Rotary Drill Rig - Investment Capital Needed

When my family and I arrived in Honduras for "six months, maybe a little longer" we had every intention of returning home to pick up life where we had left off. Over six years later we are still here!

Not having planned on staying, we did not then, nor have we since, asked for financial support, but instead have supported ourselves since the day we arrived through our own savings and through business.

Starting with our language school, the Spanish Institute of Honduras, we have now grown to five separate businesses. Inversiones Wolfe Honduras began as a distributorship of Sawyer water filters and now encompasses a whole range of water filters, well drilling products, water pumps, and more. Our retail store will be opening soon in Siguatepeque with Grundfos Pumps being our main product line.

In October of 2015 we received a loan through the Camino Foundation  using funds donated by a wealthy Texas businessman to purchase a Bucyrus Erie 22W cable tool rig. With the purchase of that rig, Pozos para Todos was created and is the well drilling arm of our clean water for Honduras initiative.

Our rig drilling near Belen, Honduras

The BE22W has been an excellent rig for us to start with. It uses a drilling method developed by the Chinese that dates back to the 3rd century. Basically, a heavy drill string is lifted and dropped repeatedly in the bore hole breaking up the rock and soils as it drives deeper and deeper. The cable tool rig has drilled millions of wells around the world and the BE22W was the rig to have until the rotary rig became popular in the 1960s.

Our BE22W at work.

As with all improvements and inventions, the rotary rig was developed to overcome several of the disadvantages the cable tool rig has. Speed of drilling was a major improvement. Wells that took 6 days to drill, can now be done in a day and a half. Mud drilling using a Bentonite clay and water mixture keeps the bore hole open even in unconsolidated materials, and when drilling in hard rock, the air driven, down the hole hammer (DTH) makes drilling through granite and basalt rock fast and easy.

As we have grown and expanded, it's has become very clear to us that in order to drill in every area of Honduras, and in all types of geological formations, we must upgrade to a top head rotary drill rig with mud and air capabilities. I have located one in the USA that I believe will meet our criteria, and most importantly - our budget. After my inspection and purchase of the rig, the sellers have generously agreed to come to Honduras to drill a couple of wells with us in order to educate us on the rig's functions.

Our budget for the purchase of the rig, including transportation from it's location in the northern USA to Honduras, import taxes, extra drilling rod, extra bits and miscellaneous equipment is $85,000 USD.

In order to purchase the rig, we are looking to borrow the amount needed through a structured, interest bearing loan. The loan could come through one individual, or through many people lending smaller amounts.

One of the things I am learning here in Honduras is to depend on others to help accomplish the work we are doing. Back in Maine I would just walk into the bank and take out an equipment loan like I have done many, many times before. It's not that simple now. Banking in Honduras is complicated. However, by seeking investors to fund our projects, we have made new alliances and friendships. We recently hosted an investor from Canada. In a whirlwind visit we showed him what we are accomplishing through business and through donations that fund some of our social/missions projects. He was impressed enough to commit half of what we need to purchase the rig, or to be used somewhere else as needed.

With the new drill rig, our goal is to enlarge our on-going water filtration program in the public schools to include drilling wells. There are so many schools in Honduras where the children have no access to clean water. In addition, we have also been working with several donors, municipalities and NGOs to help communities that have no water. Both of these types of projects are very close to our hearts as we work to make a difference in Honduras.

Then there is the strictly commercial side of the business that pays the bills and supports us that is continuing to grow. Water is a growing need in Honduras and with rivers tapped out or badly contaminated, new wells are the obvious source to meet the growing demand. Whether it is for a municipality, a business or private residence, or a missions compound, water wells are in high demand as a dependable source of clean water.

If you or someone you know is interested in helping us fund this much needed drill rig, please contact me by email at mwolfe.ent@gmail.com  I will be happy to provide more details on our projects, projections and loan terms. Please feel free to share this post.

Thanks to each of you who has followed my blog over these past years and has made this journey with us! 

Observations on Honduras - post elections

It's been two weeks since I withdrew from Great Facebook Politics War and declared neutrality. I have to say, it's been more difficult to remain uninvolved than I had thought it would be. My main recourse has mostly been to just stay off Facebook altogether. When I have gone on, I immediately regret it, as the whirlwind posting of left and right wing propaganda seemingly has continued unabated. However, I have experienced some positive results these past two weeks. My blood pressure has been lower, and I'm much less argumentative in general.

As the battle continues to rage in the USA between the left and the right, I have been thinking about Honduras since the elections and the riots last November. I read today that last week the First Lady of Honduras went to the US border to inspect detention centers. (As first lady, the country's child welfare services falls under her oversight.) I personally, was very happy to see her go and review the situation firsthand. During her visit, she admonished her own people to "stay home for the safety of your children". She also said that President Orlando is committed to addressing the issues in Honduras that are encouraging Hondurans to leave their own country. I view Honduras accepting their responsibility in this problem as a huge step towards solving this issue of illegal immigration.

The absolute number 1 reason people make the dangerous and costly journey north through Guatemala and Mexico is economics. It isn't fleeing violence or gangs, although these do play a role in this story; it's in search of jobs.

