Some more photos

Above are Allen and Russell, adding more panels to the roof. As the panels are put in place, but not yet connected, the men are keeping them covered with blankets. Apparently, the panels collect energy as soon as they are exposed to the sun, but until they are connected to the system (and the batteries) that energy has nowhere to go. The little bit of energy in the panels (from the time they weren't covered during installation) surges into the system as soon as the panels are connected - and keeping this amount low, as we test the system, seems like a good idea to us. We don't really know if this is necessary, but we prefer to err on the side of caution.

Below is a random view from our property on this hazy day. This isn't one of the more spectacular views, just one of many.



I've received a bit of teasing about the fact that I'm not one of the people on the roof. I'll have you all know that I am risking skin myself, to get these pictures. Trudging into the brambles (where multitudes of ticks reside) and getting scratched up by briars isn't exactly a picnic, you know (although, it was similar to some picnics I've attended). Additionally, today I had to chase cattle off the high spot where I station myself to get views of the roof. Here are just a few of the beasts I had to wrangle:

Various other beasts were in attendance:

Kody, our beloved lab-mix

The cat we call "Mama"


As I type this, Allen, Russell, and Gus are working to connect 4 more panels. It looks like rain, though, so that might end the outside work for today.

The sun is now charging our batteries!

Woo hoooooooo! Allen and Russell managed to get three panels onto the roof, connected, and charging the batteries, before lunch! They'll take a short break now, and then add some more panels to the system. But the big news is: IT WORKS!

We're pretty excited here right now!

Solar panels on the Roof!!!!

Well, at this moment, only one solar panel is up there. The menfolk are hoping to install six to eight panels today, and get part of the system running so that these are producing electricity.

A Birthday Surprise for ME

Yes, it's my birthday!

It's funny. I got up, thinking about scorpions and centipedes. I walked into the bathroom barefoot, thinking about how I should get some shoes on. I picked up the laundry pile (favorite hiding place of creepy crawlies) gingerly, remembering that David was stung by a scorpion just a few days ago, in the same part of the house. After depositing the laundry in the laundry room, I walked into the kitchen - and was very much surprised to find this nice item in the kitchen sink!!!!

Fortunately, the sides of the sink are steep and slippery enough that the scorpion couldn't climb out, so I had time to grab a picture before dispatching the critter.

Brace yourself for the picture - my sink wasn't all that clean:



I'm thinking my birthday gift was that I didn't get stung! :-D

Another day of solar power installation

Today Allen and Russell are working on running cables to the roof, to connect the solar panels to all the equipment in the house. The cables will run up the inside of the front wall, and across through the roof trusses, and out through the ridge of the roof.

This is just one more set of cables in view in the "ceiling" of our "house." We have the computer cables, running out to the satellite dish, and a power cord running up to the one hanging light in the center of the house. Since our house is really a warehouse, I just pretend I can't see all of these cables. Allen does try to keep things looking fairly neat up there, so I don't have to look at a messy tangle of cables. Thanks Allen!

The solar cables look like this:

The cables running to the roof look like this:



Here is the first of the controllers, being installed near to the batteries, inverter, chargers, etc. The power station looked complicated to me before, and it's getting much more involved today!





It's interesting, listening to Allen and Russell as they figure out what each part of the system does, and then decide how and where to install it most effectively. For my part - I think staying out of the way while I take pictures is how I can help most efficiently!

Well, what's one more day?

The plan was to get an early start on the solar power work this morning - but first, we needed some supplies from town. Sadly, the supply run took longer than expected, and so we didn't have what we needed before the stores closed for the loooong lunch break.

We'll try again tomorrow.

Up and Over (solar energy installation)

This is the second set of photos, showing the family beginning the process of installing the solar panels on our roof. If you missed the first set of photos, it's here.

The first photos showed the crew getting the first metal stand for the panels up onto the front roof of the house. The front of the house is much closer to ground level than the back, so the plan was to carry the stand up and over the peak of the roof, to install it on the back side.

Here we go, on the front of the roof . . .

Over the top

Starting down the back

Being goofy on the roofy (?)

