It sounded a bit scary when Ben, Nate and I were told we were going to be riding by ourselves on the Death Train for twenty hours, but also adventurous. We were told it was given the name because of the high numbers of deaths resulting from that train ride. It was mostly because of individuals transporting their goods from one area to another, storing their belongings below, in the seats they had purchased, they rode on top of the train. Because the train is nowhere NEAR a smooth ride, jerking over the tracks, screeching to a jolting halt every once in a while, many would lose their balance, falling off to their death. Another reason was because of the frequency of the train de-railing... killing several. The last time my uncle wanted to ride the train, that is exactly what had happened to it before he'd gotten on, and he had to take a bus. But, we were assured in the last few years it had really improved, and such things rarely happened any more...
Thinking we were going to be able to store our luggage in some luggage storing place on the train, we had brought all our own things, as well as another humungous, heavy one containing everyone's _ extra things_ with us. The fact Mom, Dad and Anna could only carry 50 pounds a piece on the plane was another reason for us to take as much as we could. Walking down the pathway next to the train, lugging our baggage we looked for our car. After walking half the length of the very long train, we found it. Then, realized all our luggage was going to need to be with us. Between the three of us we loaded up all the bags, putting them in overhead shelves, hoping either the jerkyness of the train wasn't as bad as we'd be warned, or the racks were more sturdy than they appeared. The car we were in appeared very empty. Besides the three of us, there was only a couple, and a lady with her two young daughters.
We spread out, each in a different row of seats. The train was hot, especially when it was sitting at a station, and the seats were made of a fabric that seemed to absorb the heat. Pretty soon, the engines started up, and the train jolted to a start. Soon, we were going at a pretty constant speed, and the wind begun to circulate, cooling everyone down. It was fun to just sit with your feet sticking out the window in front of you (ignoring the signs saying to keep all objects inside :S ), staring out into the jungly/foresty landscape. Every once in a while, there would be an opening in the trees, where a herd of white Brahma cows would be grazing peacefully, or a garden with rows upon rows of hand planted choclo (large, tough, corn) swaying slightly in the wind caused by the passing train.
Soon, the sky began to become more and more overcast. The black thunderheads began to loom above us, then splat! The huge droplets began to pelt us through the windows. The three of us didn't want to close the windows, because it was still way too hot, but one of the train worker people came around shutting them all. Now we were damp, hot, and closed in.
By the time the storm passed, it had cooled down, and the sunset was beautiful. All the brilliant colors lighting up the sky, and the silver-rimmed clouds was awesome.
After a while, Nate got bored of just sitting, and we went together down through the other cars. As we walked, we looked drunk, swerving all over, accidentally bumping into people as we went, because of the bumpy train. Getting to the door of our car, pulling hard on the door, it swung open with a burst of wind, and we walked out onto a small platform. The next car's platform was only about a foot away, and you could see the hook, and loop that held them together. It was a bit scary jumping from one to the other, watching the tracks flash by below. We realized we must have bought a higher that lowest class ticket... the others were crowed, and instead of seats that leaned back (sometimes overly so, all the way down till they hit the seat behind them), they had straight backed benches. There were many more people in these cars, with much more baggage.
As we got further, the train stopped frequently, picking up more and more passengers. At these stops, all along the side of the train, young kids, and older women walked offering food, and drinks. You didn't even to look out to see what they were selling, each person, in their equally raspy, worn out vocal-cord (from calling out day after day) voices made it clear to all what they were selling. It was like (a unique kind of) music in our ears hearing Spanish again. Being able to understand everything (or most everything) being said. I can't imagine what it will be like to be back in the US!
We had a food bag with beef jerky (from Uncle Nathan) dry cereal, crackers and cookies as well as a couple two-liters of soda and water for the trip, but man did those empenadas, and barbecued chicken and beef sticks look appetizing! We ate the stuff we had, and drank the soda and water.
Then, when we finally decided to buy something, we realized Dad had only given us Bolivianos in hundreds and fifties (which are only roughly worth twenty and ten dollars, but the venders usually don't have change for those bills). We told Nate to buy something for all of us to break one of the fifties, so he bought a something to drink. It was a nasty transparent, brown, quinua (a nutritious filled, nutritious tasting, nutritious looking grain), chunky fruity liquid that looked, smelled and tasted like vomit. It was in little plastic bags, having a straw sticking out of the top, made with probably “unsafe” water. Ben bravely gulped it down, while Nathan told me if I drank half of the other he would finish it. After I practically gagged with the first half, Nate decided he really didn't feel like drinking the rest, and we threw it away. After Nathan was congratulated on his superb intuition on what would be best for the three of us, I was elected to buy the food from then on. We ate the cheese, and chicken empanadas, as well as the shishkabobs later that night. By dark, our car had really filled up, but each one of us were still in a pair of seats to ourselves. We slept with our heads on one end, and our feet hanging out the window to give us more room. We had a somewhat comfortable sleep (if you could call it that) until three AM, when we were awakened by the train jarring to a halt, the lights flickering on, a pumped group of young people who chattered endlessly, and the venders on the side of the train all took a second to register to the groggy brain. This is where I realized I wasn't in the right seat. I got kicked out, but in my seat, a little girl was fast asleep next to her mother. Her normal seat was across the aisle, next to a quite large, grumpy looking man. So, that was now my seat. Sometime in the night Nathan and Ben had also lost their pair of seats, and were now sitting in their assigned seats next to each other. I was so thankful to see the gentlemanly side of Nathan come out, and he offered to spend the rest of the night next to the scary man. The rest of the ride wasn't too comfortable& considering you felt bad leaning your seat back into the lap of the person behind you& while the person in front of you didn't feel the least bit apologetic and went right ahead.
The Sunday morning sunrise was beautiful. All sorts of colors bursting out of the sky. When we arrived at the station around 10, dad, a brother and his son were right there to help us unload the luggage, and carry it to the trufi. I kinda hobbled rushing out, because with my luck, I had stepped on a ginormous black bumble bee that was stuck in a plastic bag on the floor of the train, under my feet the night before. As we rode to the house, Dad filled us in on what was going on. First, he told us the day we left had been relaxing, and they were able to see a bit more of the Pantanal (well from the windows of a restaurant that is). But this was no normal restaurant. They ate crocodile, piranha, and I forget what the other strange things were. They had then gotten on a plane, and arrived in Santa Cruz a couple hours later.
