Xela and Day 4 of stove building

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Breakfast at the hotel, it begins with porridge (could be oatmeal or corn) and then we get to choose between eggs or pancakes which are both good. Jose was here at 8 AM again to take us to Paxexel where we spent the last day this week building stoves as tomorrow the group is off to Panamaquim and the Esquela de Ninos de Sam.

The scenery along the drive is amazing, up and down the mountians. Often you will see women beside the river doing the laundry and then just laying it out over rocks or corn stalks to dry. Animals are tethered along the roadside where they nibble at what green matter they can find. Everywhere you look there is garbage in the fields, old plastic containers, bags and just about everything that is thrown out, not like in Canada where we put everything in a neat dump location or recycle.

Today I was in a truck with Daniel driving, he took a much shortened route and we arrived quite a bit before the others. The groups fell together as people arrived and the masons we assigned to the houses and groups. Today Jim, Dana and I were building with Paul which was a lot of fun. Our family was a very large and extended with lots of children who were more than willing to assist with anything needed. The smallest of them sifting the sand and helping to mix up the cement. The mother of the household was facinated with Dana and asked if she could stay as her daughter in law, the entire family loved how she interacted with the small children and how tall she was, as well as so very white. The younger children would lead her around by her hand and kept rubbing the underside of her wrist remarking on the whiteness. Again they were very appreciative of the stove and all gifts that were given to them. At the end of the day, we found the smallest child had a blister on her knee and we were very grateful that Dr. Bob was able to have a look and note that it was just mildly infected, he gave some anti biotic cream and instuctions on cleanliness and how to dress it.

After the long day of stove building a number of us went to the CEDEC office for a memorial to Betty which was very touching. Her funeral was on video and there had been 3,000 people in attendance. Her two young children were very sweet and when ever a picture of her was seen her young son would say "mi mama" which was very touching as well as sad. I am glad we had the chance to express our sorrow at Betty's loss to Daniel and his family.

Dinner at the Indian restaurant again, food was fabulous and the we were home to the hotel and bed.

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Photos

Smiles
Dana and Yosalina, we built the stove in her grandmothers home. She hung about all day, facinated by Dana being so tall and so very white

Dana on the roof top with the girls
Dana, Yosalinda and Sandara

Comments

[Janice Thomas]

Loved your pictures of Dana
Nancy, Your blog is great. You give a great birds eye view of stove building and what happens in the day of a life of a volunteer. Especially loved the pictures of Dana and the kids. Hope you are well now at home.. Janice