For some reason in February each year, I always think about the greatest gift you can give yourself is to take care of your heart. Now, I know certain years I am better than others about taking care of myself, but this year I began thinking about another gift that can be given…an ONIL fuel efficient stove.
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| This is a traditional fire used to cook on in a home. We could still feel the heat from the morning fire. Some of the ash is taken from the old fire and spread on top of the pumice that is put in the ONIL stove. The ash helps to seal the pumice so it doesn't burn. |
Just picture… a room the size of a bedroom with a campfire going in it. Can you imagine the smoke? The walls are black from the soot. The smell of smoke is overwhelming. Now, add in a couple of young children in the room. Or imagine always needing to bend over to do your cooking over a campfire with a child strapped on your back – I know it would take a toll on my back after a while.
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| Angela, Tara, & Carlos installing an ONIL stove in San Antonio Palopo. There were two young girls that lived in this home. |
The ONIL stove (plancha type) makes an amazing difference to the families that receive them! First, it cuts down on respiratory issues as the smoke from the stove is directed out of the house through a metal pipe. The World Health Organization has estimated that 1 in 5 children do not live to see their 5th birthday in Guatemala. The number one cause is respiratory issues due to breathing in the heavy smoke!
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| One of the young girls that would be benefitting from the ONIL stove. There was an amazing view of Lake Atitlan and the volcanos from the home. |
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| Two volunteers putting the stove pipe and mesh wire protector together. This will vent the smoke and dangerous gas out of the house. |
Second, burns are reduced as there isn’t an open fire for children and adults to fall into (or have their skirt or hair catch fire…or get popped in the eye with a spark).
Third, as it needs less wood, it cuts down on deforestation by 60-70%, which also results in less cost to families or less time to collect wood. There are other benefits, such as a larger cooking surface and the decreased need to be continually bent over the fire. Carbon monoxide emissions are reduced from 160 ppm to 3-5 ppm (in the United States 15ppm is considered “poor” and less than 9ppm is considered “good)).
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| Installing the pipe that will vent the smoke to the outside of the home. |
The ONIL stoves can be life-savers! Just think - 11 concrete blocks, 3 precast concrete pieces, several adobe bricks, a metal chamber and stove pipe, a bag of pumice, and a metal top – can increase quality of life, but most importantly save lives! The cost for 1 ONIL stove is just $160 (and is tax deductible).
Our goal is to install 30 stoves this summer – and change the lives of 150-300 people in the process! We have already received funding specifically targeted for 6 stoves. Please consider a gift of a stove in honor of someone you love this year. Or maybe a Sunday School Class or a Book Club could get together and sponsor a stove.
We would be more than happy to take a card to the family that receives the stove you donate. Families enjoy getting a picture of the group that donated the stove to them. After the trip this summer, we will also provide you pictures and a write-up on the family that receives it. Even, if you can’t donate an entire stove, think about a “portion” of the stove…
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| We watched many families carry heavy loads of materials to their homes. This wasn't an easy climb and the materials were very heavy! |
Matt & I have installed these on a past trip to Guatemala. They take about an hour to two hours to bring the materials to the house and install. It is humbling to go into a person’s home and help them in such a profound way. It is inspiring to see a woman crouched on the dirt floor scrubbing the metal top with pride for 20-30 minutes with rain water she has collected. It is heartwarming to make a connection with a family across language and cultural barriers…Please consider making a donation…we would love to have 5 more stoves donated in the month of February!
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| A woman utilizing an ONIL stove to cook tortillas and beans for the San Antonio Palopo Preschool. |
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| Putting the pumice into the stove. The adobe brick heat chamber is on the right. |
More information can be found at:
Here is a great video that shows one of the villages that we work in...and installed stoves last summer. It is a village built on the side of the lake, and it is a workout to just climb up through the village. It also shows information about weaving, making tortillas, and the ONIL stoves.
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