A Perfect Ending
Today was the last day of school, and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish off the year than by demonstrating the Capteur Soleil to the 6th grade class.
Jean, Dr. Schuler, Richard (who works at the school), Josef (our translator), Kelly and I all visited the 6th grade class, and Dr. Schuler and Richard explained how the Capteur works.
It was especially exciting to see Richard up in front of the class, drawing diagrams on the board and asking the students questions. Jean told us that Richard assembled a lot of the Capteur himself, so it’s really great to see a school employee take ownership of the device and share his knowledge with the students. It’s one thing if we, as the out-of-place foreigners, are excited about the project, but it’s even better if students, teachers, and staff at the school show interest in it as well.
After a brief lecture in the classroom, we all made our way down behind the school to see the Capteur in action. The kids seemed quite amazed by the UFO-like device that “landed” behind their school just this past week.
Some of the students put their hands near the top of the device, where the sun’s rays, bouncing off the mirrors, are concentrated, and they could feel the increased temperature. This seemed like a great way for them to conceptualize the idea of light being converted to heat.
Richard poured some water into a tube, which traveled up to the “concentrator” part of the device. The sun’s rays, focused at the “concentrator,” converted the water to steam, the steam entered a cooking pot, and food in the pot was cooked. We actually ate some potatoes that were cooked in the Capteur the other day (“pommes de terre du soleil”, as Jean called them), and they tasted even better than usual.
I’m just amazed that, in only 5 days, Jean and Dr. Schuler have been able to transport, assemble, and complete a functioning device as complicated as the Capteur Soleil. I feel so lucky to be present for such a momentous occasion.
Speaking of momentous occasions, we will be participating in the mobile clinic with Dr. Lucien, Dr. Gustave, and the whole traveling medical team tomorrow! I can hardly wait to see the backpacks in action. After nearly a year of planning, discussing, and designing the diagnostic eye pack, with many bumps in the road and changing directions, it will be a dream come true to see the pack used for its intended purpose. I only wish it were possible for everyone who has contributed to the Diagnostic Lab-in-a-Backpack, Community Health Worker Backpack, and Diagnostic Eye Pack to see the results of their work as well, although there are probably too many people to count.