Our Church in The World

Honduras Water Project 2010

L to R: Jamie Walker, Jennifer Meyer, Gina Gansmann, Jonathan Jump, Alejandro, Rod Cooper, Matthew Volz and Shane Richardson. (250,000 gal water tank in the background.)

Sponsored by Webster Groves Rotary Club and constructed by Engineers Without Borders

The Honduras Water Project in Piementa, Honduras, was made available through a matching grant with the Rotary Foundation.  Webster Groves Rotary was the main international sponsor and Rod Cooper, who is a member of First Congregational, and six members of the Gateway Chapter of Engineers Without Borders recently returned from a visit to the Project.

The first phase of the Project will provide safe water to 375 people in a colony known as the La Casitas (little houses). These families are presently getting their water from a 2,500 gallon tank and only receive water every 3 days. The drinking water is unsafe. The new water line is hooked to a 250,000 gallon tank on a high elevation and the flow is by gravity through the line. The tank is already serving a population of 3190 people and eventually the service will be extended to a total of 4,600 people.

Rod Cooper has kept a thorough and very interesting journal of his visit, some of which is reproduced as follows:

Jan 4: It was cloudy and rainy when we arrived at Pimienta and we checked into a hotel which was built by the Washington, MO Overseas Mission Group.

Jan 5: After a good breakfast, we met with Geo, the Project Manager, and his crew and reviewed the engineering plans. The drive to the construction site was in a 4-wheeler up some steep hills that were muddy from the rain. We found the project to be ahead of schedule; the ditch has been dug and workers were laying the pipe. Local men were in the ditch and women and children were shoveling and carrying sand in large buckets. I became a big hit with the children when I started to hand out candy.

Handing out Candy

Jan 6: Good breakfast and off to the site. The ground was muddy and sewage was running everywhere. Draining is a major problem and little kids were running around barefooted in all of this. We drove to San Pedro Sula to pick up some boots, and some valves from the hardware store and to attend a local Rotary Club meeting. We were greeted with great hospitality and I presented the Webster Groves Rotary flag to their president and she reciprocated with their flag.

Jan 7: Back to the construction site where we walked the line and some of the engineers climbed a ladder and took water samples for testing. At 7:00 this evening, we met with some of the town’s people to discuss the entire water project.

Jan 8: Back to San Pedro Sula which is the most industrial part of Honduras with the main industry textiles.  We again went to the hardware store to pick up more valves and after lunch we traveled over rugged terrain and gravel roads to Santiago. Our purpose was to measure and inspect seven wells and design a structure to cover them. The wells were 24-30’ deep and were open pits in an area where children play. The families living in this area were of Mayan descent and did not send their children to school. They were taught only to live from the soil. They live in native huts made from sugar cane stalks and wood posts.

Working on the Line

Jan 9: We headed back to the work site and I was immediately met by the kids wanting candy … unfortunately I had no more. The bulldozer was there covering up the ditch where the main water line was laid.  This was our last day at the site so many of the residents came out to say good bye. We had another final departing party that evening and I told the local officials that the Webster Groves Rotary Club and the Rotary Foundation would continue to support the project until all the colonies had water distribution from the tank. The evening gathering was festive with a dinner, dance and a large cake which said “Gracias Norte Americanos.”

Farewell Cake

Jan 10: After macheteadas with honey for breakfast, we left for the airport and arrived home that evening.

In summary I would say that the people were delightful, the project was ahead of schedule and the Engineers Without Borders group put their stamp of approval on how well the project was progressing. The total project should be completed in another 30-45 days.