Here's a tough spot - those black tubes are water pipes. The sun heats the water for us, so that we can have hot showers. We are quite fond of hot showers, so the workers were being careful not to damage those tubes.

Pivoting to cross the roof from left to right

Heading to the final destination

The first unit is in place! Now it has to be bolted to the roof.

David fetches the drill and other tools for the roof crew. To his disappointment, Mommy wouldn't let David play on the roof with the rest of the gang.

Don't want to leave out Rachel! While the others were on the back of the roof, Rachel was counterbalancing the weight on the other side of the roof. She was the anchorwoman!

Drilling holes and installing bolts, from outside . . .

Russell came inside, and worked in the roof trusses, screwing the nuts onto the bolts which came through the roof. You can't tell in this picture, but he is working 16' off the floor.

Once this unit was installed, the crew had a lunch break, and cooled off a bit. Then, they went back out and did the whole thing again! I'd post a picture of the two installed units, but I used up my camera batteries this morning.

I need to get more batteries soon, because the next step is putting up the actual solar panels! That's on the schedule for Monday.

Up we go . . . (solar energy installation)

Today is a major solar energy installation day! Allen, Russell, Rachel, Christopher, and Bethany worked together this morning to put the first of the supports for the solar panels on the roof. They are taking a mid-day break now, and then they're hoping to install the second one this afternoon. It's mighty hot up on that metal roof, but they're motivated to get this done!

Here are the scenes from this morning:

Getting everything in place

First step - get one end up onto the scaffold platform

Next step - get the front end up onto the edge of the roof

A rope is attached, and Rachel moves into place over the ridge of the roof, to pull from there

Now the bottom is up onto the scaffold platform

Moving onto the roof

Alrighty - the entire piece is up on the roof. Now it just needs to go up and over the peak, to its place on the back of the roof.

More pictures to come . . .

I really blew it this time!

I can't believe this! Apparently I deleted all the pictures Boo took of the Special Needs Kids receiving their gifts. She had some really nice ones, too! I can't figure out how I could have done this, but I can't find them anywhere, so I guess I deleted them from the camera without actually copying them onto the computer!

I'm taking lots of pictures of the family installing the hardware for the solar panels on the roof, to make up for it. They're up there now, and things are pretty exciting around here. Watch for the pictures later today.

Mostly more of the same

Really, life is sort of dull right now - we just keep doing the same things again. This week:

Another scorpion bite: David put on his jacket, and there was a scorpion in the sleeve, so he was stung in the lower arm. He was extremely tough about the whole thing. (Oh, I saw a centipede running out of the laundry pile this week - that was new!)

Another litter of kittens: We have three female cats, and two were pregnant. Previously, we had a litter of five kittens, although one didn't make it. This week a different cat had 4 kittens. Good thing we like kittens!

Another set of classes for the Pastor Training School: There were about 40 students attending classes this month.

More (and more and more) gifts sent out: This week, we delivered gifts to the children of the families in our Special Needs program. Boo took pictures, which I'll share in another post.

More work on the solar panels: Much work was done on this last week. Allen was sick some of this week, and there was less available time for work, due to the responsibilities of the school, but work continues on this project.



Above are two of the four bases which will be installed on the roof of the bodega, to hold the solar panels. There was a lot of math involved in the creation of these units, so that they will hold the panels at the best angle to catch the maximum amount of sun, while also taking into consideration the slope of the roof upon which they will sit. Allen spent several days with the welder last week, making sure these were made up according to his exact specifications. He also helped with both the welding and the painting, as he can't keep his hands out of any work that is going on around him. These first two units were brought up to the property today.

Really, we're in one of those times when there is so much work to do, we can hardly think straight. I am soooo looking forward to being done with the distribution of these gifts!

Solar Power is on the way!

Allen has been working hard on getting our solar energy system up and running. There's a great deal of technical info for him to read through and be ready to put in place, as well as the logistics of simply getting the panels installed on our pitched roof.

About a month ago we discovered that one of the pieces to the system which we had been sold would not work with the other parts. Fortunately, our friends the Ward Family were traveling to the states and back, and they were able to take back the parts we didn't need, mail them back to the company, receive the replacements, and bring them back to Honduras in their luggage, all within a couple of weeks. What a blessing!

