Thursday, August 03, 2006
Miracle on the Ramp
Up early to a bright sunny day. Packed for our trip to Quito. Ran for the laundry, but it was not open yet. Ran for café and was more successful. After breakfast, ran for laundry again and was successful. Bus was leaving at nine am, so I was just lucky to get my clothes before the bus left.
More café.
Boarded the bus, no problems on the ride to Huambalo.
Went right to the ramp. Hauled cement and water, and sawed boards for the railing. Victor our Ecuadorian cement friend had two Ecuadorian women with him when we arrived. They were hauling rocks and adding them to the ramp. For the rest of the day these two women mixed the sand, rocks, and cement. They did this from 11 to 2 pm when we finished. None of the rest of us could keep up with these two.
In Ecuadorian culture women may have jobs, but they are still expected to come home and make the meals, take care of the children, clean the house, etc. for their men. When I explained how I helped with laundry and washing dishes to the school physical therapist, she could not believe it. Now she would like to find an American husband.
About 1 pm the director of the school pitched in and helped mix cement. WOW!
By 2 pm we had finished pouring all the cement for the ramp. Later a thin smooth coat of cement will be added to it. We had started the hand rails, but Osima will come back next week to help finish that.
Another very filling lunch prepared by women of the community. Then it was time to say goodbye. Took quite a time to leave this very special group of children and parents and teachers!!
Just before we left Tungurahua, the nearby volcano, rumbled quite loudly. Tungurahua is a female volcano so I do not actually know why she rumbled, but I am assuming that she was simply pleased with our work on the ramp.
The ride home offered some fantastic photo opportunities with the Cotopaxi volcano. Hope to be able to show you.
Bus took a little more than three hours to reach Quito in the dark. We were assigned rooms in the Sierra Nevada Hotel, then dinner at a buffet. Joy and I left early so we could recount the day.
I thought I had solved the picture problem, but the Papaya Net Internet cafe here in Quito does not have the Microsoft photo editor on their computers, so I will try to find another cafe tomorrow.
I was convinced that we could not possibly finish the ramp today, but we did. We did it because of several teams of people working very very hard.
748 visits to the blog as of 10 pm or so Ecuadorian time Thursday.
NOTE: If you follow the link below it will lead to a few photos related to this post. Select My pictures (11). Start with the fourth photo. There are 8 new photos.
MY ERROR: In the celebration photo just after the photo of the completed ramp, I said the boy in the front was a star for us. Unfortunately I could only see the left side of the photo when I wrote that. I could not edit that text, but both boys in front are very special boys to all of the group!!!
Cheers,
Chauncy
More café.
Boarded the bus, no problems on the ride to Huambalo.
Went right to the ramp. Hauled cement and water, and sawed boards for the railing. Victor our Ecuadorian cement friend had two Ecuadorian women with him when we arrived. They were hauling rocks and adding them to the ramp. For the rest of the day these two women mixed the sand, rocks, and cement. They did this from 11 to 2 pm when we finished. None of the rest of us could keep up with these two.
In Ecuadorian culture women may have jobs, but they are still expected to come home and make the meals, take care of the children, clean the house, etc. for their men. When I explained how I helped with laundry and washing dishes to the school physical therapist, she could not believe it. Now she would like to find an American husband.
About 1 pm the director of the school pitched in and helped mix cement. WOW!
By 2 pm we had finished pouring all the cement for the ramp. Later a thin smooth coat of cement will be added to it. We had started the hand rails, but Osima will come back next week to help finish that.
Another very filling lunch prepared by women of the community. Then it was time to say goodbye. Took quite a time to leave this very special group of children and parents and teachers!!
Just before we left Tungurahua, the nearby volcano, rumbled quite loudly. Tungurahua is a female volcano so I do not actually know why she rumbled, but I am assuming that she was simply pleased with our work on the ramp.
The ride home offered some fantastic photo opportunities with the Cotopaxi volcano. Hope to be able to show you.
Bus took a little more than three hours to reach Quito in the dark. We were assigned rooms in the Sierra Nevada Hotel, then dinner at a buffet. Joy and I left early so we could recount the day.
I thought I had solved the picture problem, but the Papaya Net Internet cafe here in Quito does not have the Microsoft photo editor on their computers, so I will try to find another cafe tomorrow.
I was convinced that we could not possibly finish the ramp today, but we did. We did it because of several teams of people working very very hard.
748 visits to the blog as of 10 pm or so Ecuadorian time Thursday.
NOTE: If you follow the link below it will lead to a few photos related to this post. Select My pictures (11). Start with the fourth photo. There are 8 new photos.
MY ERROR: In the celebration photo just after the photo of the completed ramp, I said the boy in the front was a star for us. Unfortunately I could only see the left side of the photo when I wrote that. I could not edit that text, but both boys in front are very special boys to all of the group!!!
Cheers,
Chauncy
