Six men from Bethel Reformed Church were on a mission trip to Siksayari, Nicaragua from Jan. 30-Feb.15. They were Ron Pronk, Dick Ruiter, Randy VanMaanen, Bill Sandbulte, Abe Westenberg and Pastor Dave Vander Leest.

The village of Siksayari was washed away in flooding resulting from Hurricane Mitch two years ago. The Reformed Church got involved two years ago, as a partner with IDSIM, the social concerns arm of the Moravian Church of Nicaragua. The goal of the project was to help them rebuild the almost 200 homes that were lost in the flood. The village had decided to relocate to a higher location along the Rio Coco. Four work groups were able to start the project in Jan-March 2000 when the project was put on hold because of travel difficulties. Work Groups resumed in October 2000. We were the 9th group to go this fall/winter. The 10th group is there right now. The RCA’s involvement in the project will come to a close when the 11th group leaves the middle of March.

The village is located on the River (Rio) Coco, which forms the border between Nicaragua and Honduras. Two portable saw mills have been set up on the river’s edge. The men of the village have to cut trees up river from the village, drag them to the river were they are float down the Rio Coco to the saw mills. After the trees are cut into 4x4’s, 2x4’s and one-inch boards of various widths and lengths, the lumber is divided up among the villagers for the building of their homes. They use “iron wood” trees for poles on which a 20’x20’ platform is built. The ironwood is very hard and resists rot and termites. A simple frame is built on this platform which is usually divided into four 10’x10’ rooms. Corrugated galvanized roofing is used for the roofs.

The work groups have been assisting the villagers in the building of their homes and have been helping to build a concrete block “medical clinic” for a doctor or nurse to use when they are available.