As soon as they got in, they were updated on the news. A son of a family there in the Santa Cruz assembly had recently come back from Spain to visit his family, and had committed suicide a few days before, and his step-mother had just found him. So, from the plane they went straight to a funeral. My family had just met brother of the deceased, Samuel, in the conference of Montero a few months before (while I was in Ecuador), and he was really thankful my parents were there for the funeral. My parents had spent the night there in the house of the brother who had picked us up.
Another piece of pivotal information was the fact that there was a Dengue epidemic. Implying that over 65% of the Santa Cruz population had the malaria-like virus. The first time an individual gets sick, it is like a acute type of the flu. It can last up to two weeks or more. The victim gets very dehydrated, and has a high fever. The first time is bad, but after you get it once, the next occurrence is much worse. If not caught in time, the individual can hemorrhage, bleeding from their eyes, gums, nose, and fingertips. Dad decided that it wasn't necessary that we risk getting something like that, and we were informed that he had already purchased bus tickets out of there for the same night after spending the day in Santa Cruz.
We arrived at the two-story house, having a little internet café, and small market downstairs, and unloaded our bags. It was so nice to have a shower, after practically 24 hours on a dusty, dirty train. As soon as we were showered, and had gotten dressed it was time to leave to have lunch at Samuel's parent's house. The family was in a time of grieving, the funeral being the day before, but they thanked us over and over again for coming. The father of the family at a rural conference, and hadn't gotten the news of his son's passing, so that was hard for them too. I felt so bad, I really didn't know what I should, or could do for them. We had just been on a train all night, hadn't really gotten enough sleep, and none of us knew any of the family except for Samuel. You could tell all of them had been crying, and weren't feeling the best obviously. It got a little better by the end though.
From there we went to meeting. They had it in the afternoon there. It was another one of “well, if we re going to have three hours of meeting, why not have it continuous”! . Oh, it was so wonderful singing in Spanish once again. And here, they sang loud. I mean it was thunderous!
We talked for quite a while with those from the assembly before we were pushing it for time as usual. Back at the house we packed up, and headed for the bus station, and loaded a double-decker for Cochabamba, escaping the Dengue epidemic.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
brazilian beaches and beyond
The rest of our time in Florionopolis was great.
The island's Fireworks for the New Year were known to be some of the best in Brazil. Cesario and Elvira's relatives were on their way over to see them, and all us YP piled into a few cars with them. When we got out, more than a ten-minute walk from our destination, we needed no one to tell us where we should go. Mobs of people, looking like swarms of ants all headed for the shoreline. EVERYBODY in Brazil (or so it seemed) packed together on the shore overlooking the bay. I've never been in a crowd that big in my life! Everywhere you looked there were groups of families and friends, talking, laughing, or just hanging out waiting for midnight.
Before leaving Cesario's, the Argentinean girls told me they had heard that it was a custom in Brazil to wear all white on New Years Eve, so the five of us girls all put on white shirts, and skirts. Some of the people back at the house kinda smiled when they saw us like that, but didn't say anything. They spoke to each other in Portuguese, and we weren't quite sure what they were saying... but quickly forgot about it upon arriving, and seeing many, if not the majority were also wearing white. It was not until much later, after we'd left Florionopolis, that I asked Mom if she knew what it was all about. We both laughed when she told me, and I felt a little bit embarrassed. Catholics, showing their loyalty to the church had that custom... :S
So, after waiting around for at least half hour, the fireworks started. While lighted from a boat in the water, in they were controlled by someone on shore with a remote. It was pretty impressive, watching the bursts of color in the sky, then their reflection below. All around, everyone was looking up, and with every explosion their faces lighted up. When mid-night finally rolled around, the reason for the champaign bottles in just about everyone's hands was evident. The whole time people had been walking around, shaking them up, and right at twelve, the corks were popped, and everyone anywhere close to them were showered.
A couple days Mateus took us to different beaches. When my parents had come back from Joinville where Danielle lives, they brought back a car Danielle had let us borrow. It really came in handy. And I got to drive for the first time in what, six months?! It was wonderful! Because in Brazil the law is you have to be eighteen to drive, I was the only one with a liscence who could. So Dad drove the other. It's interesting how although January is summer down here, it is also the rainy season. So, while we were at the beach, it rained every time. But, it didn't change the fun we had. I think it was the first time we'd been swimming in the ocean in the rain! One of the beaches was close to where Bernardo and Giseli live, so their daughters came out and swam with us too. Jose and Graciela invited us over for “pastel”, a sort of fried empenada, with shrimp inside, made only in Brazil. They were really good!
A few days later, the conference started. By then, three more sisters and a brother had arrived to the house from Bolivia. They had the option of staying at the luxurious hotel, or in the little three roomed, one bathroom house, already bursting at the seams with five girls, and two guys. Cesario and his wife Elvira, as well as the rest of my family (sleeping at Elvira's parents') coming in to eat every meal. They chose the house. We were all so impressed with Elvira and Cesario's attitudes. The whole time they were positive, cheerful, and serving everyone as best they could. Although it was complicated rationing out the shower, and eating times, it was a really happy time.
The hotel, where the conference was hosted was very different than the majority of the conferences we´ve been to in South America. While many times it was warm outside, they had air conditioning. I'm sure we must have had it in other places on this trip, but that's the first place I remember! During the meetings, if we concentrated really hard, we could understand the majority of what was being said, but were still at that point where once comprehending what was being said, it was kinda hard to connect those parts to complete thought. Finding the books of the Bible were easy for us, which helped us to understand a little more.
As we discovered the whole country of Brazil, the food at the hotel was incredible. Some of what we ate was similar to American food, then everything else was amazing too. I don't think there was ANYTHING I ate that I didn't like!
After conference we went to the beach with Jose and Graciela, along with their nieces, Mariana, and Jiovani and all the YP staying at our house. They took us to the sand dunes, where we were able to sand-board. We rented a couple boards, and all shared them. It was awesome! Compared
to snowboarding, you have a little less control of where you're going, but it's easier to get up, and stay up if your board isn't waxed. Another thing is the exhaustion factor. After riding down a dune, you have to hike back up. It seems as if for every foot up, you slide back three. So by the time you get back up to the top, you feel as if you're done for the day after only one run! But, after sitting up top, watching the others for a while, you had to go down again, and again, and again. When finishing for the day, we were all tired, but happy. A few of us, thinking about back home at this time of year there's plenty of snow on the mountains, began to experience snowboarding withdrawals.
