Today the Texoxingales community received word that the Foundation approved the purchase of piping that will enable them to restore water to their community. Their present water source has been drying up in the last few years as the community population expanded. Recently they have had water for a few hours a day at best, and increasingly some homes in the community go for days with no water. A new water source will provide copious amounts of water, but will require about 3,000 feet of new piping. Men of the community are 'machete-ready' and 'shovel-ready' to start tomorrow hacking a path through the jungle-like underbrush and digging trenches in the hillsides to lay the water line. They are exceedingly grateful and genuinely thankful for our help, expressing profound prayer for God's richest blessing on the benefactors who are enabling them to dig themselves out of their dire situation.
Allen
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Next Steps at Tejeres
Today we met with a small group from the Tejeres community to continue assessment of their needs and discuss possible steps forward on biosand filters and latrines for the 50 families in that community.
The approach we agreed to was to begin with a community discussion on health aspects of contaminated water, led by the HAF nurse. Second would be a discussion of community health experiences in Santa Clara before and after installing the filters, led by a community leader there. These two discussions would be followed by installation of one or perhaps two filters as a demonstration. With adequate community acceptance, perhaps a summer mission team and a local expert from Santa Clara could teach them the principles of use and care of a filter, and could teach them how to build their own filters.
Regarding latrines, the community acknowledges a great need. Lack of adequate water would necessitate a dry latrine versus wet. As with the water filters, the preferred approach would start with a single dry latrine as a demonstration of how to build and maintain it. Acceptance of the new latrine concept by the community could lead to more being built over time.
Allen
The approach we agreed to was to begin with a community discussion on health aspects of contaminated water, led by the HAF nurse. Second would be a discussion of community health experiences in Santa Clara before and after installing the filters, led by a community leader there. These two discussions would be followed by installation of one or perhaps two filters as a demonstration. With adequate community acceptance, perhaps a summer mission team and a local expert from Santa Clara could teach them the principles of use and care of a filter, and could teach them how to build their own filters.
Regarding latrines, the community acknowledges a great need. Lack of adequate water would necessitate a dry latrine versus wet. As with the water filters, the preferred approach would start with a single dry latrine as a demonstration of how to build and maintain it. Acceptance of the new latrine concept by the community could lead to more being built over time.
Allen
Learning about Molinos
When the women of Teo said they wanted an automatic molino we were dumbfounded, not having any idea of what that was. They told us it turned wet corn into masa which then becomes tortillas. Today we went to see one in action in Pinalejo.
Little children arrived with bags of corn, in the hopper they went with water dripping in from above and out came masa. Hopefully the photos tell the story.
Little children arrived with bags of corn, in the hopper they went with water dripping in from above and out came masa. Hopefully the photos tell the story.
News from Dr Constantino
Dr Constantino joined us again this morning. First, the big news.....Dr Elsa had a baby girl, Sofia Natalia. Mother and daughter are doing well.
Our primary goal was to get his feedback on a draft agreement with the Quimistan Hospital. We had a valuable exchange of ideas.
The Hospital will have the technician who installed and services all of their high tech equipment, examine the autorefractor to see if it can be resuscitated. Please pray for a good result so we can once again provide this outreach.
Our primary goal was to get his feedback on a draft agreement with the Quimistan Hospital. We had a valuable exchange of ideas.
The Hospital will have the technician who installed and services all of their high tech equipment, examine the autorefractor to see if it can be resuscitated. Please pray for a good result so we can once again provide this outreach.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
A Visit with our Agape Promises College Students
Laura and Vilma are freshman in college and the first Agape Promises graduates to be sponsored for higher education. School began in February and this was our first chance to sit down and get an update. They are our role models as we seek to develop a program for future AP graduates. One of their subjects is English so we're hoping the next meeting will be in English. You can't help but be enthusiastic about their future as you listen to them.
Ken and June
Ken and June
Water Now Flows Uphill in Santa Clara
I knew that title would get your attention. Here's another little tidbit from last week's stay in Santa Clara.
When I arrived, the afternoon was hot and there was no water coming to the house. We had drinking water that had been collected from the BSF (see my earlier post on BSFs in Santa Clara), but no water for shower or anything else--use your imagination on that one.
