a fabulous adventure, team, and please give big hugs to all our Guatemalan friends from those of us who can't go this year.

posted by Susan

The HEALTH FAIR

2010-03-24T10:49:00.001-07:00

At each of our three locations (Pocohil, Chicua, and Xepocol), our women's team presented a HEALTH FAIR consisting of eight stations for the women:

(1) THE SOLAR OVEN STATION: Jean Marconett prepared two pots of food, one with veggies and one with beans and placed them in the solar oven. When the food was done, each woman received a plate of food along with some training on how to easily make their own solar oven. The Mayan women were amazed that they could cook something so d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s without stirring it or paying any attention to it.

(2) SAFE WATER STATION:
Jean Marconett also showed the women how to easily purify their water. Our team brought three 1 liter bottles of water and some WapIs- Water Pasteurization Indicators. The bottles were H2O filled and included a glass tube with some soybean wax inside. These bottles were sprayed black on the outside and were lying on a shiny back surface (they could be placed on the roof too) at this station. They are to be set in full sun, and as soon as the wax melts, the water has been hot enough (149 degrees F – 65 Degrees C) to kill all bacteria and is safe to drink. This show-and-tell performance was extremely important because Sandy Guyse, who has become our team's water expert, has found that the stream and the wells are contaminated with e-coli.

(3) THE MICROSCOPE AND WATER STATION:
Sandy Guyse was in charge of showing the women the microscopic difference between pure and unpure water, further reinforcing the fact that just because the water looks okay doesn't mean it really is.

(4) BLOOD PRESSURE STATION: Carol Haug and Janet Komadina were in charge of the blood pressure table. The Mayan women could get their blood pressure checked, along with a brief explanation of the numbers and what they might do if their blood pressure was too high or too low. Mostly, the blood pressure readings were quite good (it's all those hills!). If anything, a few were a tad low according to our blood pressure experts,

(5) EYE TESTING STATION:
Lynn Guenette was in charge of the eye glass table. Anyone could come and check out reading glasses to see if they could see better. Our team brought along over 200 pairs of reading glasses abd over 120 pairs were distributed. Those who could afford to pay a small sum for the glasses did so, but if not, no one was turned away. The community members could also get sunglasses for a small cost.
(6) TOOTHBRUSHING STATION: Suzanne
Greenleaf was in charge of giving demonstrations on correct tooth brushing techniques and flossing techniques. After the demonstration, mothers (and children) were each given a toothbrush and dental floss.

(7) FAMILY PHOTO STATION: Susan Waughtal took pictures of families and individuals, and for 1 quetzal, the families could get an actual photo with the photo printer that Susan brought with her. Susan was VERY popular with the families.

(8) CERTIFICATE STATION: Lastly, the women stopped by the spot where Julie Rodakowski stood ready to present them with their completion certificate, congratulations from the team, a hug, and with a small bag of goodies (hotel bottles of shampoo and conditioner, soap, and other tidbits).

(text by Julie Rodakowski / pictures by Susan Waughtal)

A duo of dynamic Guatemalan NGOs, with a couple of gringo non-profits tossed in the mix, created a dynamite service/travel experience

2010-03-24T07:04:00.003-07:00

Our team has been under the guidance of two dynamic NGOs based in the Guatemala. They have made Guatemala arrangements, provided us advice, provided translators, taught with us, and they have become our friends. The two Guatemalan NGOs are Fundacion Herencia Viva and Wings.

We have also worked closely with two US non-profits: HELPS (stoves) and "Outreach Opportunities in Mission" (overall coordinator of our trip).

FUNDACION HERENCIA VIVA:

The Fundacion Herencia Viva is a new foundation based in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala. The two women who direct this NGO are a dynamite duo: Carla Gonzales and Angie Mejia. They also have had an able translator for Quiche and an all-around helper in Thomasa.

The goal of this NGO is to provide health care guidance and educational help to communities in the Mayan highland area around Chichicastenango. We worked directly with and for them in organizing, setting up, running and teaching our women's health program and our health fairs. They also organized and chose the families who would receive help building the latrines, and they chose the families who received the kitchen stoves. Their goal is to form international, national, and local partnerships, and there are well on their way to developing a wonderfully successful NGO.

