EWB WWU

On Sunday, we had to let cement cure and couldn’t work on the school.  We decided to go to Copan for some shopping and to see the Mayan ruins there.  They were ruined, but they were amazing.  Here are photos of some of the highlights.

This is the first large structure visible when you enter the main court.  There are several more of these buried under mounds of earth that have yet to be excavated.

Here, we’re entering what was effectively the locker room for their ball court.  The best player on the winning team of each game was sacrificed.

Us in the top of the locker room.

This hole is actually a tunnel that leads to a ditch that flowed to the river.  It was the only drainage of the very large plaza that served as their market and social area.  There were walls built up around the whole area, and the ground across the whole thing sloped down towards this drain.  The drain still works to keep the area from flooding during the rainy season.  Quite a feat of engineering!

The girls “dancing like a jaguar.”

Little known fact: The Mayans were far ahead of their time, and were the first inventors of the compact fluorescent light bulb.  Here, we see one in an excavated tunnel.

John, being like the monkey.

With this project nearing completion, we’ve been working with the community to determine what other projects are important to them.

Here are some of the projects we’re thinking about:

• Rainwater collection and filtering at the school
• A sustainable latrine solution for the school
• Health and sanitation education
• Security wall for the school
• Leveling of and lights for soccer field at the school
• Education about water diversion for outhouses
• Retaining walls and water diversion/drainage for the school
• Solution for flooding of the only road in and out of town

The health education and water diversion for outhouses projects wouldn’t even require a trip down, but rather could be completed just through correspondence.

This is the only road in and out of Luis Garcia.

A small creek flows under the road through a culvert.  During the rainy season, the level of the creek rises enough that the culvert cannot accommodate it, leaving water flowing over the road, sometimes to a depth of up to two feet, we’re told.  This flowing water makes the road dangerous if not impossible to cross either on foot or in a car.

The solution to the problem would either be a small bridge that would allow more water to pass under, or a better, larger culvert that would do the same.

A few more of the people of Luis Garcia.

All images owned by Walla Walla University Engineers Without Borders and Alex English.  These photos are not for distribution.  To share with others, please pass on the link to this post.

These are some of the people of Luis Garcia.  They have been very friendly and warm to us, many inviting us into their homes. All images owned by Walla Walla University Engineers Without Borders and Alex English.  These photos are not for distribution.  To share with others, please pass on the link to this post.

We’re in a place that doesn’t seem to be on any map, so we thought we’d share a map with you:

Google map

This map was created in 2008, during the first trip down to the area, so some of the information is no longer relevant.  We’re staying in the same house, but we’re the only ones staying there now.  The pastor mentioned on a pinpoint is no longer involved in the project either.

The colony of Luis Garcia begins not far to the west of the scho0l property that’s shown here, and extends East, North, and South.  The neighborhood containing the house we’re staying in is actually a different neighborhood, El Marañon.

This is the site the day we arrived.  The slab had been poured, along with a curb for the block to be built on.  Rebar was in place for the columns.  It had been raining, which was actually a blessing, because it meant they didn’t have to keep it wet manually.  The concrete will be stronger for having dried out more slowly.

This is the work site on the second day.  The bricks have been mvoed onto the slab, and work is just starting.

Here is a photo from later that day, with several rows of brick in place for the front wall.

This is the end of the first day of work.

The next day, bright and early.  The workers hadn’t been working long, but already have the interior walls well on their way.

A couple hours later, after cement was poured into the trough created in the blocks at the front wall.  This will be the bottom of the opening for the window, and will act as a beam.

The broader view from that day.  The workers on the left are pouring more of the beams.

A couple hours later with more beams poured.

The next afternoon, forms were up, and the pillars poured up to the level of the blocks.

A lot of work was completed last night, and into the early morning.  Photos of that progress will be put up as soon as possible.

Our Internet situation hasn’t been working out, so we purchased a cellular modem today.  The service is still slow and we’re not certain of its stability yet, but it should work out better than what we’ve been trying to work with.

We’ve conducted interviews with a number of Luis Garcia’s residents and have learned a fair bit more about the history of the town.  We’ve also been through much of the town taking photos of the residents, and hope to cover the rest of the town within the next few days.

Amber and Dr. Nelson arrived today.  We’re all here now, and all doing well.

Updates with photos and updates on the project are on the way as bandwidth permits.  Photos often fail to upload because the transfer times out because of the slow speed.

We’ll be trying to do updates at least daily, assuming our modem keeps working.

We arrived safely yesterday mid-day and got settled in the house the community is providing for us.

The project site is in good shape, and is ready to move forward with.  Details and photos to follow.

Our internet situation is a little fragile, so this is a short update, just to make sure we get something out.  If we are able to maintain a connection, or can restart it easily enough, we’ll be trying to do fairly frequent updates.

That’s all for now, please check back often.

In the parking lot of the Pasco airport.

We are now waiting in the Pasco airport for our flight.  We’re flying to San Pedro Sula by way of Seattle and Houston.  When we arrive, we will drive to Luis Garcia.

Wish us luck!

This is the new EWB WWU blog.  We will use it to keep you up to date on projects, events, and other news from our chapter.

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