Trip to El Jocote, Nicaragua in December 2011!
July 18, 2011
Greetings Potential Nicaragua Trip Participant!
Last fall, Havurah raised the money and now the water is flowing in El Jocote, Nicaragua!
Havurah is organizing a trip this December to visit the community that recently installed the solar water pumping system that is bringing water to their households. This service project trip is being organized for interested folk to visit Nicaragua with Green Empowerment.
Green Empowerment is our own Portland based nonprofit whose mission is: providing rural communities in the developing world with access to clean water, electricity from renewable energy, and sustainable solutions.
Highlights of this trip are:
• Meeting with AsoFenix staff, Green Empowerment’s local partner who work with communities to use renewable energy in ways that improves lives .
• Homestays with families in the villages we visit, experiencing/participating in daily life’s chores, activities, and conversations.
• Service projects that will focus on tree planting and constructing improved cookstoves, and/or greywater reuse stations for patio gardens.
• Learning about solar powered water pumping, irrigation, and community micro-hydropower systems.
• Relax and explore some of Nicaragua’s best geological and natural resource destinations, such as a volcano national park (Masaya), or having a beach day in San Juan del Sur.
Trip dates: Arrival in Managua December 26th, Departure January 3rd.
Trip cost is $750 plus cost of airfare and trip insurance. Because this trip will be benefitting a nonprofit, 60% of the $750, or $450, is tax deductible. Scholarship money is available. Optimum size of the group is 10 participants.
Want to join us? Click for the registration form
Requirements of the trip: open mind, interest in connecting with others of a different culture, flexible to accomodate to different situations that are different from your usual daily life, understanding that El Jocote is not connected to roads and requires a 45 minute hike in to reach. (Accomodations can be made to assist those who are unable to walk this distance.)
Homestays will be basic, but comfortable. Many of the homes have dirt floors, the group will be separated into smaller pods in El Jocote for the homestays and each pod will have someone with them familiar with Spanish and/or the community. Expect to sleep in a cot or basic bed, have rustic style bucket dip and pour baths, eat lots of bean and rice, use pit latrines, and practice your Spanish (fluency not required).
All ages are welcomed! And a chaperone will be provided for anyone under 18 and not accompanied by a parent.
Interested? To reserve your spot on this trip, fill in the application along with a $250 nonrefundable deposit. Full payment should be made by November 4th. While the deposits of $250 will be counted as part of the total trip fee, they will be unrefundable in the event you need to cancel, and become a donation to Green Empowerment. Sorry, refunds for the final payment can only be given if another participant is found to take your place. This final $450 payment will then become a donation to Green Empowerment, and may be used for trip costs if needed.
In the event that the trip is cancelled by Green Empowerment, all payments will be refunded to you.
Questions? Contact: Judy Arielle Fiestal: 503-248-1963; Linda Boise, 503-221-4907
Ready for a Slow Paced Davening Adventure?
July 12, 2011
Join us on Shabbat morning on July 23rd at 10:00 am. The service will be “contemplative” and will emphasize awareness, gratitude and reflection. Led by Susan Brenner, the morning will be full of songs, chants, kavannot (intentions), niggunim (lai, lai, lai. . .) and guided meditation that will open your heart and mind to the source of all.
J.D. Kleinke will lead his own composition of a Jewish kirtan (call and response) style rendition of the prayer, Ma Tovu.
In a shortened Torah service (three aliyot chanted by Arleen Slive, Michele Goldschmidt and Len Shapiro), Len will lead a drash on the Torah portion, Matot.
If the traditional service isn’t your cup of tea, try this one for something different!
For lunch, please bring any type of salad, appetizers, kosher fish, veggies, fruits, bagels, spreads and dips, or dessert.
