Ipeti Intrigue

Too adorable not to be the lead photo

If you’re a little kid in Ipeti, Panama, you have no TV or video games or even much in the way of toys. So, you go out with your brothers and sisters and make your fun. In this case, it was knocking mangoes out of the tree. The brothers did most of the throwing and poking, but the girls collected the fruit and retrieved the throwing sticks. It looked

like great fun and they even got a few mangoes. And a mango hat (left).

Kitchen sink and counter top

Just 6 weeks after they broke ground, the new house for the newly-wed brother and his bride is complete !! Some last minute touches included a vent in the bathroom (good thinking) and a wash basin on the back porch to minimize grime inside. Total cost was just around $5,000 , as they had estimated. Turns out, they already owned the land, so

Front door on and locked. BAM !! DONE !!

that it. No mortgage, but still some tile work and painting. The couple moves in this week, with furniture gifts from others in the family.

Sections of palm tree make excellent seats

A big old palm tree had to be taken down in Ipeti. But nothing went to waste – the fronds were used for roof thatch. Trunk sections make great seats or stepladders. They even made some slabs from near the base for table tops, which with be covered in resin.

Or a non-OSHA approved step ladder

The community work party finished the thatch on the new Casa Comunal (meeting hall) today and hope to finish the floor this afternoon. Meanwhile, a group of ladies cleaned the elementary school. Wouldn’t it be nice to have such community spirit in the US?

Another fine group of Global Brigades volunteers showed up to work on the Bano units in Ipeti. This group was from UNC Chapel Hill. After a class on general sanitation and composting toilet 101 from Prof Goyo and a brief walk to point out interesting features, they went right to

work.

My good friend Don Pablo couldn’t believe my camera would make movies. So, I took one of him and showed it to him. I only wish I had video of him watching it !! Like a little kid .     Click here for video

I couldn’t resist this scene of thatched roofs with 3 big Ciebo trees in the background. Near Huancucho, Panama, just off the PanAm Hwy.