Tuesday November 16th I finally got to head up to Nueve Puntos and see how our projects were progressing there. The road had not miraculously improved in my absence but after three hours we arrived in Los Encuentros and switched from a 4x4 pick-up to 4x4 horses
I had lightened my load in Chel the week before but still carried 150lbs of gear of mostly books and was grateful for the help.
November is a rainy month here and mud was my constant companion but I was excited to arrive here again. I feel a special closeness to this village.
Seeing these friends who have generously feed me and shared their homes,and seeing the basic needs here reminds me why I do this.
People in need, that are waiting for the opportunity to help their families achieve a more stable existence.
Nicolas(with his wife Magdelane and youngest child) has keep me informed of the needs and progress in this community. I was amassed that with under $1400 invested I could see real change in this village.
We passed by 3 of the 7 café nurseries. I had provided seed plastic bags and twine for thirteen families grow coffee plants
This group has built shelters to shade the plants with poles and leaves from the forest and now has almost 20,000 plants.
After a year and a half they will transplant them into fields that they are beginning to prepare.
In two and a half to three years this is what we will have. About 12 new acres of coffee that will give each family approximately Q 3,000 annually (Q6,000 is an average yearly income). I want to plant another 20,000 next year and we are establishing a direct stateside buyer who will pay even more then fair-trade buyers offer
The other investment was for a school building. Last march the kids did not have a teacher, desk or a school. They had previously met in a barrowed house with different sized logs for desk. Nicolas and the community built this new school. All the lumber is chain sawed from the surrounding forest.
Imagine great Things in Gig Harbor donated a Bell
Which the village leader hung and rang bringing the some of the 30 students in.
I also brought donate maps and books as well as some encyclopedias and children novels that I bought in Guatemala city.
The new teacher and our library. This library has more books than any school I have seen in this region.
Report cards were handed out and this boy advances another grade
By the beginning of the new school year we will pour a concrete floor and buy two twelve volt lights and four fiberglass panels for the roof to provide light for the students. In front of the school we have a foundation for a room for the teacher. We are asking the local government to help with the floor and should have an answer by the end of the month. Even without help the cost is around $700
This community takes the little I offer and multiplies it with their labor. A couple of good example is that I left a soccer ball in March and now they have a soccer field cleared with two goals. Not one inch of the field is level and there is 8 inches of mud in one corner but the laughter and shouts that come from that small gift warms the soul. This photo is of Pedro with his new saw and sewing machine. He asked for help to repair the carberator of his old saw in March. With the profits of his work he bought this new saw ans a sewing machine. A little can do a lot.
With the return of the rains the surface wells are full. But we still look forward to the day clean potable water comes to this village.
We will transport materials for the first tank in March. I am talking with Rotory Club about this project but definitely need help. All donations go directly to where you designate (100%) and are taxed deductable. We would also like to build a clinic that would be opened three evenings each week. This would cost under $2000.
