“Bring the water down..”, pt. 3
Groundbreaking
When we arrived at Ti Jonas the next morning, the work crew was already there, had carried all the tools to the site, and was ready to begin working. Carl reviewed the plans once more with our foreman, Johnny, and once we were all on the same page about what needed to be done, physical work began. Using pick-axes and shovels, the crew began excavating the site, and making the site ready for a new, larger spring box.
Progress on the site moved along at a steady place, with plenty of obstacles and unforeseen adversity along the way. Before long, stone retaining walls were in place, and the site was starting to look like what we had planned on paper. Each day the progress on the site was noted, plans were reviewed, and careful records were kept of expenditures, level of completion, and whatever issues surfaced. because this is a pilot program, not only do we expect to encounter problems, we endeavor to learn from them, and hone our operations for future projects.
Progress
By the second week the concrete cover over the main basin was being poured, and the concrete supports from the roof were already in place. After procuring the corrugated roofing and necessary lumber, it wasn’t long before the roof was in place, and the finishing steps were being done. We just needed to rent a donkey to haul some of the heavier materials up the hill. The hard work, patience, flexibility, and sheer determination was starting to pay off. Just days before our departure, a new Ti Jonas, almost completely renovated, could be found after the long hike. The workmanship was above par for the locality, and the structure was something the local people were already starting to take pride in. Denise and Stephanie arrived a few days earlier, and were ready to take over the end portion of the project.