VIM Trip to  Castañer, Puerto Rico
Ten volunteers from three district churches spent nine days in the mountains of Castañer, Puerto Rico, January 8-16, 2004.

Who were these volunteers?
Lowell, Connie, and Amy Peterson -- Perry UMC
Ed Williams -- Perry UMC
Gil Claudio -- Perry UMC
John King -- Jefferson UMC
Larry and Kelly Sohn -- The Mayfield Heights Church
Jerry and Nancy Dickerson -- The Mayfield Heights Church









What were they up to down there?
• A solar hot water system consisting of 4 solar panels, a pressure tank, a 120 gallon hot water tank, a 600 gallon water reservoir, and a pump were installed on the main building roof.
• A Roto Rooter was used to clear out the sewer pipe form the toilets to the hospital airated sewer system.



• Many man and woman hours were spent fixing nagging plumbing leaks and broken toilets.  A large 150 gallon leak flooded the downstairs floor and kept them mopping, and mopping, and mopping...drying out the floor.
• A painting crew worked on several buildings.
• Morning and Noon meals were served by our kitchen crew.
• The flower beds that we planted last year were weeded.
• But, the most important job of all was witnessing to the people of the community.






In the picture above, the group is at a farm in the mountains near Castañer.  They have been drinking fresh coconut milk.  The picture to the right is the group loading into the church van to go to the airport in San Juan (all 10 members, plus their luggage and the van driver! - Luckily it was a short trip!)  Below is a waterfall in the El Yunque rain forest where the group visited.