From there, we had to say goodbye to Jose and Graciela, as well as Marianna and Jioviani :(. They were all so kind!
The next day we had to say goodbye to Cesario, Elvira, and Mateus, as well as Dina, Eliana, Rus Mery and Josue from Argentina. Even though it was kind of hard to communicate with Elvira, I really enjoyed being with her, and she was really a help spiritually to me too. It was almost as if her daughter Talita and I had switched lives. At the time I was staying at the Simoes, going to their conference, hanging out with Talita's friends, she was at L.A. conference, where she hung out with my friends!
Saying goodbye to the Argentineans was hard. They had traveled with us for almost a month I think it was, and I really bonded with the girls. We shared things we were going through, and they encouraged me in the Lord. I will always have good memories of them, as well as the songs they taught me in my mind. Josue was a real encouragement to my brothers too.
From Florionopolis, our next stop was Joinville, where Hanes, and Danielle (Dad's cousin) live with their daughter Sarah and two sons Johanes and Dominique. It was a beautiful little German settlement. They live on sort of mission grounds where Hanes' grandparents, then parents had been missionaries. We stayed in Hanes' in-laws house while they were away on vacation. Everything was obviously German in the whole house. It was as if they had brought a part of Germany with them when they'd come from their home.
Here we were thrown into yet another language hurricane. Sarah spoke mostly Portuguese, and her cousin who was visiting knew no English. With her we communicated in either our Spanish mix of Portuguese, or some English. The boys talked Portuguese with Sarah and Bruno, English with us, and with Danielle, but only German with Hanes. So at two and four they were fluent in three languages (Dominique understanding, but not quite speaking all quite yet)!
We had a really nice time there. Danielle and Sarah took us to a milk, and cheese farm, where we saw goats that were treated the best I've seen, then to a waterfall where we went swimming. One night we had a bond fire where we had SMORES!!! The first time since we'd left home. They were delicious. We also sang in English and Portuguese while Danielle played the accordion. It was really neat to see Sarah and her younger cousin Bruno singing with all their heart, and almost arguing about what one to sing next :D.
It was so refreshing to be back in a house where English was a first language, something we haven't had since Ecuador and Leticia!
Piracicaba was our next destination. Pretty much our whole trip we were just winging it, not knowing exactly where we were going, or when, until maybe a week, maybe a day before doing it. Piracicaba was a different story. We knew we were going to go there, and had been looking foreword to it the whole trip. Uncle Nathan, Vi, and Larissa were going to be there, staying with Vi's parents. And, we were going to see our cousin Larissa for the first time, who was born after we started the trip!
Uncle Nathan, and Cristiani (Vi's sister) met us at the bus station. It was so good to see them! Seeing my uncle down here in South America was a little disorienting for my mind at the beginning. :D I hadn't seen Cris since Nathan and Vi's wedding, and it had been over eight months since seeing Uncle Nathan or Vi! Seeing them there made me really miss everyone even more back home.
When we got to the house we were warmly taken in, as if we were part of the family. Although the house was small, and they already had company, they just made more room for us. Here we had more opportunity to speak in Portuguese with Tony and Sueli, although Cris and David both speak English well. And Larissa is adorable! She is the happiest baby I've ever seen!
While we were there, they took us out to eat pastel (like the ones some of us had tried in Florionopolis) and asai, both typical to only Brazil. We had never tried asai before. When they served it in a big bowl, I was expecting the dark brown thick sauce to taste something like chocolate pudding, but found it to have a berry flavor. It was partially frozen, and along with the granola mixed with pieces of fruit like papaya, strawberries, mango and pineapple it was really good!
One day Felipe and Carol (Vi's brother and sister-in-law) came over to Toni and Sueli's to make Brazilian Barbecue. It was delicious! I can't say it enough. Brazilian food is amazing!
After being there a few days, we said goodbye to Uncle Nathan, Vi and Larissa. Felipe and Carol invited us to stay with them in Limera. It was really neat getting to know them better too. Both of them are so sweet! Because Felipe sometimes has to work out of town, we spent more time with Carol. She was always cheerful, and making us laugh.
In Limeira, we were staying in the appartment, but we were barely there. People were always inviting us out to their houses, or we had meeting or something! The place we probably went the most was Beto and Neca's dentist office. There Anna got four teeth pulled, Ben and Mom two, and I one. We kept them busy ;D. It seemed like we were always over there! We also went over to their house and swam in their pool frequently. One night we were there, they brought out old video recordings that Flavio, a man from there in Limeira had taken years ago when he was in the States. It was hilarious to see some people we recognized, from over twenty years ago (including people like my dad, aunts, uncles, and others, particularly from Southern California)!
Pizinato took us everywhere in his car! The cross between a mini-van and stationwagon was just perfect fitting the six of us and him, so he was pretty much our chauffeur ;D. He and Nate teased each other endlessly, never leaving a dull moment.
Elaine took us all around too. One day she took us to Inez's (a sister in the meeting) hair salon where she, her daughter Emily, Mom, Anna and I got our hair and nails done. Mom remembers twenty years ago on her honeymoon when Inez invited her to come to that exact same place!
We also went to a brother's house named Mario Persona. Both his children are now living in the US, and he lives alone with an adopted son, who has been mostly blind, crippled, and mentally slow since birth. To see the love he has for Pedro is amazing, and I really think that the boy has flourished with that love, and has reached heights he would have never been able to accomplish without it. Although he can't speak, walk, or even control himself completely, he knows when he's cared about.
Mario is a very gospel oriented person, and has been posting videos on Utube called “Evangelio em tres minutos”. From that ministry many are coming to him with questions, and are even getting saved. It was really encouraging to hear about his work.
One weekend we went out to Roberto's “facienda”, which is a big ranch where he has horses, cows, and probably other animals I didn't see. There all the young people have good memories of getting together, and spending time with each other. The weekend we went it was only our family, Roberto and his son Mateus, Felipe and Carol, another Mateus from Limeira, and Cristiani, Vi's sister.