I find it very interesting that, with the exception of two families, of all the many men and women that I have interviewed who have made the trip illegally, none have had any real desire to become American citizens and live in the USA forever. (The two families would actually like to become US citizens someday and went north in the hope of providing their children with a better future) Instead, what I have seen time and time again, is that as soon as the individual arrives in the USA and finds employment, they first begin sending money home to their families to help support them and second, begin sending money home to build themselves a house for when they return and third, they begin saving money in order to start a small business...in Honduras. (Please read my post "Why I'm mad...and sad" )

What role has crime and violence played in illegal immigration? While the media has portrayed illegal immigrants as "refugees" fleeing a war zone, this is not at all accurate. I live here in Honduras. I know what I'm speaking of. With the exception of gang controlled barrios in the larger cities, most of Honduras is a reasonably safe place to live. Typically, if you mind your own business, don't get mixed up with trouble makers and leave other's wives and girlfriends alone, you'll be okay. If you live in one of the gang controlled areas. then it's true that staying safe is much harder. However, that leaves the rest of Honduras for people to move to in order to "escape" the violence. Ah, but there's one problem: those places don't have much in the way of jobs either, so when they finally do decide to leave the barrio they head to the US instead of a safe town in Honduras. This is why I say with confidence that the ultimate motivation to travel through two countries illegally and risk life and limb is economics, plain and simple.

People close to President Orlando have told me that since the November elections and riots and particularly the death of his sister in a helicopter crash during that same time, that these events have affected him dramatically. He is a more serious person and he is serious about bringing change to Honduras. He has chosen to work closely with the United States and the war on drugs, illegal immigration and organized crime, believing that this is best for his country. If this is true, I couldn't agree more with his decision. (Please read my post "When the righteous prosper the city rejoices")

What Honduras and Hondurans need are jobs, with foreign investment being at the top of the list on where those jobs come from. With Orlando's Plan 2020, he hopes to encourage foreign investors to see Honduras as a legitimate investment opportunity. His plan seems to be bearing fruit already; Green4U Technologies just announced their intention to invest 20 million USD in a new electric vehicle assembly plant in Honduras. This is incredible news for Honduras!

Today I spoke with a man I have known for years and who is one of the most honorable men I know. He's a coffee grower, barely eking out a living as coffee prices have plummeted over the past few years. I asked him if he thought it was right for Hondurans to go to the USA illegally. He said this, "I think it would be far better for people to stay here and find a way to support their families, but if you have nothing, you do what you have to do."

For those of you who know me personally, I'm sure you have heard me say over and over again,     "Stop complaining and start doing something to change the world around you." 

We are committed to investing in and providing jobs to Honduras. If you would like to partner with us in helping Hondurans stay home by providing jobs, please contact me for more information at mwolfe.ent@gmail.com. We welcome you to come and experience firsthand what Honduras offers investors.

Sailing Lago de Yajoa, Honduras

Sailing

Is there anything more romantically adventurous than the thoughts this word brings to the imagination?  Gentle breezes filling the sails, the sound of the water passing under the hull, sun sparkling off blue waters, amazing sunsets, pristine lakes, south sea islands, the lure of adventure? It does for me anyway.
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In the past we've owned a couple of different bow riders and enjoyed them on Puget Sound and the beautiful lakes surrounding Seattle. After moving to Maine, we boated in many of  Maine's equally beautiful lakes and made several trips down the Kennebec River, through Merrymeeting Bay until the river empties into the Atlantic at Fort Popham. We usually did this trip with friends, Brian and Alice, in October when the falls colors were at their peak. Amazing memories.





Now that we spend so much time at our villa on the Caribbean, the boys and I have been talking about buying a sailboat with the goal of sailing to Utila, one of the Bay Islands 15 miles off the coast of Honduras and a true, undiscovered gem. Other places on the list to sail to are; Roatan, one of the worlds best diving spots and Cayos Cochinos, All of these islands are part of the Mesoamerican reef system, the second largest coral reef in the world..

Never having sailed before, it was recommended that we not buy a large sailboat, which of course is what I wanted to do. After all, it's a big, big ocean. However, after a lot of research I did listen to CW and decided on a West Wight Potter P19. It has a decent size cabin which sleeps four, is very forgiving to beginners and has actually circumnavigated the globe....although it's hard for me to imagine doing that in a 19 foot boat.

Somewhere in route

In January, I located one in Wisconsin, reached an agreement with the owner to store it until spring, and rather impatiently waited for May. Mark and I flew to Maine to see friends and family and to pick up the car I had purchased to tow the boat back to Honduras. Leaving Maine, we crossed through Canada re-entering the USA in Michigan. We had a smooth, 5000 mile trip home with no problems, other than a flat tire on a mountain pass in Mexico.

Now began the challenge of learning the ropes,literally...and the lingo; sheets, halyards, clew, tack, cleat, vang, jib, jibe, starboard, leeward, close hauled, long reach, and on and on. Our very first sail was in the safety of the driveway.

The big day finally came for our maiden voyage. We chose to play it safe and begin the sailing learning curve in Lago de Yajoa, a lake about 45 minutes from us. Locating one of the few boat ramps on the lake at Honduyate, (a very nice place featuring cabins, a marina, hotel, restaurant and a place to store and launch boats), we began our first sail.

It was a beautiful day! Yes, there were a few tense moments, like when we lost the lanyard to the outboard and it wouldn't start, or trying to take down the sail in gusty winds, but overall it was a thoroughly enjoyable and relaxing day. I do think it will be a bit before we get out on the BIG water though. Special thanks to the previous owner who has spent countless hours emailing information and suggestions to me, and to Barbe's Uncle Vigo who with Aunt Paula taught themselves to sail after purchasing a boat in New Zealand and then spent two years on the high seas in the "Marijke". BTW: The boys are already talking a bigger boat and sailing the Caribbean islands!