What's the problem? Of course--everybody knows--there's not enough water coming to the community water storage tank. So said the expert behind the screen.
A trip up the hill to the primary and secondary water storage tanks showed that one was full and the other one about half full. Hmmm. Much of the community had water, but the houses located higher on the hill didn't. Hmmm. Tanks are plenty higher than the highest houses. Hmmm. Sounds like a pressure drop problem, not lack of water. Hmmm.
Discussions with Lencho and Nelson clarified the situation. An earlier water system bringing in highly contaminated water (yes, worse than what they now get, which is still contaminated) was abandoned a few years ago. The water distribution system was revised so the flow of water went down the hill and all through town before coming back up the hill to the houses located up higher. The problem was that the pressure drop through that long loop was so much that there wasn't enough pressure left to push the water up the hill all the way.
Some interesting discussions on hydraulics and pressure drop through piping systems occurred, and some piping and an abandoned storage tank from years ago were re-activated. The big house on the hill now has water coming out of the shower like a miniature Niagara Falls instead of just a dribble or less. And the other facilities you imagined earlier also work well. Problem solved! Water once again flows uphill--in a pipe.
Allen
When I arrived, the afternoon was hot and there was no water coming to the house. We had drinking water that had been collected from the BSF (see my earlier post on BSFs in Santa Clara), but no water for shower or anything else--use your imagination on that one.
What's the problem? Of course--everybody knows--there's not enough water coming to the community water storage tank. So said the expert behind the screen.
A trip up the hill to the primary and secondary water storage tanks showed that one was full and the other one about half full. Hmmm. Much of the community had water, but the houses located higher on the hill didn't. Hmmm. Tanks are plenty higher than the highest houses. Hmmm. Sounds like a pressure drop problem, not lack of water. Hmmm.
Discussions with Lencho and Nelson clarified the situation. An earlier water system bringing in highly contaminated water (yes, worse than what they now get, which is still contaminated) was abandoned a few years ago. The water distribution system was revised so the flow of water went down the hill and all through town before coming back up the hill to the houses located up higher. The problem was that the pressure drop through that long loop was so much that there wasn't enough pressure left to push the water up the hill all the way.
Some interesting discussions on hydraulics and pressure drop through piping systems occurred, and some piping and an abandoned storage tank from years ago were re-activated. The big house on the hill now has water coming out of the shower like a miniature Niagara Falls instead of just a dribble or less. And the other facilities you imagined earlier also work well. Problem solved! Water once again flows uphill--in a pipe.
Allen
Biosand Filters Are On the Job in Santa Clara
I'm catching up on some things that happened last week while I was visiting Santa Clara. Those of you who have followed our activities there will remember that about a hundred biosand filters (BSFs) were built there last September and October and distributed to each home in the community. Repeated testing of water from the community system showed contamination with E. coli, at least partially explaining a high incidence of diarrhea in their children. It was believed that the BSFs would be a simple, inexpensive, and effective means for providing drinkable water to each home. So I wanted to do a follow-up to assess whether there was an improvement since last October.
Follow-up water testing showed the same level of E. coli in the water coming to each house, and no E. coli in the water coming out of the BSF. Check out this comparison, 36 hours after sampling--the left petri dish is what's in the water coming to the house. The right one is what's in the water exiting the BSF. The yellow tint in both is the nurturing medium that feeds any coliforms in the water, including E. coli, which shows up as purple colonies.
But the convincing evidence was that the only diarrhea reported in the community since last October has come from the one family who decided not to use their BSF because it was too much trouble. Would using a BSF solve the problem forever for all families? No; a need remains for training in personal hygiene and community sanitation practices. But is the BSF helping? You bet! Did I drink community water during the week I was there? You bet--but only the water coming from a BSF. Did I suffer from it? Not that I know. I believe the BSFs work as advertised, and that the community kicked up their health standing a notch when they built the BSFs and put them to use. Now Santa Clara is another community that has drinkable water and stoves that get the smoke out of the kitchen (and out of the lungs) and use much less wood.
