Water projects continue

It's been so long since we've posted anything about our MCC projects that some updates are in order. When we moved to Santa Cruz in February of this year, another family replaced us in Charagua to continue MCC's water projects with Mennonite colonies and Guarani communities. That family had to leave the country quite suddenly in September due to visa issues. Since then, no MCC workers have lived on-site, and Ramont has carried on some of the work from here in Santa Cruz (six hours away over some pretty rough roads).

At the end of October, MCC hired a former local worker to help a group of families in the Guarani community of Caipepe (with whom we've worked in the past) dig shallow wells using a manual well-driller. These wells are already being used for household needs and to irrigate family gardens. In early November, Ramont and Willmar (who coordinates the this part of the MCC Bolivia program) drove down to take part in the festivities surrounding the completion of the project. The photos above and show Ramont and community members looking at one of the wells.

Below: A previous MCC project involved colony Mennonites setting up a windmill to pump water from the community well to households. Here Ramont and a community member look at the distribution canal that Caipepe dug. The man in the red striped t-shirt is Juan Garvizu, who led the three-week project to dig the shallow wells.

The families who took part in the well-drilling project hold a closing meal and simple closing ceremony in the shade. Below, Ramont, who is sitting beside the community mayor, shares a few words from MCC.

Unrelated, but on the same day, the Caipepe school held their end-of-the-year celebration. Here the kids share some of the traditional dishes they learned to cook during the year - every single one of which feature corn. And more corn.

And just for kicks, here is our official (rather grim) end-of-the-year Centro Menno photo for 2011:
L to R: Hannah Neufeld and Willmar Harder, Elisabeth and Ramont Harder Schrock, and Helga Fehr.