"Pee rah guah," repeated Johnson, our indian guide, with a twinkle in his eye as the Rotarians struggled mightily to twist their tongues around the word. The dugout canoe, or piragua, transported seven Ohio Rotarians to the Embera Drua indian village on the banks of the Chagres River in Panama for the adventure of a lifetime. 
The river cruise took 45 minutes through a dense rainforest that beckoned the visitors to relax in paradise. Upon arriving at the village, the guests were greeted by jovial musical tunes performed by Embera men and children. The women and children waved happily and raced from their hilltop huts to meet us on shore.
The Embera live in a pristine national forest which the government of Panama has entrusted to them. This rainforest is the catch basin for the rainwater that feeds the Panama Canal. The preservation of this area is of vital importance to the operation of the Canal. The Embera live a simple yet content existence in a gentle partnership with nature. Their culture and breathtaking surroundings have caught the attention of ecotourists from around the world.
In January 2009, after much planning, seven Marietta Rotarians and three of their spouses finally pierced the clay soil of the village with shovels and pick axes for the purpose of installing a septic tank and replacing pit latrines with new toilets. The project had been identified by the tribe as an urgent need for their community. The Embera Drua live largely from the ecotourism industry. Hundreds of visitors arrive each year to tour the village and buy handmade artifacts. The indian leaders were concerned that a lack of sanitation and proper toilets would jeopardize the health of their people and discourage tourism.
Alongside members of the Club Rotario Panama Sur, the group dug the trench and reservoir for the tank, installed the PVC pipes, covered the tank pit with dirt, and carried an endless supply of rocks and boulders up a steep hill to fill the filtering pond. There were few mishaps despite significant communication difficulties!
The new tank was connected to the toilets and now provides a more sanitary method of waste disposal. The Ohio and Panamanian Rotarians and members of the tribe worked long hours under a merciless tropical sun and intermittent rain. Their efforts were rewarded by humble meals of tasty plantain and fish, fresh fruit, and the grateful smiles of the tribal community.
After the first successful flush, the community gathered to thank the visitors. Exhausted but satisfied, the Rotarians retired to a stilted hut and settled into their hammocks to fall asleep to the sounds of the jungle.
The following day the group was treated to dancing, music, body painting, a hike into the jungle with the medicine man, and a demonstration of how their beautiful baskets are crafted.
While in Panama City, our Rotarians were hosted in the homes of members of the Panama Sur club. The Panama Sur club was extraordinarily generous with their time, attention and hospitality. The cultural exchange and fellowship with them was phenomenal.
In addition to the Chagres adventure, the Mariettans toured the Panama Canal and the historic sites in Panama City. The group was then taken to the mountains of El Valle to spend the night in Rotarian homes. At El Valle several of our Rotarians took a zip line above the forest canopy while others preferred to stay planted on the ground for a hike.
The Morning Rotarians returned to a wintry Ohio seven days later still reveling in their adventures. We each have many stories, pictures, and thoughts to share, but for now we invite you to view the video of our project in the Embera village. We hope our experience will entice others to travel the world in service above self.
Thank you to our club for the opportunity to serve, the Embera indians for their warm welcome, and our hosts in the Club Rotario Panama Sur for extending us such gracious hospitality and fellowship.
Dave, Jeff, Kevin, Tom, Dick, Jim, and Khadine
Click on the link to see the video:
