I had a fun experience yesterday. A nearby community has asked us to improve the road through their village. We already built them a small bridge so they can cross the river dry and they want us to continue the improvements.
I’m organizing the contractor and the work to do this. So I called a meeting with the community to help them understand that we will need to remove some produce trees , fences, and “power poles” (tree branches with bailing wire for electric line) for the equipment to fit. Also wanted them to be sure and inform the kids and drivers in the area.
We sat out in front of the colmado (a small convenient store/bar found on most streets in the DR) on plastic lawn chairs. The local preacher came and started us with a brief 2min message and prayer. We discussed everything for 45min and then he closed us with prayer.
It gave me a glimpse of what life must have been like 60-80+ years ago in rual United states. Each house has one light bulb running off their “power grid”. Nearly everyone walks, a few have pickups or motors or horses. There’s a single schoolhouse. The running water is intermittent. They all gather at the local dry goods store for meetings and the preacher is there with his Bible. It’s an absolutely beautiful little place; away from everything, much cooler than in the city. Everyone sits on their lawn, laundry hanging out to dry. The doors of many of the (what we call) shacks are open. A table and a few chairs is normally all that can be seen.
I asked them if they were sure they wanted a better road as it would mean more traffic, more dust, more people, more dangers for the kids. They all said yes.
I’m sure this is only the beginning of the rapid changes this little community will see over the coming decades…
I’m organizing the contractor and the work to do this. So I called a meeting with the community to help them understand that we will need to remove some produce trees , fences, and “power poles” (tree branches with bailing wire for electric line) for the equipment to fit. Also wanted them to be sure and inform the kids and drivers in the area.
We sat out in front of the colmado (a small convenient store/bar found on most streets in the DR) on plastic lawn chairs. The local preacher came and started us with a brief 2min message and prayer. We discussed everything for 45min and then he closed us with prayer.
It gave me a glimpse of what life must have been like 60-80+ years ago in rual United states. Each house has one light bulb running off their “power grid”. Nearly everyone walks, a few have pickups or motors or horses. There’s a single schoolhouse. The running water is intermittent. They all gather at the local dry goods store for meetings and the preacher is there with his Bible. It’s an absolutely beautiful little place; away from everything, much cooler than in the city. Everyone sits on their lawn, laundry hanging out to dry. The doors of many of the (what we call) shacks are open. A table and a few chairs is normally all that can be seen.
I asked them if they were sure they wanted a better road as it would mean more traffic, more dust, more people, more dangers for the kids. They all said yes.
I’m sure this is only the beginning of the rapid changes this little community will see over the coming decades…
No comments:
Post a Comment