It was beautiful, a
nd peaceful out there. Driving up the long driveway, we passed acres and acres
of sugar cane, then pastures and pastures of cattle. The large, rustic house was built somewhere in the eighteen hundreds. You could tell it had been owned by wealthy plantation owners in the past, but now, it was apparent that there was nobody taking care of it like there once were. Plaster was cracking off the walls, exposing the bricks underneath and all kinds of old trinkets from saddles to license plates to wood burning stoves and a stuffed animals including a cougar and alligator filled the building. The rooms where we stayed were pretty large, and had very high ceilings, and windows. In the kitchen, Roberto had about five ancient refrigerators, most of them didn't work. As one would walk through, it almost felt like a museum in one of the old buildings down by Fort Vancouver, only instead of American relics, these were Brazilian. It was all fascinating. Down below, in the basement, were the living quarters of the slaves. From hearing of how the American slaves were treated, it was easy to imagine how it probably was hundreds of years ago here too (although apparently here they were treated more humanely as a whole, and the Brazilian abolition had been ratified before that of the United State's). From the balcony, you could see looked over the whole valley of small hills, wide, curving rivers, and criss-crossed lines of sugarcane fields. The place was gorgeous. It was obvious why car advertisements were filmed up here.
A few of us went in to town to buy meat for a Barbecue. It was a tiny place, with only one grocery store. We packed everything into the back of Carol's car, then she let Ben drive. It started out a little rough, considering he's not too accustomed to driving a manual, but pretty soon it seemed almost as smooth as an automatic. While we were shopping, the sky had become filled with clouds, and it had begun to rain. We hadn't taken this into account before we got to the dirt road, but once we got there, it was a little scary for me. The light brown powdery dirt had become a dark slimy, slippery mess. While he drove up, down, and around the hills, Ben had absolutely no control of the back of the vehicle. I would hold my breath while he would turn the steering wheel one way, and the back tires would slide the other. Thankfully we got back to the house safely.
There, Roberto, and Dad made some amazing barbecue for us all, including sausage, chicken, beef, and grilled cheese (which is a delicious Brazilian way of eating their cheese!) in a little outdoor kitchen by the house. As always, it was WAY too much food for us to eat in one meal.
Because it was raining, we didn't go outside, but stayed around the house, playing games, sleeping, talking, or using Mateus' laptop.
The next day we went on a hike down to a waterfall, getting an even better view of the valley, tramping through the Roberto's fields, past the ranch hands' houses, and little lake, stocked with fish. It would have been neat if we we would have been able to stay more time, but that night we had meeting, and the next day was Sunday, so we had to get back to Limiera.
The next day, we went to the assembly in Sao Paulo. It took us about two hours in Pizzi's car. Even though it wasn't too far away, the traffic, at all hours is awful. The city planning for the city hadn't done a good job at all. It was so bad that during the week only certain license plate numbers can drive certain days! It was a fellowship Sunday, so even though there was only one brother, two sisters (Cida), then a husband and wife (Luis and Vicca) with their daughter (Paula), and her boyfriend, we had a meal together. Luis cooked up meat and cheese on a little grill he had brought to the small room where we had the meetings.
After the meal, Pizzi agreed to drive us to Grandpa's caretaker's (Silvio and Rose) relatives' house, which was supposedly somewhere in Sao Paulo. Because we had no idea where it was, and only had an address, and a telephone number, Luis and Vicca said we could use their GPS, and brought Cida along too. It was a long, almost frustrating process finding the address. Numbers seemed to jump all over the place, and for a while they were even on one side, then odd on the other, then it would switch up, then the numbers went up, then started back down... but, finally, we saw a man, and woman standing out by the road, looking sort of like they might be watching for someone, and pulled in. Are you looking for us? In fact they were! Upon seeing the man, we realized the similarities in both looks, and behaviors of Silvio, and knew he was his dad. The lady was his wife, Silvio's mom.
When we first walked into the small apartment, it was a little bit awkward. We had never met these people, and really had never communicated with them at all either. Another complication was our lack of Portuguese, and unlike when we had been anywhere else in Brazil where most people spoke English, they didn't know much. We sat down on the couches, and kind of tried to communicate. Then, Dad was like, “I'd like to share some verses with you.” And, he did. From there, things started to loosen up. As it became less awkward, more and more people started showing up. Now not only the immediate family of Silvio was there, but Rose's was came also, and their cousins, and cousins of cousins. Then, we mentioned maybe singing some songs. Because they are Seventh Day Adventists, we thought we might know some songs they also were familiar with. They told us to go first, then they sang. Man, did they sing beautifully. Some of them were in a quartet from their church, and whether it was just them singing, or the whole family, it was amazing.
From then on, we felt almost part of the family! Each one of us were in another little group, trying to communicate with our Espanportlish. By then, there were probably fifty people packed in the room, and more were outside. It was crazy, but way fun.
Even after knowing them for less than a couple hours, we didn't want to say goodbye. It's amazing how God's love can be so strong. Showing up at someone's house, their WHOLE family coming over, and being able to share the Word, and songs together. It was so amazing.
Back at the apartment, one night Tony, Sueli, and Pizinato had come over to have us try Feshuada, that Sueli had prepared. Apparently it was one of the most-known meals pertaining to Brazil specifically. The story behind it was, in the days of slaves, the plantation owners would throw out all their meat scraps, pieces of the animal they didn't want to eat, to their slaves. The servants would take advantage of the situation, and would cook what they received with beans. Now, most have accustomed to eating it with good meat as we did at Carol's (and were thankful ;D), but there are still some people who prefer it the original way.
We were going to make it to Santa Cruz, Bolivia as soon as possible, but had gotten news that they were voting for a new constitution in the country, so there was a good chance of civil unrest, so we decided to spend a week as a family at the beach. Saying goodbye to those in Limiera, (looking forward to hopefully seeing Cris, Felipe, and Carol in March when they come to take an English course in the US) we boarded yet another bus.
