Loma Leita is a small village on a "hill" above the town of Amatitlan. I put quotes around "hill" because Loma Leita literally translates "cute hill," but this is no hill. It is a mountain. This village does not have access to clean water. In fact, they do not really have access to water at all. There was once a well that serviced them. The pump in this well would be turned on once every eight days allowing the people to fill their personal water reservoirs with water that would have to last them until the pump was turned back on. Unfortunately, the well caved in due a mud slide caused by tropical storm Agatha. During the rainy season they were able to collect rain water that they ran through a UV light to kill any bacteria that might have gotten in, but now that the rainy season is over they need another source of water. Thursday Bob and I took a 300 gallon load of water to them. Monday we took another. The water is stored at the school and school was in session, so I did not take any pictures of the delivery operation, but I did get a few pictures of the purification process at the house as well as some scenic pictures on the way there and back.
300 Gallons
The water comes unclean from the yard hose.
This apparatus takes salt water and converts it to chlorine gas and Sodium Hydroxy (NaOH). The chlorine gas is added to the water up to 5 parts per million. This kills any bacteria and parasites in the water.
These are houses that these villagers live in.
This picture was taken from the road going down the mountain.
The local Assemblies of God church.
Today we went to Pastores, another village. These people lost there homes to a mud slide caused by Agatha. Bob and Georgette's church, Iglesia del Camino, is now building some small metal houses for the villagers. Bob and I helped put in some drainage piping and then helped fill in the ditches.
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