[asofenix.org...] -- Although not the most distant of the service locations, Candelaria is certainly the most remotely-located in terms of access. Ali Gotwals, Liz Gunden, Gina Richards and John Williamson live in the campo (country), and getting to their community involves a bumpy 2-hour ride into the mountains northeast of Managua followed by a 20-minute walk when the river is too high to get across in a vehicle (as it was the day we visited).

The 300-member community of Candelaria has been the site of several renewable energy projects coordinated by AsoFenix, a Nicaraguan NGO whose focus is sustainable rural development. The day we visited, the students had just begun collecting "raw materials" for a biodigester, which uses the methane produced by decomposing animal manure to provide gas for cooking. The Nicas got a chuckle out of watching four cheerful norteamericanos head down to the pasture with shovels and buckets!

Most of the students´ work is physically demanding, the living conditions are rustic, and daily activities center around meeting basic needs such as food, water and shelter. On the other hand, Ali, Liz, Gina and Jonathan report that they have lots of time to think, chat with family and community members, enjoy the natural beauty around them, and play with the many children who follow them around all day.