Carla, Angie, and Thomasa were with us every step of the way!

Their website is still in development stages, but look for it soon!

WINGS:

Our team also worked with Guatemalan-based "Wings," an NGO which creates opportunities for Guatemalan families to improve their lives by providing them with family planning education and access to reproductive health services.

Dorcas Arelí Yol Xon, family planning educator for WINGS, went with our team to Pocohil on March 15 where she worked with the Mayan women on issues related to reproduction: when to start child bearing, when to stop, appropriate spacing of children, birth control methods, and economic issues related to family planning.

Her method of teaching was a classic method used for largely non-literate audiences: the use of pictures to create discussion with the group, role playing, and short shots of information interspersed.

The women got it with every great example, with lots of laughs interspersed, but the best part was when Dorcas encouraged the older women, the mothers, and the mothers-in-law to help the younger people and families achieve family and economic goals by following sound family planning methods. It was an excellent training session, and we all learned more about making effective presentations to women in Guatemala.

To learn more about WINGS, please see their website: http://wingsguate.org/

HELPS:

HELPS is a US non-profit which designed, built, and sent the Onil kitchen stoves to Guatemala (see other blog entries for more info and pictures of the stoves).

According to their website, HELPS International, organized in 1984, is a "US 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that partners with individuals, businesses, corporations, local and national governments to alleviate poverty in Latin America. HELPS integrated programs include: medical care, education, community and economic development, and agricultural innovations in order to improve the quality of life for the indigenous people of Latin America."

With stove donations from Rochester, MN residents and residents from other locations in the US, our group was able to purchase 50 of the Onil stoves from HELPS, and they are a definite hit with the families who have received them! Check out the HELPS website at http://www.helpsintl.org/. And be sure to look at the other two relevant blog postings on this site.

OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES IN MISSION:

"Outreach Opportunities in Mission" was started by Kevin Schill, a United Methodist pastor whose heart is in service to others, as indicated by the goal of his non-profit: "Make a difference in your life by making a difference in the lives of others." According to his website, Kevin's non-profit offers "short-term volunteer service programs, including medical/public health, construction, and education, in a variety of domestic and international settings." His group also provides "cross-cultural education experiences and unique opportunities to learn from and about each other through sharing gifts of art and music."

Kevin was responsible for making all of the team arrangements for travel, housing, meals, and he and the Greenleafs coordinated with the three other non-profits our team worked with. The entire trip was excellently planned and executed!

Check out his website at http://www.outreachopportunitiesinmission.org/

For more information on any of these non-profits, please contact them directly or contact Suzanne Greenleaf at greenleaf.suzanne@gmail.com

(text by Julie Rodakowski; pictures by Susan Waughtal)

Torn de Alfarero (potter’s wheel) Xepocol, Guatemala

2010-03-23T20:56:00.000-07:00

Xepocol, a small village in the central highlands of Guatemala, has never made pottery and never seen a potter’s wheel. The village has an active Methodist church, a busy local school, and many small shops along the unpaved road that is the lifeline of the village. When Carlo Gonzales asked the local minister, Sebastian Quino, if he was interested in his village learning about pottery, he said yes.

Our group arrived around 10:30 am on Friday morning. I brought a kit for making a kick wheel, all the metal parts, wood for the frame and cement for the flywheel. The pastor was on an unexpected pastoral visit, but Miguel a local weaver, met us at the church. He offered us refreshments, and we then we talked for the next hour about the wheel, where it would go and what we needed. I used my best Spanish and then Raul, our guide and translator, translated my Spanish to “real” Spanish. It was interesting to discuss something seemingly so simple for so long, but this is totally new technology for the village. In true Guatemalan fashion, we started constructing the wheel after a break for lunch. We had sandwiches delivered,but the church supplied soup and the most delicious tamales I’ve ever had.

Thursday was the last day in the village and was the day to fire the newly made pots. The village had no kiln and no ready fuel source. Pit firing is the most primitive and easiest method, but the ground is very rocky, so we choose to barrel fire. The pots went in the fire as greenware, so we preheated them first over an open fire on a piece of corrugated roofing. After warming them for about 2 hours, we loaded them in the barrel with pine needles and corn leafs and stalks. Finally, the fire on top was built. There were numerous explosions, but yes there were survivors as well. We had to leave before the barrel cooled, but I did sneak a peek and verify that there were survivors, and they are jet black. I am happy as I can be with the results.