Allen
Follow-up water testing showed the same level of E. coli in the water coming to each house, and no E. coli in the water coming out of the BSF. Check out this comparison, 36 hours after sampling--the left petri dish is what's in the water coming to the house. The right one is what's in the water exiting the BSF. The yellow tint in both is the nurturing medium that feeds any coliforms in the water, including E. coli, which shows up as purple colonies.
But the convincing evidence was that the only diarrhea reported in the community since last October has come from the one family who decided not to use their BSF because it was too much trouble. Would using a BSF solve the problem forever for all families? No; a need remains for training in personal hygiene and community sanitation practices. But is the BSF helping? You bet! Did I drink community water during the week I was there? You bet--but only the water coming from a BSF. Did I suffer from it? Not that I know. I believe the BSFs work as advertised, and that the community kicked up their health standing a notch when they built the BSFs and put them to use. Now Santa Clara is another community that has drinkable water and stoves that get the smoke out of the kitchen (and out of the lungs) and use much less wood.
Allen
Up the Jungle Trail to the Headwaters
Texoxingales is in dire straits for drinkable water. Their community water source, a nearby mountain stream, has shrunk as the community population has grown, and with summer approaching, they are in crisis mode. The wife of the Water Board president says her house has been without water for 5 or 6 days, and things are getting worse.
The community has located a different source of water, higher up a different ravine on the heavily forested mountainside, flowing large quantities of water from what appears to be an uncontaminated region. They discussed it with us in January, describing how they could solve their problem for many years by installing a water pipeline from the source of water located far up the mountain. They proposed bringing the water to an existing water tank. They asked if we could help by purchasing the materials; they would provide all necessary labor.
In February, Dane Wood trekked up the hill with a local guide to check out the source. His report-back indicated that the total rise could be as much as 500 feet, which would generate a static pressure of water exceeding the burst strength of PVC piping generally used for water systems of this type in Honduras.
The true extent of elevation change was crucial to specifying the right type of pipe and deciding whether and where to add what's called a "pressure break" to reduce that excess water pressure. So this week Allen took the same trip--albeit slower and with some rest stops--with a GPS to get a closer fix on the location of the water source, the path of the proposed water line to the storage tank, and the elevation drop from source to tank. This Google Earth image shows the waypoints of the trip from the school yard to the source.
Although the ups and downs of the walking path are many and large, the net elevation drop from source to tank is only about 350 feet. A pressure break is planned, allowing the use of less expensive standard-strength pipe rather than high-pressure pipe.
Based on these findings, a donor has offered to purchase materials and the community has agreed to provide all the labor at no cost to us. They are eager to move ahead with this work to bring water back to their families.
Allen
The community has located a different source of water, higher up a different ravine on the heavily forested mountainside, flowing large quantities of water from what appears to be an uncontaminated region. They discussed it with us in January, describing how they could solve their problem for many years by installing a water pipeline from the source of water located far up the mountain. They proposed bringing the water to an existing water tank. They asked if we could help by purchasing the materials; they would provide all necessary labor.
In February, Dane Wood trekked up the hill with a local guide to check out the source. His report-back indicated that the total rise could be as much as 500 feet, which would generate a static pressure of water exceeding the burst strength of PVC piping generally used for water systems of this type in Honduras.
Although the ups and downs of the walking path are many and large, the net elevation drop from source to tank is only about 350 feet. A pressure break is planned, allowing the use of less expensive standard-strength pipe rather than high-pressure pipe.
Based on these findings, a donor has offered to purchase materials and the community has agreed to provide all the labor at no cost to us. They are eager to move ahead with this work to bring water back to their families.
Allen
Filled Up, Packed Down, and Running Over
Today's visit to La Montanita marked the completion of a project to provide ample water to the community.
When the HAF mission team visited in January, the primary concern expressed to us was inadequate water. The residents of the community who live higher up the slopes had no water during most days, and only very low water pressure when they received any water from the community water system. With a visit to the water storage tank and extended conversations with several community members, a project was proposed that would almost triple the supply of water to the tank. A donor stepped forward with the offer to purchase the materials, and the men of the community stepped forward to do all the work to dig the trench, bury the pipe, and complete the necessary connections to the storage tank. Seventy men divided up the total task into segments of about 20 meters for each man to be responsible for, and they completed the job in about eight days of work.
