In December of 2009 Ben, Natasha and their children Spencer, Sterling and Grace made a visit to the village a few days after Christmas. They shared plenty of the traditional Peruvian Christmas cake and hot chocolate with the people.
They had come to Pirca to work and Javier had helped plan the construction of a community oven. As is always the case when we do a project in Pirca, Javier had rallied the people to help build the base for the oven before Ben and Natasha arrived.
Even Felix and Alcira got into the act by helping to haul bricks down to the construction site. For those of you who have been to Pirca you know this is not an easy task. They start from the campsite and hauled them all the way to the location of the model home at the back of the village.
Natasha and Grace prepare the cactus goop to add to the mud.
Ben and Spencer help bring dirt and rocks to fill the base of the oven.
Grace and Felipe's wife doing the mud dance.
Sterling hauling materials.
Sergio finishing the oven floor while Javier and Ben survey the work in preparation to go verticle with the bricks.
Spencer and Grace help with more mud. It takes a large quantity to finish a project like this.
Ben and Javier discuss best methods for building the opening to the oven.
The opening is up. Ben and Spencer start laying out bricks.
The first course of bricks! Sergio provided a lot of expertise in helping this project.
Making progress. Grace smoothing the sides with mud.
Almost there. These are the kind of people that don't mind getting their feet and hands dirty.
Topping out the mud.
Thank you Ben, Natasha and family for your hard work. What an incredible addition to the community. We will send pictures of the first loaf of bread after the oven is cured and ready to fire up.
Simeona, Ben,Zacarias, Grace, Felix (feet in head out), Sterling, Alex, Felipe, and Spencer
