Los Mecanicos

This past week I have spent all my spare time with the Mechanics: my Dad and his friend, Howard Giesbrecht. Team Mecanicos came with the sole purpose of repairing the Impact Ministries' vehicles. I hung out with them, helping translate, read directions, pass tools and parts, and do random other things like scrub paint off lights and hold the oil funnel. Now the teachers, short term teams, and others in the Ministry can ride in peace, without fear of vehicle breakdown. Ignorance is bliss, though, and I have the same peace as I did before, only that before there were lots of things wrong (breaks, shocks, plugged filters, etc) and I was totally unaware of any of it. Now I have peace because I know that the battery connections have been cleaned, the oil has been changed, the filters have been replaced, and all the major problems have been attended to. Thank you Dad and Howie! They also serviced the 2 big school buses that they had brought down last February (2010). They have been sitting, unused, in the Peters' yard because the Ministry has been unable to get license plates for them. Last week we received the final paper that is necessary to get plates, and within a couple weeks we should have the buses up and running! It has been a crazy week, juggling vehicles around so they can all be serviced in one week by Los Mecanicos. Here are some pictures from the Mechanic Shop.

Team Mecanicos: Howard Giesbrecht, Gord Wiens, and Juan Garcia

Dad pressure washing the underside of the Land Cruiser while Howie inspects the batteries

Teamwork, loosening a tight filter (or something like that)

Working on Carry 4 (My nickname has become Carry 5)

Juan Garcia was so helpful and learned a lot...about repairing and maintaining vehicles, as well as a lot of English

Julie learning about all the things wrong with her car. Oh that's why it makes this noise!

Julie and Tim hanging out, watching the mechanics at work

Referring to the online manual. Instructions do help, right Dad?

"Coffee" break (that's a coffee plant in the Peters' backyard)

Dad and Howie bought a pressure washer in Guatemala City. It came in so handy.

When they asked for ramps to put the buses up on, this is what they got: piles of gravel. Okay, we'll make it work.

Fixing the door...with specific door-fixing tools (plank and hammer)

The STOP signs on the Peters' driveway

Dad making friends with the guard before stealing the STOP signs

Les, trying to figure out if it's worth it to take the STOP signs off the gate to put them back where they belong.

Dad, more than excited about the electrical work getting the lights and signs working again

The lights were painted over with black to drive the buses for non-school purposes getting them down here. Now that they will be used as school buses again, the paint can be wiped off.

Me being translator for Howie and Juan in town

Me being as much help as I can without my own coveralls

Hungry mechanics need to do their share of the dishes too