Guatemala Experience An Eye-Opener for Volunteer Ricky Cain
(Reprinted with permission from The Mississippi Press - International Tieline Newsletter, September 2009)

About a month ago, Ricky Cain was on a six-man crew heading to Jalapa, Guatemala, as part of an outreach program through the NRECA International Foundation, the charitable arm of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. And now that he's home, Cain said he'd go back any and every time he's given the opportunity.

The underground foreman for Singing River Electric and his mates had no idea what to expect as they headed to the city, which he said has approximately as many consumers as Pascagoula. As far as they knew, the citizens of Jalapa were living without any power at all.

"That's what we thought, but when we got there, everybody had power, they just didn't have good power," Cain, a 10-year veteran at SRE, said. "They had 70 or 80 consumers on one transformer, where we put just three or four on one here."

Though the average person has no clue what a three-phase breaker really does, he said crews awaiting them were at least eager to learn more about installing and servicing them. Without that training, he said they were just twisting wires together, instead of using connectors like those used in the United States.

"When we got there, we didn't know how we were going to be accepted, but they went above and beyond," Cain said of his hosts.

In addition to being featured on television shows and in the newspaper quite often during their 15-day visit, he said the mayor of Jalapa hosted them for dinner twice. Even the people on the street were gracious, he said.

"Every time you would see them, they'd say thank you," he said. "The appreciation of us being there, it made you feel like you were at home. We really felt like we were family when we left, which I thought was really cool."

Back in South Mississippi, the Vancleave native said he enjoys hunting, fishing, playing golf at Mississippi National Golf Club and, especially, coaching little league baseball.

"I enjoy spending time with the kids and teaching them what I know," Cain said. "I like to try and help them understand baseball."

Cain said he can already tell his 2-year-old son Tanner won't like tee ball, once he's old enough to play.
"He already wants to hit balls that are pitched to him," he said.

Recreation aside, Cain said his Guatemalan adventure makes this summer one to remember for a long time to come — or at least until he can go again.

"It was great just going down there and being with the guys," he said. "When we got there we didn't know what to expect and by the time we left, we were one big family.

"I'd go every time if they let me."

If you are interested in volunteer opportunities with NRECA International, please visit our Get Involved Page and send in an application. If you have any questions about volunteering, you can email Ingrid Hunsicker or call at 703-907-5629.

Learn more about NRECA International Foundation.