first impressions

The drive to our first night's stay was not long (thank goodness after those flights). It was familiar even though I've not ever stayed in Mponela. Talking with Moses who was driving and is MMM's accountant, looking out the open window, pausing at a police block...it felt like I haven't really been gone (almost 2.5 yrs!!) I had to smile when I saw the tomatoes in their stacks with the bundles of red onions nearby. I really wanted to stop and buy some.

Training/orientation was Monday with lots of hands on training...we use androids to record data at each well that is installed (and then have to back them up to a laptop each night), got cell phones which are hard to use because they are so simple, issued our toolboxes, and went over driving and truck maintenance before heading out to drive on some dirt roads.

In the midst of all that I learner more about what I'm actually expected to do and how it all fits together :

MMM is a hand-in-hand organization. It is community based. The village asks for a well, and so the conversation starts. Assurances are made for well maintenance-both by the village in paying a yearly fee to be used for spare parts and by MMM to train local people to do the repairs. Once that is accepted the village gets its materials together: unskilled labor for digging the hole, they make the bricks to line the well, they get the gravel for the bottom. Cement is then provided and instructions (and trained builder) to construct the top of the well and drainage channel. When MMM teams arrive we travel in pairs to the villages bringing the field officer, installation supervisor, pipes, and the pump to finish it off. Then we have a dedication ceremony followed by a demonstration on how to use and not abuse the well. Our part can be done in 30 minutes. Though the driving takes time! Small dirt roads that sometimes aren't more than bicycle paths...

Tomorrow (Tuesday) I'm headed out with a veteran volunteer (she was here last year) named Jan and we are going to have a great time! We are going to start in this district so we don't have to travel too far yet...and yet these villages can be way out...