The Big Idea Guys

Last week, our final week in Pisco, was busy as usual at PSF and with a record number of volunteers, various projects were underway. On Tuesday I worked with a team putting together a modular home for a woman and her three children. She shared with us her Tsunami story and considered herself lucky as while she was at home alone that day, treading in water up to her neck, she was secure in the knowledge that her three boys were safe on higher ground at school.

As you can see, it was 'safety first' while somewhat creative as we managed to put the roof on without a ladder...

Meanwhile Troy, Will, and Dipper, having had their water supply line trenching plan foiled due to lack of water pressure, were drumming up plans of their own. All planning to leave at the end of the week, they brainstormed ways to make their last few days in Pisco count the most. The El Molino community had plans to build a medical aid station (see previous blog), and Dipper being a contractor by trade, Troy the supplier of plenty of brawn and Will being the Spanish speaker of the group, they decided that between the three of them, all that was missing to get this project going was the funds. While fundraising was in progress for the project including raffles, fundraising lunches, and a fundraising appeal website, there just weren't enough funds yet to get it off the ground.

Though Harold (PSF director) was hesitant at first, having been burned in the past by empty promises, the boys convinced him that between the efforts of the three of them (and their lovely significant others ofcourse, Jocelyn, Lara and myself!), enough money could be raised to fast track this project asap.

And so, thanks to volunteers, family and friends, the fundraising target for the medical aid station was exceeded, allowing excess funds to be allocated to the future child care centre and the provision of blankets. Wow, there are no words. The generosity is overwhelming!

The eyes of the community leader welled up on Wednesday morning as we pulled up to the site, loaded with cement and a concrete mixer in tow. By Wednesday afternoon, under the watchful eye of Dipper, and thanks to the hard work of ten or so volunteers, a concrete pad had been poured.

Thursday, the lumber supplies to prefabricate the building had been purchased from a neighboring town and after a ride back to Pisco on the back of a flat bed semi-truck (again with 'safety first'), some pre-cutting was done by the light of the moon to get a jump start on Friday construction.

Friday was a long and busy day but by the time we had to leave to catch our plane in Lima, most of the walls had been pre-fabricated, ready to be erected on Saturday morning.

What a team! So many thanks!