Powering Barejones
Pioneer Linemen recount Project Ohio
In the remote village of Barejones, Guatemala, a team of linemen from Ohio, including Pioneer Serviceman Curtis Schmidt and Manager of Safety and Construction David Overman, embarked on a life-changing mission — to bring electricity to a community that had been waiting decades for power.
Through Project Ohio, they worked to turn the lights on — a testament to the cooperative spirit that first electrified rural America.
The work was physically demanding, but the sense of fulfillment was unmatched. The Ohio linemen were divided between overhead work and interior electrical wiring, building upon the foundation built by Oklahoma linemen before them.
“Oklahoma had worked right before us, so we were building on their progress,” Schmidt says. “We were higher in the mountains, and there was a noticeable separation of wealth. Some people had worked in America and sent money back, so their homes were different — some even had solar panels with batteries.”
Both Schmidt and Overman remark how well the group of Ohio linemen worked together and how much that unity made a difference in the overall productivity and success of the project.
“Even within our group, I was surprised by how well everyone worked together,” Overman says. “We all came from different co-ops with different ways of doing things, but no one had the ‘my way or the highway’ mentality. Everyone adapted and worked as a team.”
Although the lineworkers left to head back to the United States before their work was energized, the gratitude of the community reassured them that their work had made a lasting impact.
“Toward the end, we realized the village wasn’t going to get energized before we left, and that was disappointing,” Overman says. “But a local told us they had been waiting 25 years for this moment, and this was the closest they had ever been. That reassurance made it all worth it.”
Schmidt echoes Overman’s thoughts, acknowledging that while being able to be there when the lights turn on would have been nice, they did everything that they set out to do.
“There was nothing we could have done differently,” Schmidt says. “Aside from what was not at our level, we did everything we could do.”
More than just the work, it was the people of Barejones who left the biggest impression on the linemen. The warmth of the community and their deep faith stood out.
“Everyone was so excited to see us and grateful for our help. The community’s faith was another surprise — two churches for just 90 houses,” says Overman. “Every single person had a strong faith. That was impressive.”
For Schmidt and Overman, though, the children of Barejones stood out the most.
“You do something like this, and you always remember the kids,” Schmidt says. “And they’re going to remember you.”
Overman recalls letting the kids carry the linemen’s tools and seeing the joy it brought them.
“It was unforgettable,” Overman says. “The hardest part was leaving. On the last day, you could see the sadness on their faces, and it really hit how much of an impact we had on them.”
One of the moments that stood out for Overman was that, even without electricity in their homes, the people were still able to connect to the world through similar means to many in the United States.
“Walking into a mud-brick house and seeing a kid eating rice and beans for his second breakfast while watching TikToks on his mom’s cell phone — it was surreal. No electricity, but still connected to the world in a way.”
By the end of their time in Barejones, the team had wired more than 90 houses. Neither Schmidt nor Overman has any regrets and they both agreed they would do it again in a heartbeat.
“Some people joked that if my family were down there, I’d just stay,” Overman says. “The pace of life is different — slower, more relaxed.”
