Manandona, Ampefy, Mahavelona, and Ambohijauauannoaro

 As always, picture overload!  It is hard to leave out any pictures (but I did, I promise!)  We have been busy and I am very behind on posting the events of September and October!  I hope I can catch up soon - I have several water source inspection trips, a dental project, and emergency fire project, and the beginning work on the NRT project!  You may be tired of reading my stuff before I ever get done :)!!

We spent time in Manandona visiting with the Branch President (Ritza) and the District President (Mampy).

We also visited with the Water Committee and toured some of the Water Stations and the Washing Station.

                               Next we headed to Mahavelona!  It was a long drive - 3 hours on pretty good road and then 2 1/2 hours on this road!  Narrow, dusty, ruts, pot holes and CRAZY!!

Friendly villagers along the way!

Can you see the dust in the air and collecting on the truck?  It is red and really
builds up on the car!  When we got to the hotel later that evening, our suitcases
were covered in red dust - it even got inside!  Now when we travel with luggage, we tie it tightly
in a thick , black garbage bag! 

Upon arrival in Mahavelona, we met with the Water Committee and then toured the
repairs that the contractor had made.  I have a story about the "special" seeting
they gave us, but I cant fit it here :)!

It was Market Day and there were many people in "town"!  Above is one of the Water Stations.

This is the Latrine that was built during the project.

This is the sink by the Latrine, it was not
properly repaired!  It was not attached to the Latrine
and the pipes were not hooked up to water!

This cover should not have breaks in it.  The breaks
let animals, bugs, dirt and other bad things in.

This pipe should be burried below the surface.

You can see clean water coming out of this water station!  I get very excited when I see clean water!!

Many people followed with us and watched the whole process of checking the water!!

Next time we come, we will have hike up this mountain and check the water source!

The Mayors wife made a wonderful lunch for us!!

Here is bread, whole fish, 3 kinds of salads (pasta, potatoe, and bean and carrott).
I thought this was it and it was delicious so I had seconds on salad - then she brought rice,
sausage, roast, and more!  She served bottled water and Orange Fanta!  Fresh mango for dessert!

She gave us a Papya from her yard!  Yummy!

We drove to Ampefy to our hotel!  It was taking too long and we wanted to be off the
dirt road before dark.  We didn't make it and it was pretty late when we got to our hotel
but it was good to be out of the dark and out of the car!  The next morning we took pictures
of the beautiful Kavitah Hotel!

Lake Itasy

This is how our car looked!  Thick amounts of red dirt on the outside and in the back and on our luggage!

More Lake Itasy 

One more of the Lake and us :)!

The grounds were gorgeous and this white flower smelled wonderful!

I thought they were beautiful!  Gaby said the
water is low because this is the dry season.
If we come back after the rainy season, the
water will be 5 x thicker, heavier, faster!

 

The water falls are called Chute de Lily!  Must be named for our sweet granddaughter Lily Asay!

Driving again, this time to Ambohijauauannoaro.  We have a request to do a water project here
and want to check the source while we are in the area.

This kind man had traveled all the way to our
office to meet with us and turn in the request
for a water project for his village.  He was
very happy to see us!

We liked his sweatshirt!!

           

Passing through a pineapple field on our way to the source.

Very narrow ledge = fall left and go down a gully, fall right and roll down the mountain!

The water source - at last!

From here, we drove all the way back to Tana!  It was long and we were tired, but we had an eventful trip
and accomplished a lot!  We will be back to Mahavelona because the contractor did
not do a good job on the repairs.  Now we will have to contact him and ask him to do quality work and we will meet
him there to inspect it!
I LOVE our experiences, all the wonderful people we meet, and even our bumpy, crazy drives!

Besoa Footbridge

We were very excited to head back to the Antsirabe area!  This time we were going to have a Handover Ceremony for the Besoa Footbridge which began construction in August (or July?).

We brought Gaby along as our site monitor so that we could visit Monandona about a water project that was done there and then to go on to Mahavelona and check on the repairs made to a water project there.  Travel was great and we arrived just right!  We called the Senior couple there (Elder and Sister Tolman) and they came with us to watch the ceremony and to help with refreshments after.

It was fun to be where there are wider streets, fewer people, and posse posse again!

However, zebu and cows still do cross in the middle of town!

Out on the small, dusty road to Besoa we had to wait for the zebu cart to pull over.
There just isn't enough room for passing on these very narrow roads!

After an opening prayer, the Fokontany President gave a very nice welcoming
and a thank you for the Church to make it possible for the children to continue
going to school during rainy season by having a bridge to cross over!  Also, it will
allow many to attend church during the rainy season.  Without the bridge it is impossible to get across.

Next, the District President spoke.  He gave a wonderful talk!
I am so impressed with the leaders of the church in Madagascar!

You would never think it would be hard to cross this tiny sping, but this dry season.
They say during rainy season the water rises to the top of this bridge!

The contrctor (builder of the bridge) presented the plaque to the Fokontany President.

                     

When all was done at the bridge, it was time to set up the refreshments.
We invited everyone who was there - including the villagers.  It was a pretty big crowd
and I had only planned for 20, but there was plenty!  I had made brownies and we had peanuts,
candy, cookies, crackers, and drinks (orange fanta, water, and gasy water).

We headed back over the dusty, narrow, bumpy roads and made our way to Monandona.

The water station in Monandona was looking good and working well.

We met with some of the ward members to talk about a few issues and then with the
water committee to see if people are paying their fees and if repairs are being made.

That evening we had dinner with the Tolmans!  It was delicious and I loved their home!
Then styed the night at a hotel in Antsirabe and left early in the morning for Ampefy.

The drive was long!  But I loved the scenery!  We left at 5:30 am and people were already out and busy

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Next post will our 1st Ampefy/Mahavelona visit.