Shashemene, Ethiopia Saturday, June 17, 2006 5 PM (11:00 Ethiopian time)

This is the first opportunity I’ve had to send an e-mail. We are in a crossroad "metropolis" an hour's drive south of where we are camped and are spending a night for R&R at the S. Rift Valley Hotel here in Shashemene. You might be able to find this place on the atlas. We have been at the project site at Kumudu, on what is locally called the Huluka River, since arriving last Sunday. Pinky and I share our own tent next to a field. The 9 students, 4 women, 5 men, share 2 tents. All are safe and sound and in good health. The week has been unforgettable for many reasons, and I think of the TV show 24 for all the cliff hangers we've had, and unfortunately I can't get in to great detail about them now because the connection here is very slow and I have limited time at this internet cafe. The people of Kumudu are most friendly and very poor, subsiding on crops they grow from their collective gardens. Our plan was to install a ram pump at the river and deliver water to a tank 80 feet or so above the river to a tank to be constructed there. Because of the flow in the river, this being the start of the wet weather season of the year, the plan was to build a sand bag dam to divert the river water. When we arrived, we started the 4th attempt and spent all week on it. It was much work for all, digging soil by hand from near the river, filling 100 kg bags, transporting them and piling them up. The students thought that placing a corrugated steel "membrane" in the middle of the dam would help maintain the integrity of the dam. The site is below rocks and a ravine. I didn't know the characteristics of the ravine when I started this, and I don't think anyone did. Well, Friday night after lunch a far off rainstorm created a wall of water I've never seen before, with a roar that could be heard far away. It was reminiscent of what I've seen in the Grand Canyon. This wall of water struck the dam and tore it apart, destroying a week's work of 60 or so villagers and us. Following the event, we reconned the site, and I walked up reach of the ravine. Needless to say, I concluded from what I saw of the storm surge that nothing permanent can be built in the flood plain of this river. Last evening was not a happy one. Our local Engage Now Foundation rep, Jack Williams (who is 74 years in age) brought some beer to our camp last night to help us commiserate. We are evaluating our plan for delivering water to irrigate the fields for the community and are looking into several options, including a setup that includes a removable pump that would be in place only during the dry season, and a siphon to deliver water from an upstream location that is higher in elevation than the proposed tank. We have been eating cooked vegetables all week. The food has been good, but we may be losing a little weight. We will be having a steak dinner this evening for sure, and a sound sleep in a bed. I'll try and write again soon, but doubt it will be much less than a week from now. I will try and read your e-mails but with limited time may not be able to until returning to the States. Nagatti!