Friday June 24 update

Our access to the internet hasn't been what we expected, so our upadtes will be periodic with a report when we get home in two weeks. We will also have pictures at that time.

We started the block stove this week. The blocks are in plave and the metal nsert has been started. The loom is going well with one glitch in mounting one pullet. Oh has I miss my workshop. I havean 18V drill, short saw and a hammer to work with. Very challenging, but things are working  out.

Stared pressing briquettes this week and will start burning test next week.

Life is an epxerience here, everythign is different, but the experience is well wort the challenges.

HOLA MI AMIGOS

hello my friends

we are in the dominican enjoying the hot sunny weather. we have to men working on creating our stoves. we have asked each of them to make 3. we have ordered the wood for the loom and ordered bricks for the stove. things move slowly down here. Dominican timing is very different.

i am shocked at the kind of community here. its amazing and wonderful. if a villager sees another in need, they stand up for them. they come and get us to help them. they share everything they have with anyone in need. its very different here. but its all in a good way.

dont worry we'll come back.... eventually. :)

all is well. :)

your amigos in Christ,
Christa and Wayne

We Leave Saturday

Saturday, June 11th our flight leaves at 5 PM, arriving in the Dominican 4 hours later. We will be using Sunday as a day to get settled in and start to adapt to our surroundings. Monday will be used to order materials we need for both the Stove and Loom projects and further getting acquainted. Work begins Tuesday.

We will make a effort to make entries on the blog at least twice a week, keeping every one up to date about our activities, pictures are more of a maybe then the entries.

Please keep both Christa and I in your prayers for the month we are in the Dominican, pray we will be responsive to God's Leading and for safety as we work and travel. Also pray for Deb who will be at home worrying about her husband and 'little girl'.

Another Project

We have made an addition to the Stove Project, which has nothing to do with the Stoves. For part of the month of May I worked on making a prototype of a loom that will weave strips cut from milk bags into matts for babies to sleep on. The bottom is cut off the outter milk bag, the balance of the milk bag is cut into 1" strips, they are looped together into an endless 'chain'. In the past these chains have been croched together into small matts and carrying bags. Bigger matts (3' x 5') are required, hence the need of a loom which will be more productive. The protoype was built to provided a matt 15" wide, and it working well. While at the Village of Ascension, we will be building a loom to make a 3 foot wide strip.

The Block Stove

The Block Stove, for use inside the Haitian homes is in the process of being tested. A prototype insert was built and tested, then rebuilt and tested again with positive and acceptable results. See "The Block Stove" page for initial pictures.

Dates are set

At last, our dates are set. We will be leaving Saturday, June 11th at 5 PM, arriving in the Dominican 4 hours later. Christa, our daughter, will be coming with me to help with the project. Our return is scheduled for Saturday July 9th.

Concrete Block Stove

Ideally, the best solution is to remove fumes from the burning charcoal without the fumes entering into the room where the can be breathed by the residences. Secondly, is to have a stove the children will not burn themselves should they come into contact with it. A lady from my church was on the Internet one day and gave me the following address ( http://www.guatemalastoveproject.org/ ) . It is my intent to modify the stove for use with charcoal and green fuels. Modifying the stove and testing will begin as soon as our temperatures are consistently above the freezing mark. Tests will be run in my backyard.