Today we asked several of the women who earlier said they had no water, and every one of them told us with a big smile, "Now I have water all day every day, with good pressure."
Not only does the community now have enough water--it's running over and they are providing water to a small community nearby which has encountered similar problems with lack of water. As we drove up the hill into La Montanita, about twenty men from that community were digging and laying pipe to bring the extra clear, cold, fresh water to their houses. One lady who formerly had to stop her tilapia farming because of lack of water has now restarted it and has more than enough water for the fish. The man who has taught the other men of the village how to build Justa stoves is now digging a fish pond to enable him to grow tilapia for sale. He assured me that once he gets the pond operational, the next time a HAF mission team comes to town, he will have a big fish fry for the team! And the self-respect of the men of the village for what they as a team were able to do for their village is apparent in every conversation. They are very appreciative to us for the help provided by purchase of materials. But it was their project, their accomplishment, their sweat equity, and their empowerment that made it happen. Now they know they can do more for everybody when they work together with a little help. What a thrill it is just to see that in action!
Allen
When the HAF mission team visited in January, the primary concern expressed to us was inadequate water. The residents of the community who live higher up the slopes had no water during most days, and only very low water pressure when they received any water from the community water system. With a visit to the water storage tank and extended conversations with several community members, a project was proposed that would almost triple the supply of water to the tank. A donor stepped forward with the offer to purchase the materials, and the men of the community stepped forward to do all the work to dig the trench, bury the pipe, and complete the necessary connections to the storage tank. Seventy men divided up the total task into segments of about 20 meters for each man to be responsible for, and they completed the job in about eight days of work.
Today we asked several of the women who earlier said they had no water, and every one of them told us with a big smile, "Now I have water all day every day, with good pressure."
Not only does the community now have enough water--it's running over and they are providing water to a small community nearby which has encountered similar problems with lack of water. As we drove up the hill into La Montanita, about twenty men from that community were digging and laying pipe to bring the extra clear, cold, fresh water to their houses. One lady who formerly had to stop her tilapia farming because of lack of water has now restarted it and has more than enough water for the fish. The man who has taught the other men of the village how to build Justa stoves is now digging a fish pond to enable him to grow tilapia for sale. He assured me that once he gets the pond operational, the next time a HAF mission team comes to town, he will have a big fish fry for the team! And the self-respect of the men of the village for what they as a team were able to do for their village is apparent in every conversation. They are very appreciative to us for the help provided by purchase of materials. But it was their project, their accomplishment, their sweat equity, and their empowerment that made it happen. Now they know they can do more for everybody when they work together with a little help. What a thrill it is just to see that in action!
Allen
Monday, March 29, 2010
Community Health Care Worker Training Update
One outgrowth of the medical brigades was the start up of a training program where the local midwife and other interested women are trained to be the first line of defense in the remote villages. We call them Community Health Care Workers. So far, two ladies in LaMontanita are being trained in blood pressure and sugar level (for diabetics) monitoring. Today we had a chance to get an update on their progress.
They have 10 high blood pressure patients and 15 pregnant women in the program. They check their pressure on a regular basis and maintain records. In one case the blood pressure was so high, they sent the patient to the nearest hospital.
Next steps include nebulizer training.
They have 10 high blood pressure patients and 15 pregnant women in the program. They check their pressure on a regular basis and maintain records. In one case the blood pressure was so high, they sent the patient to the nearest hospital.
Next steps include nebulizer training.
LaMontanita Women Start a Business
In January Lorraine Kelley and Catherine Vandegrift encouraged the ladies in LaMontanita to form a sewing group and create items which could be sold through our churches. The ladies quickly organized and appointed Reyna (red and white apron in photo) as their leader. We picked up their second "order" and delivered their first real profits - about $20. The work is 100% original. It includes napkins, table mats, bread covers and bags. To our surprise they had made 50 more! They have big plans for their earnings.
In a ....where did I see God today? moment, Juana, the midwife, told us...the women used to sit in their houses, now they get together to work on their project and make plans for their dreams.
