Life In The Field

Tom Rizzotti

I decided to go to Guatemala because of my daughter Candice’s experience with GVI and her involvement in the Stove Project. Before she left for Guatemala in January, she approached me and my brother Philip to see if we would help build the first batch of stoves. We were very excited and nervous, as we did not know what to expect. Our biggest concern was that we would be able to make a difference when we were there. We left on Wednesday February 15th, arriving at Guatemala airport at night. The next day when we woke up and walked around Antigua we were awed by what a lovely city it is.

Our favorite part of the trip however started the following day when we headed to the bus stop and the ride on the famous Chicken buses. At the bus stop we met a bunch of volunteers from GVI heading up to Itzapa. It was so nice to see how excited and happy they were to be there and help the kids in the town. The first person we met in Itzapa was Elena. She is so gracious, really a wonderful lady.

We were able to meet some families who had already received stoves which allowed us to see what an impact the stoves really have; especially when you then see what they had been cooking on before. We could see very easily how bad the problem was before the stoves were installed. The walls in the kitchens were completely black from the smoke caused by open fires and it was upsetting to think that kids actually sat in that room while a fire is going and breathed in that air. We loved being a part of helping fight that.

Meeting the mason was a lot of fun, especially since we speak no Spanish and he speaks no English. At first we feared we would need a translator for the week, but we found our own ways to communicate and enjoyed learning the basic words we would need. The mason and his assistant also seemed to really enjoy our company and they were both very helpful and informative. By the end of the week we found ourselves joking around with them and learning a great deal from each other.

Finding our way to the site each day was an adventure and we teased Elena about how we had to walk up and down these very steep hills and we never knew when we would get there. But we made it and the first thing we noticed were the kids who lived there and their friends. They are so wonderful, always smiling and laughing, wanting a chance to say hi, and see what you were doing and try to help. They are so beautiful, so innocent, so happy, always dressed in colorful outfits. The children were definitely one of the biggest highlights of the trip. At the site there were also dogs, cats, chickens, roosters, everything; which made for a more exciting experience.

The home owners, the kids’ parents always wanted to help and express extreme gratitude in what we were doing. The father of the lady who owned the house actually dug out dirt that we needed to fill inside the stove and cut all our blocks with a machete. It was hard for them to understand we were there to help and not expecting anything in return. It meant a lot to my brother and myself to know we were doing something that is really going to help them.

We ended up completing the first stove in about 2 days. It took a while, as we had to understand the cement mixture, cut some tiles, and generally learn how everything is done as it was a very different process from masonry at home. It was a new experience but there was a very nice instruction package, with page by page detailed illustrations and measurements. We were amazed to find that at the end of the construction we had used almost every single piece of material. Not one block or brick left over. Talk about making the best of your resources!

Another highlight was eating lunch with Elena and her family. They welcomed us into their home and offered us some traditional food including delicious tortillas. Elena had so much pride in her town, her family and the projects so it was a joy to listen (with the help of someone translating) to her speak about these things. Other days we ate at the site and were offered lunch, snacks or drinks from the families. Another way they showed their gratitude. It was those gestures that made us feel welcome.

At the end of our work we had time for some wonderful sightseeing and rest. We got to see a few ruins and another nearby village. We enjoyed the very lively culture and the lifestyle that is so different from ours. Guatemala is a very bright and beautiful country.

We had a wonderful experience and as mentioned above the children were exceptional and amazed me and my brother. It was touching how incredibly appreciative of the work each homeowner was. We were not sure what to expect, but we get a lot from the experience and will never forget it. We are grateful that we were able to help and share in the great work GVI is doing with this stove project.