Wednesday, September 20, 2006

 

We finally moved to La Ceiba this week. On our last trip from Danli, we brought with us the four large molds for the new La Ceiba project. The next day we started looking for houses and found our Spanish school. We go five days a week from 7:30 to noon and then work in the afternoon. Thursday, we had our big meeting with Rotary and MAMUCA to inspect the site where the filters will be built (taller). Friday, was Independence Day and we spent our day off mostly looking for a house.

 

The molds are almost as heavy as the filters themselves

 

This is our new school and maybe a potential home upstairs

 

Rasa showing off again

 

The future filter taller and the community workers

 

This is typical bathroom in rental houses, complete with scorpion

Robert J Kent Jr

Friday, November 03, 2006

Having just got back from Cuba I am a little behind for this update, which is for the week ending 27 October. I spent last weekend reading 210 emails and writing back to 67 of them, email has become a full time job. On Monday, Rasa and I went to the taller to check on our first completed filter. Everything was great except for a misaligned mold that ended up having to be broke open and repaired. We have started to play poker every week with the Rotarians and Rasa almost won this week. Wednesday was a busy day running around from the taller and back to the Orthodontist to get my braces put on. While at the taller, the rain caught us in its daily storm and flooded the street. Then on our way to the airport Thursday, we had the pleasure of meeting Bob Moles and his group.

 

Our first completed filter! The second one had to be broke out of the mold.

 

Poker night at Rotary and Rasa almost won us 150 Lempira, about $7

 

The taller family workers preparing the next filter mold

 

The flooded main street is an everyday occurrence at the filter factory

Robert J Kent Jr

 

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

 

This week was a great week! After having stood the cable guy up twice when he didn't show up on time, we finally got our internet installed on Monday. Tuesday was our weekly Rotary meeting with a twist. Wednesday was another big success, the taller received their first payment from MAMUCA and we identified a sand source for our filter media. Thursday, we spent at the taller training them on how to prepare their sand and install filters. Friday was my birthday and we celebrated it with our Peace Corps friends eating pizza with anchovies and olives.

 

 

I have another blurry picture of them hanging from our upstairs window. Notice the termite trail in the upper left of the picture.

 

Here is Augustine talking about the new addition to the Rotary house and coincidently, all the beer has been finished

The taller receiving their first check

 

The San Juan River and it's amazing sand

 

Washing the sand with a drop of bleach to kill all the e-coli

 

Installing our first filter so the taller workers can now have clean water

 

This is an example of the four layers of sand that is used as our filter media

 

Robert J Kent Jr