So now, with all the parts in hand (we hope), Allen has spent the past few days working with a welder to create the braces which will hold the panels to the roof. Hopefully I'll have some pictures of this process to post soon.

Additionally, we've purchase some truckloads of topsoil, and have started working to establish some lawn in front of the two houses. It might be my imagination, but I'm thinking we're already seeing less dust floating in. That would certainly be a very good thing!

I fixed the button

Thanks to the friend who clued me in! Because Missionary Ventures (the organization to which we belong) made some changes to their website, the link on my blog to the donation page on their site was no longer working. Utilizing my impressive techno-skills, I have now fixed this. Yea for me - we old folks have to be praised for this kind of thing (you know, the kind of thing our teens can do in half the time).

So, for those of you who were just sitting there thinking, "Wow, if only that link was working, I could donate some money to the Sowers, to help them:

a) feed the hungry

b) support the work of evangelism in an unreached area

c) train new Honduran pastors

d) get therapy and other helps for the Special Needs children and their families

e) build some more of those cool cable bridges

f) get horses, mules, and motorcycles into the hands of mountain pastors

g) all of the above, and more,"

well, now the link is working, and you can do just that! :-D


We so appreciate those of you who support this work!

Here Comes the Bride, part 3 (THE END!)

The previous two posts have been about a wedding my family attended this past Wednesday evening. See here and here for those posts. This final wedding post will be about the decorations and clothing.

The decorations for the weddings here in Gracias are generally homemade. In this case, the centerpieces for the tables were based on wood boxes - which were made by the groom, who works for his father in his carpentry shop. These small centerpieces also serve the purpose of party favors, as guests are expected to take them home with them after the wedding.



My daughter, Rachel, helped with the placement of flowers and candles to decorate the church for the big event:





I was amazed at the dresses - since I knew that this wedding was all planned and put together in just two months. Notice the slightly different dress styles for the bridesmaids, the maid of honor, the flower girls, the pillow girls, and the ribbon-cutting girl:





The one big disappointment, in the decorations, was the cake. The wedding cake was actually "professionally" created - but it didn't look exactly as expected:


Happily, perfection doesn't seem to be a regular expectation of Hondurans. Can you imagine the response of a US bride, to that cake? I know the bride was disappointed in it, but it certainly didn't put a damper on the celebration!

My sister (back in Maryland) makes and decorates wedding cakes, as a hobby/side business. I'm wondering if I can get her to make the cake for Russell and Iris.

Here Comes the Bride, part 2

Yesterday I started the story of the wedding my family attended on Wednesday evening. There are a couple of things about the procession that I neglected to mention.

First, there was an announcer, up on the platform, who announced the name of each participant in the procession, and their relationship to the bride or groom. After each announcement, we all clapped for them, so there was a lot of clapping during the procession.

When the children each reached the front of the church, they went to a row of chairs which had been placed across the front of the room. The groomsman/bridesmaid couples walked to the front of the aisle, then made a U-turn (boys to the left, girls to the right) and lined up along the outside of the aisle. Each attendant stood in front of one of the decorated stands, with candles on top. When it was time for the bride to enter, the attendants lit the candles, and the room lights were lowered, so that the bride entered mostly by candlelight.

The bride and groom walked up onto the platform, where there were two stools waiting for them. The bridesmaids and groomsmen had chairs with the children, across the front of the room.

Here's a look at the setup at the front of the church:

You can see the female attendants sitting in their chairs (the male attendants were sitting on the other side of the aisle), the announcer (in the light suit) at the podium, the three couples (parents of the bride, parents of the groom, and "godparents of the wedding") at the table in the middle, and the bride and groom sitting on stools under a sort of trellis. On the far left of the picture, you can see a bit of the table which holds the wedding cake.

Once everyone was in place, there was some special music. I'll post a picture, even though it's fuzzy, because Russell's fiance, Iris, and two of her brothers were the singers.



