July 20, 2008
Since my last update, Salud del Sol has had a lot happening. As you may have read on the homepage, we were able to get government blessings for our project. As many people have righteously expressed concern over whether or not the Ministry of Health would allow a solar autoclave into their clinics, I was so happy to finally receive this permission and support. We met with Dr. Orochena, the Director of Services Organization, and he was so enthusiastic about our project. He told us what our next steps should be, and he offered to be the liaison to other areas of the Ministry of Health. He will also emphasize sterilization questions in an upcoming survey of medical equipment in health care facilities in Nicaragua, so as to gain further support. Dr. Orochena also provided us with lots of much-awaited health clinic statistics to use in our marketing analysis. As Susan Kinne said, the Holy Spirit is watching!
The same day, Anna and I also had a meeting with Onell Morales, who did a thesis on another solar autoclave design and is currently working on yet another, and a chemistry teacher from the UNI who has some undergraduates interested in a thesis involving the solar autoclave. We brainstormed, and decided on two possible projects. One is to continue testing throughout the year on a few different autoclave designs and continuously correspond with our Design Clinic team at the University of Dayton. The other is to find an inexpensive, locally-available substance or something to verify sufficient time and temperature for sterilization, which I thought would be very relevant because they are chemistry students and we are not. These plans will all be verified before we leave Nicaragua.
Despite the huge successes in Managua, I’m really happy to be back home in Sabana Grande. It is so much cleaner, cooler, and more relaxed. Since then, we’ve been running tests during the day, going to soccer games after work, and usually watching the craze soap opera, Madre Luna, at night. We did some tests on the dry heat design with a ketchup bottle as a container, painted black on 1/3 of the side. It reached 124C, which is decent considering all of the clouds. We then switched to testing a pressure cooker inside of a solar autoclave. Unfortunately, while all around the pot has reached around 130C, the inside air has not broken 100C. Most days, it is cloudy more than it is sunny, and recently it has been raining the majority of the day. In fact, I heard it is a hurricane… is that true, and what’s its name?
Computer classes have continued to go well, including more adults. We’ve even taught a special class to the community teacher a couple times. There’s a program called TypeFaster that has come in handy for teaching typing. In fact, I let my mom and sisters use it when I have my computer at home at night if it has batteries. Although, everyone is much more inclined to listen to music in iTunes or look at my pictures. 
I took my sisters and a friend into town last Saturday to set up email accounts and use them. It was fun, and I think they’ll keep using it to keep in touch!
At work, besides testing, I’ve been forging ahead on a Spanish and English brochure for Salud del Sol. It will be really handy when we meet with interested organizations the first week of August.
There was a Canadian Priest who said Mass on Sunday. He was really crazy and animated, and I actually remember him from last time. He travels around periodically to all of the Churches to say Mass and bless the Eucharist. I don’t think anyone around me could quite follow all of his Spanish, but he’s really fun to listen to.
Monday was my first Tienda Verde… a store where the women can shop once a month, using their hours or money to buy donated goods. A kid around my age, Joel, bought your glove and baseball, Joey… I know you wanted to know . Tuesday was the despedida party for Matt, Dan, C.J. and Jenny. There were a lot of games, including pin the tail on the donkey, and a lot of cultural dances and skits. It ended with tacos…mmm!
My family has not had lights all week because there hasn’t been any sun to charge their solar system, so we’ve generally been going to bed pretty early, after a good conversation under the moonlight.
Thursday, I taught a class on how to do temperature testing with a DaqPRO system to some highschoolers. It was a good first overview, and they were pretty interested in helping us and other volunteers with further testing. We also put in an order this week for a miniature solar cooker to try a different dry heat model. I ordered a big Fresnel lens online, 40cm x 40cm, to see how much it could heat up a really small cooker. We’ll have to hope it arrives, unbroken.
Friday, Anna and I were invited to a little boy, Angel’s, fifth birthday party, because we both have younger sisters who were also invited. Another volunteer had bought a piñata and a cake, and it was really fun even though it rained the whole time. Lots of music and dancing. The kids are significantly calmer about piñatas here… even offering each other their candy they gathered. Friday night, the Canadians invited us to SkyDancing Discoteca in Ocotal, which was really fun dancing.
Yesterday, a group of us climbed Cerro Grande, my favorite mountain that I watch every night in our backyard. It was quite a steep, muddy climb, but there was the most gorgeous view from the top that made it all worth it!
Then, last night, we ate at Alejandra and Marcio’s house to say goodbye to C.J. and Jenny. They fly out tomorrow, after volunteering here together for a whole year! I’m really sad to see them go…they were so helpful and fun! But, so goes life… people pass in and out, and we can only appreciate the moments we have.
- Lori
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hey Lori-
I hope the weather imnproves so you can have light again. ! IT sounds like things are starting to come together. We miss you. take care- MRs. mcIlvaine