Traveling again

Hey all,
Tomorrow, Andy and I are catching a bus to head out to Jericoacoara again for the weeekend. Considering it's like $10US a piece for a 3 or 4 hr bus ride, I think we can afford it :o) This time we'll take a bus part way and then be in the back of a truck for like an hour, but hey *shrug. We'll take what we can get.

We've started designing the waste water system we're going to install at Banco de Mudas. It's a little bit intimidating. I'm not the expert here, Andy is. So often I just function as the translator, which can be difficult when we're talking in technical terms, but it's all working out. God is taking care of us. Andy and I were sitting in the office, and I came to the realization that I need to do some of the tests that I learned at the Waste Water Treatment Plant in Spokane in order to really create a working digester system. At that moment Ricardo (the guy in charge) came in and introduced us to a couple students from one of the local universities. They went on to say (in Portuguese of course) "hey, we're students from the environmental lab at CENTEC. If you need to do any experiments you should come on over. Our professora is picking us up right now if you want to talk to her".

Amazing huh? It's not like anyone understood the conversation between Andy and I, it just happened perfectly. So, we talked with the Professor, and Tuesday we're getting a tour of the lab so I can do some tests on the water (shout out to my friends at the WWTP, you know what tests I'll be doing. Wish you could see this water, it's grosser than any PINF I've ever seen!)

So, it's all working out, one way or another. It's really scary, being considered experts on something, but the truth is we're not working alone. We just need to ask for help. There are so many people here who are more knowledgable about this stuff than we are. It's great to make relationships with them and learn from them.

We're still missing the mountains, but we're falling into a routine here, which is nice. We'll go back soon. John and the people there are organizing a mass for March 1st (maybe I already wrote about this, I'm not sure), to "resurrect" the community. So at the latest we'll be back for that.

So, we'll be on the beach this weekend. John's German cousin Heinz is visiting. It'll be nice to have someone to speak to in English (especially for Andy). You should have seen Andy the other day. We were on a school bus back from Serrinha, and two college students who are studying English talked with him the whole way back to Sobral. It was the happiest I'd seen him in a while (not that he's unhappy). He's doing so well. His Portuguese gets better every day, and he understands everything I say when I'm speaking. But it's still hard to understand other people. Good thing I know exactly how he's feeling :o)

So, we love you all, and can't wait to hear from you! Feel free to post comments here on the blog or email us caitlinelder25@gmail.com andy.elder@gmail.com

Beijos