Project Update #1

Hi Everyone,

The rains have arrived yet again – it feels like just a month ago I was writing to you about last year's rains. The day the skies suddenly opened, we all walked around stupefied, getting our shoes wet and not really caring, simply enjoying the sudden break in seven long months of uninterrupted sun, sweat and dust. Everyone seems to be in agreement that the ubiquitous mud pits are a small price to pay for a little greenery, less soul-withering heat, and no dust creeping into every corner of the lungs. So everyone's happy. And this year, the rains seem to have arrived on time, which means a nice corn and bean harvest is more likely.

Speaking of being happy, I'm thrilled to report that I have deposited a check for the full amount that you all donated to the project. Unfortunately, the banks here require 21 days to process large, foreign checks, so we won't be able to touch the money until June 25. But I am a patient man. And Salvadorans are a patient people. So we'll wait.

After I deposited the check on Wednesday, I called a meeting with the Parent Board, the teachers, and the president of the town council – a meeting of the 12 big movers and shakers in the community. I had been a little worried about details and some of the logistics of the project (who would make sure that the volunteer workers would arrive, and who would schedule them? Who would be in charge of the mothers making lunch for the workers every day? Who would do the shopping? Who would be in charge of the tools? Who would bring the tools?). When I get to worrying about something, I can freak out with the best of them. Anyway, this 4-hour meeting completely set me straight, as "The Big 12" came up with some stellar solutions and answers to all of my wild-eyed questions. As I walked home that night, the soft, wet dirt under my feet, I felt reassured and genuinely ready to take on this project.

In the meeting, we decided to break ground on Monday June 30, and to spend the time between the 25th and the 30th buying materials. By that time, everyone ought to be done sowing their corn and beans, and should be ready to lend a hand, shovel, pick axe or frying pan to the cause. So be ready for more photos and brick-and-mortar play-by-plays at the end of this month. For now, I've attached a few photos to refresh your memories as to what it looks like down here:

Photo #1: This is the entirety of the school. The building on the left is the site of the planned construction. We will move this "temporary classroom" (tin siding and chain-link fence) to another location and install the computer center in its place, which will be twice the length of the current classroom.

Photo #2: The current temporary classroom and future site of El Pital's launchpad in the 21st century.

Photo #3: Our 2nd graders. Dany (in blue) and I (in beard) work with these guys every day. Hard not to love. Working in our classroom is just like camping with a bunch of kids – thanks to the chain-link walls, it rains inside, it's windy, it's stiflingly hot, there are large insects that creep around, and there is never silence. It's glorious.

Photo #4: My buddy China playin' 'nos with the other kids. We use dominoes frequently as a fun alternative to addition drills. China's still my favorite kid on the planet. She just chopped off her hair to cement her status as town tomboy.

Photo #5: This is Maicol (like Michael, but phonetic), my neighbor's kid. He was born one month after I got here, and now he's a big cuddly toddler. Makes me feel like I've been here awhile.

Hope you all are enjoying the beginning of summer, and all the good stuff that comes with it. Thanks again for all of your financial and moral support – in the coming months, you will see your donations come alive!

Take care,
Ben