In a ....where did I see God today? moment, Juana, the midwife, told us...the women used to sit in their houses, now they get together to work on their project and make plans for their dreams.
Latrine Construction - Part 1
The lack of proper toilet facilities is a major health problem. The January Team indicated to the villagers in La Mantanita we would provide funding for 4 latrines if they did the work. The men in the homes selected by the villagers went out and dug the 10 foot holes in preparation. We had a chance to look at them today and were very impressed. The ground is a clay and rock combination, so it was not an easy task.
Justa Stove Assessment by Owners
We took the opportunity in La Mantanita to get some feedback from the owners of the new Justa Stoves. At this point, 11 have been constructed,almost all by the villagers. We visited 7 of the installations. All of the women were extremely happy with their stoves. They loved the larger grill, consistent heating, using signifiantly less wood than previously, and most of all - no smoke in the house. One man said he spent all his time gathering wood, but not now. Another woman said one piece of wood lasted all day. The praises went on and on. The next big test is to track the reduction in respiratory problems.
Two Girls Without a Horse
In January we met two little girls who came over the mountain to LaMontanita on horseback. They had heard the team was having a dental clinic and wanted to participate. The team fell in love with these two. Today when we arrived in LaMontanita there they were! ...without the horse. Maynor had brought deworming meds for them. We met their Mom and brother.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Bible Study Agape Promises
This afternoon we met Ana Mateo from LaCosecha church who is pinch hitting for Reyna with the young adults, 13 and up. Ana is very effective at getting the message across and engaging the young people in the discussion.
Meanwhile Vilma and Laura, Agape Promises graduates, our college students led the younger children. They always create a lot of excitement as the children respond to their questions.
Meanwhile Vilma and Laura, Agape Promises graduates, our college students led the younger children. They always create a lot of excitement as the children respond to their questions.
Baby Moises - Good News!
About 3 + years ago, Ed Norton generously supported a child who had a problem with his palate. He could only eat soft foods, not solid foods. He has fondly been known as "Baby Moises." The Foundation picked up the responsibility and has been providing him with a special formula and medicines as needed. During this time, several operations were scheduled, but for many reasons were cancelled.
A team of doctors from Chicago, specializing in palate and plastic surgery, were in town about 2 weeks ago. They stayed at Martha's ranch and performed surgery at the Quimistan hospital. Moises was one of the patients they treated.
We had the opportunity to visit with him this morning. He is doing very well and can now enjoy all foods. We praise God for bringing Baby Moises these doctors and the chance for a normal life in the future.
Ken and June
A team of doctors from Chicago, specializing in palate and plastic surgery, were in town about 2 weeks ago. They stayed at Martha's ranch and performed surgery at the Quimistan hospital. Moises was one of the patients they treated.
We had the opportunity to visit with him this morning. He is doing very well and can now enjoy all foods. We praise God for bringing Baby Moises these doctors and the chance for a normal life in the future.
Ken and June
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Teo Part 2
Testing for Reading Glasses
We had the opportunity to offer eye exams for adults who had difficulty reading. Maynor, Vilma and Ken set up their office in one of the classrooms. We had the opportunity to examine 37 people, and 30 walked away with a pair of glasses. One 70 year old woman could barely read the second line on the eye chart. We were able to give her a pair of glasses, and she read the bottom line perfectly. With tears in her eyes, she thanked us and said she was going home to bring out her sewing.
Community Background Questionnaire
Karen Livingston developed a questionnaire for use in the villages to help us all better understand the environment. While eye testing was underway, Juan Jose, the village leader, was keeping the children occupied. June interviewed him and they had a lot of laughs learning about the background of the village.
P.S. For those of you who have been to Teo the ride up and down is as thrilling as ever! Ken and June
We had the opportunity to offer eye exams for adults who had difficulty reading. Maynor, Vilma and Ken set up their office in one of the classrooms. We had the opportunity to examine 37 people, and 30 walked away with a pair of glasses. One 70 year old woman could barely read the second line on the eye chart. We were able to give her a pair of glasses, and she read the bottom line perfectly. With tears in her eyes, she thanked us and said she was going home to bring out her sewing.