Arriving to Sao Paulo, it was necessary to get to another bus station, getting there on the subway. We weren't looking forward to that. We each had at least one big suitcase, and a backpack, as well as two other extra suitcases, and were NOT excited about squishing into one of those. Being our only option, we kinda had to do it. Our fears were confirmed when the train pulled up to the platform. We stared in through the windows, at the mass of people packed in like sardines. There's NO way the four of us said one to another, but we didn't have time to argue, or even second think when Dad said “Get in!”, and slipped into a car further on. Mom disappeared, and so the four of us, and our luggage jammed ourselves into the already pancaked people in the car. We got some dirty looks, and muttered phrases, but thankfully we didn't understand! The ride was hot, stuffy, and jerky. We pretty much didn't even have to hold ourselves up, because whether we held onto something or not, we wouldn't go anywhere, being plastered against people, or their belongings on every side. When the door opened, we practically bursted out. The six of us together once again, we had to catch another one to the other bus station. Thankfully, although it wasn't empty enough for us to sit, we didn't even have to touch anyone as we stood with our bags jostling through the city.
The next bus ride was around five hours to Maranduba, a little beach town where we were planning to spend the week. We had found the hotel on the internet, and really had absolutely no idea where it was as we stepped off the bus, and unloaded our bags all under the little bus stop cover. It was raining, hard. This was one of the first times my dad really didn't know what to do, or where to go. Although things are usually always last moment, we usually get there, and Dad has an uncanny way of just “knowing things” or at least figuring them out quickly. So, when this wasn't the case, and not “everything worked out perfectly” as it usually does, everyone was a little irritated. It's funny how many times this SHOULD have happened to us, but just never did. So, when it does happen, we're not quite prepared. The rain was puring down, and we tried to keep our luggage under the shelter, but even that didn't work too well. The fact that we were making others waiting for the next bus wait out in the rain, because us, and our stuff were filling the place.
Dad left, and somehow got a hold of the hotel, who said they'd send someone. After waiting out there for like 45 minutes, someone showed up... but, he was on a bike! We kinda smiled at that. He put one of the bags on the bike, which he walked, while we followed him, lugging all our baggage, through all kinds of muddy potholes, and a swinging bridge. Thankfully, the rain wasn't cold, but it was obviously wet. Getting us, and our stuff pretty soaked. While walking along the road, Ben asked the guy if it was always like this here in Maranduba. He replied, “no, the sun does come out sometimes... it was sunny two days ago.” We had been warned about the fact that the next town up, Ubatuba, had been nicknamed “Uballuva”, lluva meaning rain, so we should have been a bit more prepared for seeing only the sun peaking out from behind the clouds a couple times :D.
The hotel wasn't luxurious, but it was perfect for what we needed; a queen sized bed, bunk-bed, and a hide-a-bed, with a small little kitchen, containing all the utensils we would need for cooking and eating.
As soon as our stuff was in the room, we all changed into our swim-suits, and went out to the beach. From the hotel, it was only about a seven minute walk. By this time, the rain had stopped, but even so, the beach was pretty much deserted. Mom stayed on the beach, watching us, with her long skirt, long sleeved shirt, wide-brimmed hat, and black umbrella to keep as many UV rays away from her skin as possible. It wasn't easy to loose her! We got in the water, and jumped waves for a couple hours, then went to a little restaurant by the water.
The next day, Nate and I got up before everyone (at nine) and went out swimming. The whole time it was overcast, and rained every couple hours, but that didn't matter, because the water was so warm, even the rain was never too cold. When we came back at noon, everyone was still in bed!
It was a really good time to just be as a family. The first time really on this whole trip we spent time being just us. We cooked our own meals, did our own dishes... it was almost like being home again (only without all our family and friends :( )! We had a lot of cereal and milk, beans and rice. Mom is trying to stay away from wheat as much as possible, which she's heard helps with Lupus. So, for everything we bought we looked for “gluten free”. It's harder than it seems! Practically everything has gluten in it, even the chocolate the rest of us all shared! At meal times she couldn't eat the bread we had with eggs, french toast, and even some ice-cream. But, thankfully, her favorite candy bar has no gluten; snickers. Uncle Nathan brought a bunch down from the US when he came, and, because nobody else in my family reads this, I can tell you that she still has a bunch of them hidden away in her suitcase, and when nobody is looking, she sneaks one every once in a while from her precious stash. I think everybody else thinks they're long finished by now ;D. Other than the diet, (which she really believes has been helping her tremendously with not being so drowsy all the time) which is pretty hard to be on, especially when we're always visiting other people's houses, (and you can't just say “I can't eat anything with gluten”), she has been doing much better than Leticia, improving all the time, and is back to her normal cheerful self. The only difference being she always has to wear the longsleeves, hat, and carry an umbrella as well as the 65spf sunscreen she wears to keep as much as the UV rays from getting to her skin as possible as we travel.
We were there for like two days before we left for Taubate, an assembly about six hours away, to spend the weekend. We left our suitcases at the hotel, and each packed a backpack.
When we arrived at the bus station, we weren't quite sure exactly of who we were looking for. The sister with who Dad had communicated only knew Portuguese, and without hand motions over the phone, it was difficult to know exactly what she was saying. What Dad DID understand, was that he had glasses. So, that was the only hint we had recieved. This was one of the few times we had never seen the person picking us before, but, like always, we found each other. Allesandro, Rosangela, Glauber and Leticia's house was right down the road, so it was easy to walk to from the station. At the house we met Lucilia and Juliano, Marcos, Elaine and their two adorable little kids Gabriel and Giovana. The whole assembly had come to greet us. Once again, we had a little bit of an awkward situation. We didn't know them, or anything about them, and they the same with us. As soon as we arrived, we sat down to an amazing meal they had prepared for us.
From there, we had a reading, where we sang, and read a passage. Afterwards, everyone loosened up a bunch. We took showers, and got our stuff organized. We had another meeting later on (which was there regular weekly meeting). Afterwards we went out to an Arabic restaurant. In Brazil, they have quite a bit of Arabic food. There was where everyone really got comfortable. We all talked there till late.
Because nobody´s house was large enough, our family was split up in twos for the night. Mom and Dad stayed with Juliano and Lucilia, Anna and I with Marcos and Elaine, while Ben and Nate stayed in the house we had arrived at; Allesandro and Roseangela's. Although the house where we were at was very small, only having two rooms, we got Gabriel and Giovana's room, while they slept with their parents. They were the cutest little kids ever. A little bit mischievous at times, but full of fun.
