Many of you know that one of our current projects at the San Lorenzo Clinic is the construction of a new bodega. Bodega is one of those words in Spanish that just doesn’t have a good English word in translation. A bodega is basically a storage area – and in our specific case it will be like a storage building. Up until recently we had a bodega at the Clinic. It was made out of wood and in very poor condition. The floor boards had rotted, leaving a gaping hole – and it was often home to both snakes and rats. For years we have wanted to replace it – but have not had the funds or opportunity. This is what our old bodega looked like:
The old bodega at the San Lorenzo Clinic
This year our good friends from Southern Michigan offered to return to San Lorenzo to help with a project – and we knew just what to ask of them! But before we could build – we had to get rid of the old structure. So – we had a “minga” with our Clinic Employees.
The first stages of tearing down the old bodega
We first emptied out the bodega. Some things we threw away, and others we saved. And then we started the demolition work. In the picture above you can see the hole in the wooden floor. That was not part of tearing down the structure – that was the rotted out wood that had finally given way.
With all the walls down, Gonzalo began to tear down the support posts
Gonzalo took off the zinc roofing sheets, and then started on the support posts. While he and María Luisa continued, Nancy, Angelita, Carmen and I took the old nails out of the planks and made different piles out of the wood. Some we would be able to use again, and some was just garbage.
Everybody joined in the work!!
The pile that was left after Gonzalo pulled down the remaining supports
With everyone pitching in we made short work of tearing down the bodega. It only took us about two hours to go from the first picture to the last. The next day we sorted the rest of the wood and cleared everything from the site.
So our saga has begun! Check back to see the next step in the construction of our new bodega. I also have news on our week of eye surgery in February.