It has been a true adventure. The people were delightful, the children beautiful, the mountains breath-taking. I would not have missed this trip for anything. I plan on returning in July to help build a kiln in Xepocol.

(Written by potter Kevin H Komadina; pictures by Susan Waughtal)

Stove Delivery

2010-03-18T06:13:00.001-07:00

Our entire team traveled together for the first time yesterday to Xepocal. In addition to holding a women's health training, wanted to see the three new latrines the men built, Kevin's pottery wheel, and, most of all, be there for the delivery of 10 ONIL plancha stoves. When we arrived the stoves were stacked neatly in the Methodist Church's Sunday school building.

Some nearby families came to pick up their stoves, and the rest were loaded onto a pickup for delivery. We sent two teams to accompany the stoves, congratulate the families, and see for ourselves the old stoves-which were actually 3 stone fires. The kitchens are mostly small adobe buildings with a dirt floor, a fire, a small table for preparation of food, and utensils hung on the wall. Walls and ceilings of all the kitchens were totally black with soot from the cook smoke. Some were so smoky we coughed when we entered even though no fire was burning.

The families were extremely grateful for the stoves, which require 7o% less wood, saving them time and money gathering fuel. Most importantly, the new stoves burn much cleaner, reducing the risk of respiratory illnesses, a leading cause of illness in the Mayan children. The new stoves are also much safer and will reduce the risk of burns.

We have now delivered all 50 stoves! The stoves were made possible by donations from many of our team members, generous community members, and friends across the country. We have a waiting list of 25 families who need stoves, and more requests coming in as others learn about them. Each stove costs $117. If you are interested in purchasing a stove for a family, stay tuned for details in a future post.

Post and photos by Susan

Faces of Guatemala

2010-03-17T21:45:00.001-07:00

Guatemala is a spectacular country, full of brilliant colors, textures and patterns and beautiful people--a photographer's dream.

As the"official photographer" of this expedition, my job is to focus on the camera viewfinder so everyone else can focus on the work at hand. So far (in 5 days) I have taken almost 3000 shots.

I packed a color printer so that at our women's health fairs in each village we can offer to take portraits for a small fee (1 quetzal, about 12 cents.) Many of the women may not have photographs of themselves or their families. Photographing the Mayan families has been a big hit with the women and a joy for me.

Yesterday in Chicua, Sheila was tranlsating forme as I took portraits. One woman asked to have Sheila adnme be in thephoto with her- which started a trend, the next 20 women wanted the same photo. We were sort of like mall. The photos are pretty funny, the beautiful solemn Mayan women in their beautiful huipales, flanked by two very tall, pale, grinning gringas in dull clothing.

Post and photos by Susan

WOMEN’S TRAINING

2010-03-17T15:44:00.001-07:00

Our women's health training team:
Suzanne Greenleaf, overall coordinator
Jean Marconett, health training leader – nutrition
Carol Haug, health training leader – self-esteem
Sandy Guyse, health training leader -- water
Jayne Komadina, health training leader – back strengthening
Sheila Kiscaden, interpreter for sessions and surveys
Lynn Guenette, survey developer and coordinator
Janet Van Benthuysen – child care & chief puppeteer
Mary Schmidt – child care
Mary Moen – child care
Susan Waughtal – photographer
Julie Rodakowski – certificates and documentation writing

The primary purpose of the women's team has been to provide health care training for the women in the three Mayan communities (Pocohil, Chicua, and Xepocol).
We worked collaboratively with three dynamic Guatemalan leaders from an NGO entitled Fundacion Herencia Viva (Karla, Angie, Thomasa). This newly formed NGO chose the three locations (places that received the stoves and the help in latrine building) and skillfully guided the entire process.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRAINING AND COMMENTS FROM THE WOMEN:

The Mayan women loved the picture-laden health training booklet. This booklet, developed by several members of our team, colorfully summarized all of the information presented at the health training sessions. The women carefully read the text of the book which they were able to keep, pondering every word and picture.
QUOTE: I've never had my own book before.