Sunday, because we were visiting, and there were too many to all fit in Allesandro's house, they rented sort of an event center. After meeting we had a meal, and the kids played in the pool, or threw little plastic balls at each other (like the ones at a Mc Donald's play place). Pretty soon, some got a little too comfortable ;D. Ben, Marcos and I all got thrown in the pool with our Sunday clothes on, and Juliano and Nathan got in a pretty serious war with the balls. Nate had little red welts all over his back, and I imagine Juliano did too. We all had a lot of fun.
We spent the evening back at Allesandro's, then stayed one more night before heading back to the houses we'd been in the night before.
The next morning, we said goodbye to everyone, and headed back for Maranduba. Being there, in that assembly was really encouraging. The three families all got along together really well, and had all come into the meeting just within the last couple of years. They were all ready, and happy to learn all they could.
On our way back to Maranduba, we stopped in Ubatuba, where we met a whole group of kids, and young adults from YWAM (Youth With A Mission). There were over two hundred of them all from different churches, who had come together for some sort of a camp. We talked to quite a few of the kids for a while, and it was here where I could hear the ext ream accents. They say those from the north of Brazil, and those from the south can't understand each other. Even though we barely know Portuguese, there was a definite distinction in the way some of them talked. They were all excited,witnessing, singing songs, and performing skits for people on the boardwalk. When we were about to leave, they invited us to stay with all of them at the school they had rented, or if we wanted to have free surfing lessons the next day. Dad decided it was too much, so we went back to the hotel.
Instead of taking surfing lessons with those from YWAM, who were at another beach, pretty far away, Dad rented a surf board, and let me take lessons with an instructor. Nate was the first one to try, and he got up on his first wave. Ben did really good too, and with Nathan's help, Anna was able to catch a couple waves. It was really fun.
It turned out the instructor was a Christian too! While Nate, and Ben were out surfing, I talked with him. He had had a hard life, and everything went wrong before he finally turned to the Lord. After his conversion, by his testimony, his wife, two sons, father-in-law, and various others in his family were saved. He had a really neat, interesting testimony.
That was our our last day at the beach. We hopped on a bus to Sao Paulo, from where we got another bus to the Bolivian boarder.
The boarder town where we arrived was hot, humid, jungle territory. Probably one of the hottest places we've been. Dad had went scouting out for a hotel for us to stay in, and found one way out in the country, that was practically a ranch, with a bunch of rooms, overlooking the beautiful “Pantanal”, kind of a marshland (or something), which people come all over the world to explore. Apparently it has all kinds of snakes, piranhas, panthers, crocodiles, and other wildlife, but we didn't have time to see any of that if we were to arrive in Santa Cruz for Sunday.
Thankfully we had air-conditioning in our room, where we stayed the rest of the evening, except when we went out for dinner. Walking down the road we smelled shishkabobs being barbecued over coals, and stopped in. It was too hot to be very hungry, even though it was probably nine at night. There we celebrated our last night in Brazil...
For breakfast at the hotel, we were served eggs and milk probably from their own chickens and cows, as well as bread and bananas. In the place was a HUGE blue macaw, that chased us around during breakfast. The owner of the place came into the dining room to see us all hiding behind chairs, making sure that at least one object always between us and the extraoridinarily large bird. It must have looked very comical. She shooed the menacing creature out of the room, and apologized for it's behavior, allowing us to finish our breakfast. The train was to leave soon, on which Ben, Nathan and I would be riding to Santa Cruz, so we rushed to pack up all our baggage.
After crossing the boarder into Bolivia, arriving at the train station, the three of us older kids said goodbye to Dad, Mom, and Anna as they headed for the airport. We were planning on meeting up in Santa Cruz after about twenty hours...
The island's Fireworks for the New Year were known to be some of the best in Brazil. Cesario and Elvira's relatives were on their way over to see them, and all us YP piled into a few cars with them. When we got out, more than a ten-minute walk from our destination, we needed no one to tell us where we should go. Mobs of people, looking like swarms of ants all headed for the shoreline. EVERYBODY in Brazil (or so it seemed) packed together on the shore overlooking the bay. I've never been in a crowd that big in my life! Everywhere you looked there were groups of families and friends, talking, laughing, or just hanging out waiting for midnight.
Before leaving Cesario's, the Argentinean girls told me they had heard that it was a custom in Brazil to wear all white on New Years Eve, so the five of us girls all put on white shirts, and skirts. Some of the people back at the house kinda smiled when they saw us like that, but didn't say anything. They spoke to each other in Portuguese, and we weren't quite sure what they were saying... but quickly forgot about it upon arriving, and seeing many, if not the majority were also wearing white. It was not until much later, after we'd left Florionopolis, that I asked Mom if she knew what it was all about. We both laughed when she told me, and I felt a little bit embarrassed. Catholics, showing their loyalty to the church had that custom... :S
So, after waiting around for at least half hour, the fireworks started. While lighted from a boat in the water, in they were controlled by someone on shore with a remote. It was pretty impressive, watching the bursts of color in the sky, then their reflection below. All around, everyone was looking up, and with every explosion their faces lighted up. When mid-night finally rolled around, the reason for the champaign bottles in just about everyone's hands was evident. The whole time people had been walking around, shaking them up, and right at twelve, the corks were popped, and everyone anywhere close to them were showered.
A couple days Mateus took us to different beaches. When my parents had come back from Joinville where Danielle lives, they brought back a car Danielle had let us borrow. It really came in handy. And I got to drive for the first time in what, six months?! It was wonderful! Because in Brazil the law is you have to be eighteen to drive, I was the only one with a liscence who could. So Dad drove the other. It's interesting how although January is summer down here, it is also the rainy season. So, while we were at the beach, it rained every time. But, it didn't change the fun we had. I think it was the first time we'd been swimming in the ocean in the rain! One of the beaches was close to where Bernardo and Giseli live, so their daughters came out and swam with us too. Jose and Graciela invited us over for “pastel”, a sort of fried empenada, with shrimp inside, made only in Brazil. They were really good!
A few days later, the conference started. By then, three more sisters and a brother had arrived to the house from Bolivia. They had the option of staying at the luxurious hotel, or in the little three roomed, one bathroom house, already bursting at the seams with five girls, and two guys. Cesario and his wife Elvira, as well as the rest of my family (sleeping at Elvira's parents') coming in to eat every meal. They chose the house. We were all so impressed with Elvira and Cesario's attitudes. The whole time they were positive, cheerful, and serving everyone as best they could. Although it was complicated rationing out the shower, and eating times, it was a really happy time.
