As May 2013 came to a close, our “Seeds of Tomorrow” project began its seven week process to construct a seedling greenhouse for the community of Tactic. As employees from both Kubo Greenhouse Projects and Houweling’s Tomatoes flew down, we were greeted by bright faced Guatemalans eager to meet the strange people from Holland, Canada and the United States that were donating their time, money and sweat to help the community of Tactic.
After a bus ride, we arrived in Tactic mid-afternoon to meet with Les Peters, the founder of Impact Ministries for lunch before we were shown to our quaint guest house. It was clear everyone was eager to build and that the local community was excited about the project.
Every morning we were greeted by 15 enthusiastic Guatemalans with daily prayers, songs and some laughs from the Dutch team. Yet, when it came to building; it was all business. I could not believe the dedication from “Captain Eef,” the lead Kubo employee, from day one of the project. Eef along with the rest of his crew, worked through communication barriers to organize and safely construct the greenhouse. Many times you would hear the familiar sound of “Whoa Whoa Whoa” pitched across the construction site as Eef pointed out an item, a safety concern or something that needed the attention of everyone. The entire team was relentless in their effort to build, even to the point, that rain, thunder, lightning and the urging of Les were the only pressures strong enough to get us off the hill.
After the first week, the construction team was well on its way to having the foundation completed; concrete was mixed, shoveled and laid by hand. Every Guatemalan eagerly shoveled rock into the mixer, raced to get the next load or quickly dropped loads of concrete at the request of Rob. (the Dutch concrete man!) I was amazed to see the constant smiles on everyone’s face as we worked under the hot humid conditions at great speeds.
The second week of construction marked the next step; building the greenhouse structure. This created a new challenge as the experienced Kubo build team is used to having machines to lift the pillars, and were left to rely on sweat, muscle and the collective determination of our team. At one point, the Dutch guys were stumped by how to lift the first bracing structure and while discussing various ways to lift it; the resourceful Guatemalans had already come up with the solution. After a couple of “Whoa Whoa’s” from Eef, we were able to erect the first pillar and everyone quickly realized the different tasks that needed to be completed. Even with the communication barriers, everyone was on the same page and quickly erected the structure.
The progress made in such a short time was amazing as Houweling’s, Kubo and Guatemalans worked very hard to fulfill the vision of creating a self-sustained agricultural program that empowers local Guatemalans. This project is truly a sign that there are great people, organizations and companies out there making a difference in the world that we live.
I have to end with thanking the Kubo team for their incredible efforts. Without Eef, William, Maurice, Rob and Kubo, this project would not be nearly as successful. They are an amazing group of people and their work will largely improve the ability of Les and Impact Ministries’ Schools to make a lasting difference in the area.
With that said, this project is far from complete and we still need your help to continue the incredible and noble work that is being done in Tactic.
Please consider making a tax deductible donation to ensure a bright, healthy future for the children who touched are hearts.
Click the appropriate link to be directed to a secure donation page:
US Donations
Canadian Donations
(select “Houweling’s Seeds of Tomorrow Project” in the fund designation drop-down box)
Blessings,
Kyle Stephenson
Marketing Specialist
Houweling’s Tomatoes