The women believed their water was safe, but according to testing done by Sandy Guyse, the water was contaminated. Thus, the training on how important clean water was to their family's health and guidance on how to purify the water was valuable.
QUOTE: I didn't know that I had to boil the drinking water all the time.

Everyone laughed and laughed with and at Jayne as she demonstrated some exercises to help strengthen their backs. Several of the women indicated they had chronic back pain.
QUOTE: I didn't know I could do anything to make my back feel better.

The women loved the section on self-esteem, and thoroughly enjoyed making the bead necklaces that were JUST FOR THEM! Carol's self-esteem session left them all feeling good about themselves.
QUOTE: Come and see my necklace!

The Mayan children loved the child care sessions – a necessary addition to the program so that the women could focus on the presentations. They enjoyed having stories read to them, "talking" with Janet's monkey puppet, playing games, and going on a kiddie parade through their pueblo.
QUOTE: When will you come back again?

THE BOTTOM LINE: HEALTHY & STRONG WOMEN MAKE HEALTHY FAMILIES

(written by Julie Rodakowski, pictures by Susan Waughtal)

The latrine team

2010-03-17T15:32:00.001-07:00

The Dream Latrine Team consisted of five gringos and two Guatemalans:
GINGOS: Jim Greenleaf, Roger Borowick, John Guyse, Tom McNeil, and Kevin Schill.
GUATEMALANS: The were supervised by Nicho and his helper Raoul (also the interpreter), both experienced Guatemalan stone masons.

THE OLD AND THE NEW

They embarked daily via van over the hairpin curves, winding safely up to the small Mayan community of Xepocol in the highlands by Chichicastenango. Once there, they built five cinder block latrines for five needy families. Fortunately, the families and their friends had already dug the holes, which in some cases were 30 feet deep (big-time "sweat equity").

The dream team members helped to lay the concrete foundations, mix mortar (mud) and lay cinder block for the walls. They also helped with the construction of a sheet-metal roof, and helped place a plastic commode into the newly constructed building. Lastly, they helped put in the doors.

The families were greatly in need of the "dream team's" services and were extremely appreciative of having a latrine.

The families were also friendly and invited the guys in to see their homes and their spectacular weaving looms. They even provided some soup to fortify the guys. The women were dressed in their Mayan attire, Roger reports, although the men seem to have abandoned that tradition – at least for latrine work.

(Dictated by dream team member Roger Borowick to Julie Rodakowski; pictures by Roger & Susan )

STOVES ARE INSTALLED in Mayan kitchens!

2010-03-16T08:53:00.001-07:00

(Team member Sheila Kiscaden interviewing one of the stove recipients)

Through contributions from many Rochester and other areas of the country, our team was able to purchase 50 stoves.

Why stoves? -- YOU MIGHT WONDER.
All of the cooking is done by the women on wood fires within the small, largely adobe, homes.

Significant health issues ensue, including

(1) SMOKE INHALATION which has become the leading cause of death in Guatemalan children under the age of 5 according to the World Health Organization. On average, the deadly carbon monoxide level in homes is twice the level considered to be dangerous.

(2) FACIAL AND HAND BURNS TO CHILDREN who fall into open when they are playing or learning to walk

(3) DEFORESTATION which occurs at a rate of 2% per year because of the huge amount of wood required for daily cooking. Additionally, the wood has become very scarce and expensive.

(4) EXCESSIVE TIME DEMANDS ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN who must often walk long distances daily to acquire the wood necessary just to feed their family.

(5) BACK PROBLEMS which occur because the heavy loads of wood, once found, must be hauled back home on the backs of the women and children.

YOU MIGHT WONDER -- What kind of stoves were sent to Guatemala?
Onil stoves were purchased by Suzanne and Jim Greenleaf who collected the stove donations. Onil parts were sent previous to our arrival. These stoves provide enough heat to cook a meal with only three sticks of wood. Each stove has a chimney that vents the stove's smoke outdoors, meaning a family's home is no longer filled with deadly cooking smoke. An additional attribute of the stove is that it also can be moved around in the kitchen if necessary. To do so, the families must move the concrete block base and the venting.