The hotel, where the conference was hosted was very different than the majority of the conferences we´ve been to in South America. While many times it was warm outside, they had air conditioning. I'm sure we must have had it in other places on this trip, but that's the first place I remember! During the meetings, if we concentrated really hard, we could understand the majority of what was being said, but were still at that point where once comprehending what was being said, it was kinda hard to connect those parts to complete thought. Finding the books of the Bible were easy for us, which helped us to understand a little more.As we discovered the whole country of Brazil, the food at the hotel was incredible. Some of what we ate was similar to American food, then everything else was amazing too. I don't think there was ANYTHING I ate that I didn't like!
After conference we went to the beach with Jose and Graciela, along with their nieces, Mariana, and Jiovani and all the YP staying at our house. They took us to the sand dunes, where we were able to sand-board. We rented a couple boards, and all shared them. It was awesome! Compared
to snowboarding, you have a little less control of where you're going, but it's easier to get up, and stay up if your board isn't waxed. Another thing is the exhaustion factor. After riding down a dune, you have to hike back up. It seems as if for every foot up, you slide back three. So by the time you get back up to the top, you feel as if you're done for the day after only one run! But, after sitting up top, watching the others for a while, you had to go down again, and again, and again. When finishing for the day, we were all tired, but happy. A few of us, thinking about back home at this time of year there's plenty of snow on the mountains, began to experience snowboarding withdrawals.From there, we had to say goodbye to Jose and Graciela, as well as Marianna and Jioviani :(. They were all so kind!
The next day we had to say goodbye to Cesario, Elvira, and Mateus, as well as Dina, Eliana, Rus Mery and Josue from Argentina. Even though it was kind of hard to communicate with Elvira, I really enjoyed being with her, and she was really a help spiritually to me too. It was almost as if her daughter Talita and I had switched lives. At the time I was staying at the Simoes, going to their conference, hanging out with Talita's friends, she was at L.A. conference, where she hung out with my friends!
Saying goodbye to the Argentineans was hard. They had traveled with us for almost a month I think it was, and I really bonded with the girls. We shared things we were going through, and they encouraged me in the Lord. I will always have good memories of them, as well as the songs they taught me in my mind. Josue was a real encouragement to my brothers too.
From Florionopolis, our next stop was Joinville, where Hanes, and Danielle (Dad's cousin) live with their daughter Sarah and two sons Johanes and Dominique. It was a beautiful little German settlement. They live on sort of mission grounds where Hanes' grandparents, then parents had been missionaries. We stayed in Hanes' in-laws house while they were away on vacation. Everything was obviously German in the whole house. It was as if they had brought a part of Germany with them when they'd come from their home.
Here we were thrown into yet another language hurricane. Sarah spoke mostly Portuguese, and her cousin who was visiting knew no English. With her we communicated in either our Spanish mix of Portuguese, or some English. The boys talked Portuguese with Sarah and Bruno, English with us, and with Danielle, but only German with Hanes. So at two and four they were fluent in three languages (Dominique understanding, but not quite speaking all quite yet)!
We had a really nice time there. Danielle and Sarah took us to a milk, and cheese farm, where we saw goats that were treated the best I've seen, then to a waterfall where we went swimming. One night we had a bond fire where we had SMORES!!! The first time since we'd left home. They were delicious. We also sang in English and Portuguese while Danielle played the accordion. It was really neat to see Sarah and her younger cousin Bruno singing with all their heart, and almost arguing about what one to sing next :D.It was so refreshing to be back in a house where English was a first language, something we haven't had since Ecuador and Leticia!
Piracicaba was our next destination. Pretty much our whole trip we were just winging it, not knowing exactly where we were going, or when, until maybe a week, maybe a day before doing it. Piracicaba was a different story. We knew we were going to go there, and had been looking foreword to it the whole trip. Uncle Nathan, Vi, and Larissa were going to be there, staying with Vi's parents. And, we were going to see our cousin Larissa for the first time, who was born after we started the trip!
Uncle Nathan, and Cristiani (Vi's sister) met us at the bus station. It was so good to see them! Seeing my uncle down here in South America was a little disorienting for my mind at the beginning. :D I hadn't seen Cris since Nathan and Vi's wedding, and it had been over eight months since seeing Uncle Nathan or Vi! Seeing them there made me really miss everyone even more back home.
When we got to the house we were warmly taken in, as if we were part of the family. Although the house was small, and they already had company, they just made more room for us. Here we had more opportunity to speak in Portuguese with Tony and Sueli, although Cris and David both speak English well. And Larissa is adorable! She is the happiest baby I've ever seen!While we were there, they took us out to eat pastel (like the ones some of us had tried in Florionopolis) and asai, both typical to only Brazil. We had never tried asai before. When they served it in a big bowl, I was expecting the dark brown thick sauce to taste something like chocolate pudding, but found it to have a berry flavor. It was partially frozen, and along with the granola mixed with pieces of fruit like papaya, strawberries, mango and pineapple it was really good!
One day Felipe and Carol (Vi's brother and sister-in-law) came over to Toni and Sueli's to make Brazilian Barbecue. It was delicious! I can't say it enough. Brazilian food is amazing!After being there a few days, we said goodbye to Uncle Nathan, Vi and Larissa. Felipe and Carol invited us to stay with them in Limera. It was really neat getting to know them better too. Both of them are so sweet! Because Felipe sometimes has to work out of town, we spent more time with Carol. She was always cheerful, and making us laugh.
In Limeira, we were staying in the appartment, but we were barely there. People were always inviting us out to their houses, or we had meeting or something! The place we probably went the most was Beto and Neca's dentist office. There Anna got four teeth pulled, Ben and Mom two, and I one. We kept them busy ;D. It seemed like we were always over there! We also went over to their house and swam in their pool frequently. One night we were there, they brought out old video recordings that Flavio, a man from there in Limeira had taken years ago when he was in the States. It was hilarious to see some people we recognized, from over twenty years ago (including people like my dad, aunts, uncles, and others, particularly from Southern California)!
Pizinato took us everywhere in his car! The cross between a mini-van and stationwagon was just perfect fitting the six of us and him, so he was pretty much our chauffeur ;D. He and Nate teased each other endlessly, never leaving a dull moment.
