The fire never dies

Rowo, Petungkriyono - Semi-squatting on a stool in the semi-darkness of the kitchen lit only by a dust covered fluorescent tube and the flames from the wood stove, it seems that the fire here is kept perpetually alive, providing warmth, and more importantly, keeping a fresh supply of water boiling, and providing the necessary heat to cook the simple but eca cooking by Bu Bahu.

In a flash, it has already been 2 weeks since arriving in Rowo to carry out the Social Action Internship Program, if not for the fact that as sub-unit treasurer I had to keep track of dates to make payment for the living expenditure every fortnightly, I probably would not have bothered to count, nor realise how fast time is flying by. I guess having the days filled with activities (from construction of the simple prototype biogas unit, to having a hand at being a farmer, to being teacher to a whole gaggle of kids) certainly helps in the acceleration of the time spent here.

Life here has also somewhat adapted to the local rhythm of things. Waking up in the mornings to the chorus of crowing, birds chirping, etc, having breakfast together, then splitting up to run our various programs. Construction of the biogas unit has finally reached its apex, with all the physical components completed and now in place, all that is left is to start the process of mixing the cow dung and pouring it into the digester unit and wait 14-21 days to see if all the time, effort, and while not particularly large but is still money spent is worth it after all.

For the sake of our kind sponsors and donors, and also the people here in Rowo, I hope that it is a success.