First, the good news. My friend D-ho just pledged some awesome equipment for the computer center project:

• four fast, big machines (including a linux server and a Mac)
• two BIG flat-panel monitors
• scanner
• printer
• nice CRT monitor
• tons of other stuff

Go Team Hogan! Now, the bad news. I went over to the school today, and they were really excited to show me what they have in the computer classrom as of Friday: 16 brand-new Dell workstations, still in their crisp cardboard boxes!

This puts me in a quandry. I am, of course, very happy for them that the government suddenly came through and they have their computers. At the same time, I am a bit put out that my friends, associates, family, etc. have done so much work so far for a project that is now totally superfluous. OK, maybe more accurate to say “mad as hell”, but I am getting over it. I keep hearing that Guatemala is like that: promises and schedules are meaningless; some stuff never shows up, other stuff happens when you are certain it never will. This country teaches patience and resignation to fate. To an organization freak like me, it is pure torture.

So, now I have to decide the next step. It seems a shame to waste all the work thus far, but I don’t want to throw good money after bad by shipping a bunch of nonessential equipment thousands of miles to Guatemala.

• One idea I had is to switch the focus of the project, and work on getting their new computer center networked and connected to the internet. The installation technician is coming wednesday to set their classroom up, so this will depend upon what he is bringing with him.
• Another idea is to ask my other volunteer buddies if THEY can use all the equipment I’ve collected back in the states.

I am open to any suggestions anyone might want to propose. Encouraging words are also welcome.