Mayan families from the highlands (three communities: Pocohil, Chicua, and Xepocol) were chosen based on greatest needs in the communities.
Once the families were chosen, they did have to purchase the concrete block and the venting, with the idea that they should participate in the stove project rather than just having it given to them. The women also had to take a nutrition class.

Once our team arrived, we were able to see many of the installed stoves, and we were also able to talk with the women about them.

YOU MIGHT WONDER -- What do the women have to say about their stoves?
Here are SOME quotes from the Mayan women:

I can cook food in a third of the time.
It's so great that it uses so little wood.
I love my stove.
I use my stove from morning to night.
I like the fact that I can move it if I need to.
There's no more smoke in the house. I am happy.

(text & pictures by Julie)

OUR TEAM MEETS THE LOCAL (CHICHICASTENANGO) TV NEWS TEAM

2010-03-15T21:28:00.001-07:00

During our second session at Pocohil, a festival called "First Fruits" was also taking place "down the road a piece." Two TV news reporters from the local station came with a camera to take pictures of that festival. They saw "las gringas," two large vans, and stopped by our training building wondering what the heck was going on. Fortunately, Carol Haug was standing outside and talked with them briefly about our events, piquing their interest enough to get them to COME ON DOWN!

The first thing they saw was the work with the children and the KIDDIE PARADE. The children of the Mayan mothers were being read to by Charles Butler, were being entertained by Janet Van Benthuysen with her puppet monkey, and were playing the numerous games the rest of the child care team, including Mary Schmidt, had brought with them. The children were also ready to go on a kiddie parade through the town. The children were given kazoos, drums, streamers, and all sorts of parade items, and off they went. The TV cameras caught the parade, but they had no idea what was coming next as they proceeded down the hill to the building where the training was taking place!

THE SOLAR OVEN: The next thing they noticed was the solar oven. Jean Marconett had brought a stove from the solar oven society in Minneapolis and had set it up in the morning. During the first part of the morning training process, she took the women through the process of how to use the oven and how they could build one. She had a pot of beans and a pot of veggies ready to be placed in the oven, and the beans had been placed in about an hour before the reporters came. The reporters asked many questions about the oven and what was in it. Jean went through the process with them, and happily, when she opened the lid, the beans were steaming and well on their way to being done. The reporters took a book of recipes and were mightily impressed.

BOILING WATER: Next, they noticed the 3 plastic bottles of water lying on black shiny paper next to the oven. Our team had brought three 1 liter bottles of water and some WapIs- Water Pasteurization Indicators. They were H2O filled and included a glass tube with some soybean wax inside. These bottles were sprayed black on the outside and were lying on a shiny back surface (they could be placed on the roof too). They are to be set in full sun, and as soon as the wax melts, the water has been hot enough (149 degrees F – 65 Degrees C) to kill all bacteria and is safe to drink.. The reporters were given one of the wax tubes, and again, were mightily impressed.
WATER TESTING: But little did these reporters realize that perhaps the best was yet to come. The main reporter believed that the water in the community was clean and pure because it came down from the mountain. Sandy Guyse was sitting at her microscope and had a picture of the water she had collected four days ago. He was mortified to see the pictures and to learn the results of the testing of the water from the stream and from the well. They both had obvious e-coli contamination. They left stunned.
CARLA AND "FUNDACION HERENCIA VIVA: They then interviewed Carla, the director of the Guatemala agency our team works with, and they also interviewed Suzanne Greenleaf, our US team leader. They learned much about Carla's organization, what its goal is, and how other communities can become connected to her. Carla was thrilled with the publicity and with the fact that when the reporters left, they said, "Next time you come, be sure to call us!"
THE STOVES:
Lastly, Suzanne talked with them about the stoves that had been purchased, installed, and how beneficial they are because they don't burn much wood.

And perhaps the best is yet to come. While here, they called the national news team and suggested they come!

Stay tuned – our fame is spreading fast.

Reported by Julie; Pictures by Susan

Day 1: Pocohil

2010-03-14T21:02:00.000-07:00

Our first day in Guatemala we dived right in. After breakfast we sorted all our project gear and had a meeting to get to know each other and talk about our goals and plans. Then we headed to our work sites, the men to Xecopol, where they would be constructing some latrines and building a pottery wheel, and the women to Pocohil to lead a women's health training and interview several recipients of the stoves.