The pastor of the church spoke for a few minutes, then addressed the bride and groom directly, and led them in their vows, which sounded pretty much like the standard version we use in the states (for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, etc). Rings were exchanged, and then, a tradition which we gringos find extremely amusing - a special rope (called a lasso) was placed around the shoulders of the bride and groom, signifying that they were then tied together. Again, the pictures are blurry, but I'll post one anyway, just so you can sort of see this:



Then came the kiss, and the ceremony was over. The newly married couple descended to the bottom of the steps, and people came up to them to offer hugs and congratulations. There were a lot of hugs and congratulations!

While this was going on, dinner was served to each table. Boo took a picture of her dinner, since she thought you'd like to know what we ate:



Our family left before the reception was over, but the one thing I consider the oddest part of the wedding happened after we left. The fancy wedding cake was cut for the pictures, but the cake wasn't served to the guests. That isn't done here. The parents of the bride and the groom took home the cake, and ate it themselves. This is the one Honduran tradition that I've told Russell we'll have to omit, and do the US way, for his wedding. I just can't imagine what our US guests would think, if we didn't share the wedding cake with them!

I have a few more things to share, regarding the cake, the dresses, and the decorations, so I'll try to finish up the story of the wedding tomorrow.

Here Comes the Bride!

Since we're about to start planning a Honduras/US wedding, I paid extra careful attention to the traditions at the wedding our family attended last night. Just fyi - in spite of being a small country, Honduras has several diverse cultures, and the traditions I share in this post are not necessarily to be found in all parts of Honduras.

Russell's girlfriend's brother Melvin (got that?) was wed to his long time girlfriend, Haydi. Many parts of the ceremony were similar or identical to traditions found in the US. As I write this, I'll concentrate on the differences, rather than the similarities. Oh, and I apologize for the blurriness of some of the pictures - the lighting was low during much of the ceremony. If you click on the pictures, you can see them closer up, which makes them a bit clearer.

The wedding was scheduled to begin at 6:45 (according to the invitation). We arrived about 6:15, and were the first guests there. People started trickling in about 6:45, and the ceremony started at 7:50. I've got no comment on this - that's just the way it is here. I'm really not sure why we showed up so early, as a delay like this wasn't unexpected.

The sanctuary was set up with small tables all over the room. In our area, the reception is generally held in the same room as the wedding.



Without pews, there's no permanent aisle in the church, so the aisle is created by the decorations. I especially liked the border of flower petals along each side of the aisle.



The first attendants to process are a young girl and boy, who cut the ribbons which were strung across the aisle. The girl wields the scissors, the boy holds the ribbon for her. This little lady was feisty, and provided us with quite a show, as she threatened the little gentleman with the scissors before the procession started.



Following the ribbon cutters, there were a number of other young attendants. Two girls carried pillows (which were used later in the ceremony, when the bride and groom knelt), a boy carried an open Bible, another boy carried a basket of fruit, there was a ring bearer, as well as two very small flower girls who scattered flower petals. Here's the ring bearer, with his very decorated pillow:



Here are a group of young attendants, gathering just before the start of the ceremony (the girl in white wasn't in the ceremony, she just happened to be in the picture):



The parents of the bride and groom sit at a table at the front of the church, facing the assembled crowd. Another couple, called the "godparents of the wedding" are also seated at that table. These folks all process in - I doubt I'll get this exactly right - it seems that the groom accompanied his mother, the bride was escorted by her father (last in the procession, of course), the father of the groom walked in with the mother of the bride, and the godparents walked in together. I'm a bit uncertain about this, because I'd not met the parents of the bride prior to the ceremony, so I was uncertain who was who, as they were processing.

After the parents (except for the father of the bride) came the bridesmaids and groomsmen. They processed up the aisle, then turned and lined up along the aisle, awaiting the bride. Things were getting a bit crowded around the aisle at this point, as many folks were standing close to take pictures (ummm, including my family, as you can probably tell from our pictures).

Here comes the bride! I cropped the shot to show a few of the crowd of photographers. I forgot to mention that we clapped for each person or couple, as they processed.



This has gotten rather long already, so I'll post this and finish tomorrow (assuming weather, power, etc permit me to get online).