Karen Livingston developed a questionnaire for use in the villages to help us all better understand the environment. While eye testing was underway, Juan Jose, the village leader, was keeping the children occupied. June interviewed him and they had a lot of laughs learning about the background of the village.
A Day In Teo
Meeting with Village Leaders
The day started out with a meeting with 12 of the village leaders to get an update on their current priorities. Water, which was their #1 priority in January is now a critical need. Allen is the water expert and will have lots more news.
Women's Roundtable
June met with the women of the village to understand their concerns. Sometimes we see things differently. Water was on the top of their list of preoccupations too. Next was the need for a molino, a machine that grinds wet corn into masa, the stuff that becomes tortillas. Currently the grinding is done by hand and is very labor intensive. The ladies want one the community could share. What a blessing they are thinking of ways to benefit the whole village.
The photo below is of Iris, the midwife, and Vilma, the wife of the village leader.
Story of the nebulizer and the inverter
Thanks to the creativity of Bruce Eberhard we were able to run a nebulizer in TEO. Using an inverter, which can operate from a car battery, we powered up the nebulizer. On the next visit of our doctor, people in the village with asthma and respiratory problem will be able to be treated more effectively.
The day started out with a meeting with 12 of the village leaders to get an update on their current priorities. Water, which was their #1 priority in January is now a critical need. Allen is the water expert and will have lots more news.
Women's Roundtable
June met with the women of the village to understand their concerns. Sometimes we see things differently. Water was on the top of their list of preoccupations too. Next was the need for a molino, a machine that grinds wet corn into masa, the stuff that becomes tortillas. Currently the grinding is done by hand and is very labor intensive. The ladies want one the community could share. What a blessing they are thinking of ways to benefit the whole village.
The photo below is of Iris, the midwife, and Vilma, the wife of the village leader.
Story of the nebulizer and the inverter
Thanks to the creativity of Bruce Eberhard we were able to run a nebulizer in TEO. Using an inverter, which can operate from a car battery, we powered up the nebulizer. On the next visit of our doctor, people in the village with asthma and respiratory problem will be able to be treated more effectively.
Visiting the Agape Promises Youth
Several of our AP sponsors asked us to bring letters and small gift packages to their children. We had the opportunity to meet with the children individually. This was another "watch for God" moment. The love, joy and happiness was so obvious that it brought tears to your eyes. We gave them all a special hug from their sponsor. Several pictures below show the children.
Medical Brigade Update
We had the blog done last night and then we had a power failure and lost everything. We will try again this morning.
We met with Dr. Consentino early yesterday morning. He is the doctor who is pinch-hitting for Dr. Elsa during her pregnancy (no baby yet). We focused on the Community Health Care Workers being trained in La Montanita and Teo. He was very impressed with their spirit of cooperation and willingness to work together. As you may know, the CHCW will become our first line of defense in treating medical problems in these villages. He is very enthusiastic about this effort and optimistic that it will be very successful. He will help us develop a process for identifying the specific procedures the CHCW will have to be trained in. As they progress, the doctors will then evaluate each procedure and will certify they are now full fledged CHCW
We met with Dr. Consentino early yesterday morning. He is the doctor who is pinch-hitting for Dr. Elsa during her pregnancy (no baby yet). We focused on the Community Health Care Workers being trained in La Montanita and Teo. He was very impressed with their spirit of cooperation and willingness to work together. As you may know, the CHCW will become our first line of defense in treating medical problems in these villages. He is very enthusiastic about this effort and optimistic that it will be very successful. He will help us develop a process for identifying the specific procedures the CHCW will have to be trained in. As they progress, the doctors will then evaluate each procedure and will certify they are now full fledged CHCW
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Back On The Busito
Back on the busito
After a few delays with luggage our 3 amigos were waiting for us outside of customs with the busito. What a joy to see Maynor, Obed and Marco.
All the 5 bags were loaded and off we went to pick up some meds at the pharmacy in San Pedro Sula. After unloading our bags at Martha and Gary´s we headed off to the hospital to deliver the supplies donated by Aiken Regional and Cedar Creek Church. Drs Turcios and Constantino gave us a warm welcome and were delighted with the supplies.
More news tomorrow. Ken and June
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