When we arrived in Pocohil, the women of the village were already gathered in the covered porch of a home. We felt like honored guests, as they had spread the dirt floor with a carpet of soft, fragrant pine needles and welcomed us with a huge bouquet of flowers from their gardens.

Along with the women's training sessions (more in a future post) some teams interviewed women who had recently received the stoves. All in all in was a fabulous day!

We Arrive in Guatemala

2010-03-12T15:49:00.000-08:00

Those of us from Rochester boarded a shuttle bus to the MSP airport at 2:30 a.m. on Thursday - which meant that some of us never did go to bed that night! We landed in Guatemala at 2:30in the afternoon - this was the view out the airplane window.

We got through customs smoothly and boarded three shuttle buses for the 4 hour drive to Chichicastenanga which will be our base of operations.

The country is spectacular, but the sun was setting and the vans were moving, so I only got a few good shots from the window--but you can get a sense for how magical this adventure promises to be.

The Itinerary

2010-03-09T13:33:00.001-08:00

Here's our Work Itinerary (subject to change)
Friday 12: working in the village of Xepocol (About 30 minutes from Chichi)

MORNING:
Women's training
AFTERNOON:
Survey
Deliver 10 stoves in Xepocol
CONSTRUCTION TEAM:
building latrine(s) (working all day or half a day)
Teach pottery for Pastor Sebastian Quino

Saturday 13: working in the village of Xepocol (second day at the village)

MORNING:
Women's training
AFTERNOON:
Health Fair. If necessary continue with survey
CONSTRUCTION TEAM:
building latrines (working all day or half a day)
Continue to teach pottery for Pastor Sebastian Quino

Sunday 14: Chichicastenango

Free day / market
Optional at 5:00 p.m. cultural lecture with specialist on Guatemalan Culture addressing the history and explanation on typical dress of Guatemalans

Monday 15: working in the village of Pocohil (only one day)

MORNING:
Talk about family planning for women
AFTERNOON:
Health fair
EVENING:
Talk about family planning for men
CONSTRUCTION TEAM:
Continue building latrines in XEPOCOL

Tuesday 16: working in the village of Chicua number 3 (about 45 minutes
from Chichi)

MORNING:
Women's trainning and survery in the community.
AFTERNOON:
Weaving class for the team
CONSTRUCTION TEAM:
Build latrine(s) in Chicua

Wed 17: continue working in the village of Chicua number 3

*MORNING: *
Continue women's trainning and survery in the community.
AFTERNOON:
Continue weaving class for the team
CONSTRUCTION TEAM:
Continue building latrine(s) (working all day or half a day)

Thurs 18: Continue working in the village of Chicua number 3

MORNING:
Survey the community all morning.
AFTERNOON:
Continue weaving class for the team
CONSTRUCTION TEAM:
Continue building latrine(s) (working all day or half a day)

The Plan

2010-03-09T08:02:00.000-08:00

Photo: Kevin Schill (our fearless leader), Carla (our Guatemala Coordinator) and Kathy Schill.

One more day of packing and preparing, then we leave for Guatemala!

"We" are 20 people, mostly women, from Rochester, MN, and the Twin Cities. Some of us are health care professionals and teachers, and we even have a few artists in the group. This is a service trip, with some educational opportunities and a lot of fun thrown in.

Most of our work will be centered in the Mayan village of Lemoa, near Chichicastenango in the central highlands region, where we are providing energy efficient stoves to families, teaching health classes for women and leading a community health fair, building a latrine, and more. It won't be all work and no play, however. We hope to take a weaving class from the masterful weavers of the village and learn how to make authentic tortillas. On our days off we will be able to spend a day at the famous market at Chichicastenango, take a boat ride on Lake Atitlan, and we'll spend a day and a half inAntiqua before we fly home.

Several of the people in our group have been making this mission trip annually for many years, but this will be my first time to Central America. I was delighted to be invited along. I will be taking lots of photos to document our project and hope to update this blog frequently while we are there.