Elaine took us all around too. One day she took us to Inez's (a sister in the meeting) hair salon where she, her daughter Emily, Mom, Anna and I got our hair and nails done. Mom remembers twenty years ago on her honeymoon when Inez invited her to come to that exact same place!
We also went to a brother's house named Mario Persona. Both his children are now living in the US, and he lives alone with an adopted son, who has been mostly blind, crippled, and mentally slow since birth. To see the love he has for Pedro is amazing, and I really think that the boy has flourished with that love, and has reached heights he would have never been able to accomplish without it. Although he can't speak, walk, or even control himself completely, he knows when he's cared about.
Mario is a very gospel oriented person, and has been posting videos on Utube called “Evangelio em tres minutos”. From that ministry many are coming to him with questions, and are even getting saved. It was really encouraging to hear about his work.
One weekend we went out to Roberto's “facienda”, which is a big ranch where he has horses, cows, and probably other animals I didn't see. There all the young people have good memories of getting together, and spending time with each other. The weekend we went it was only our family, Roberto and his son Mateus, Felipe and Carol, another Mateus from Limeira, and Cristiani, Vi's sister.
It was beautiful, a
nd peaceful out there. Driving up the long driveway, we passed acres and acres
of sugar cane, then pastures and pastures of cattle. The large, rustic house was built somewhere in the eighteen hundreds. You could tell it had been owned by wealthy plantation owners in the past, but now, it was apparent that there was nobody taking care of it like there once were. Plaster was cracking off the walls, exposing the bricks underneath and all kinds of old trinkets from saddles to license plates to wood burning stoves and a stuffed animals including a cougar and alligator filled the building. The rooms where we stayed were pretty large, and had very high ceilings, and windows. In the kitchen, Roberto had about five ancient refrigerators, most of them didn't work. As one would walk through, it almost felt like a museum in one of the old buildings down by Fort Vancouver, only instead of American relics, these were Brazilian. It was all fascinating. Down below, in the basement, were the living quarters of the slaves. From hearing of how the American slaves were treated, it was easy to imagine how it probably was hundreds of years ago here too (although apparently here they were treated more humanely as a whole, and the Brazilian abolition had been ratified before that of the United State's). From the balcony, you could see looked over the whole valley of small hills, wide, curving rivers, and criss-crossed lines of sugarcane fields. The place was gorgeous. It was obvious why car advertisements were filmed up here.A few of us went in to town to buy meat for a Barbecue. It was a tiny place, with only one grocery store. We packed everything into the back of Carol's car, then she let Ben drive. It started out a little rough, considering he's not too accustomed to driving a manual, but pretty soon it seemed almost as smooth as an automatic. While we were shopping, the sky had become filled with clouds, and it had begun to rain. We hadn't taken this into account before we got to the dirt road, but once we got there, it was a little scary for me. The light brown powdery dirt had become a dark slimy, slippery mess. While he drove up, down, and around the hills, Ben had absolutely no control of the back of the vehicle. I would hold my breath while he would turn the steering wheel one way, and the back tires would slide the other. Thankfully we got back to the house safely.
There, Roberto, and Dad made some amazing barbecue for us all, including sausage, chicken, beef, and grilled cheese (which is a delicious Brazilian way of eating their cheese!) in a little outdoor kitchen by the house. As always, it was WAY too much food for us to eat in one meal.
Because it was raining, we didn't go outside, but stayed around the house, playing games, sleeping, talking, or using Mateus' laptop.
The next day we went on a hike down to a waterfall, getting an even better view of the valley, tramping through the Roberto's fields, past the ranch hands' houses, and little lake, stocked with fish. It would have been neat if we we would have been able to stay more time, but that night we had meeting, and the next day was Sunday, so we had to get back to Limiera.
The next day, we went to the assembly in Sao Paulo. It took us about two hours in Pizzi's car. Even though it wasn't too far away, the traffic, at all hours is awful. The city planning for the city hadn't done a good job at all. It was so bad that during the week only certain license plate numbers can drive certain days! It was a fellowship Sunday, so even though there was only one brother, two sisters (Cida), then a husband and wife (Luis and Vicca) with their daughter (Paula), and her boyfriend, we had a meal together. Luis cooked up meat and cheese on a little grill he had brought to the small room where we had the meetings.
After the meal, Pizzi agreed to drive us to Grandpa's caretaker's (Silvio and Rose) relatives' house, which was supposedly somewhere in Sao Paulo. Because we had no idea where it was, and only had an address, and a telephone number, Luis and Vicca said we could use their GPS, and brought Cida along too. It was a long, almost frustrating process finding the address. Numbers seemed to jump all over the place, and for a while they were even on one side, then odd on the other, then it would switch up, then the numbers went up, then started back down... but, finally, we saw a man, and woman standing out by the road, looking sort of like they might be watching for someone, and pulled in. Are you looking for us? In fact they were! Upon seeing the man, we realized the similarities in both looks, and behaviors of Silvio, and knew he was his dad. The lady was his wife, Silvio's mom.
When we first walked into the small apartment, it was a little bit awkward. We had never met these people, and really had never communicated with them at all either. Another complication was our lack of Portuguese, and unlike when we had been anywhere else in Brazil where most people spoke English, they didn't know much. We sat down on the couches, and kind of tried to communicate. Then, Dad was like, “I'd like to share some verses with you.” And, he did. From there, things started to loosen up. As it became less awkward, more and more people started showing up. Now not only the immediate family of Silvio was there, but Rose's was came also, and their cousins, and cousins of cousins. Then, we mentioned maybe singing some songs. Because they are Seventh Day Adventists, we thought we might know some songs they also were familiar with. They told us to go first, then they sang. Man, did they sing beautifully. Some of them were in a quartet from their church, and whether it was just them singing, or the whole family, it was amazing.From then on, we felt almost part of the family! Each one of us were in another little group, trying to communicate with our Espanportlish. By then, there were probably fifty people packed in the room, and more were outside. It was crazy, but way fun.
Even after knowing them for less than a couple hours, we didn't want to say goodbye. It's amazing how God's love can be so strong. Showing up at someone's house, their WHOLE family coming over, and being able to share the Word, and songs together. It was so amazing.
Back at the apartment, one night Tony, Sueli, and Pizinato had come over to have us try Feshuada, that Sueli had prepared. Apparently it was one of the most-known meals pertaining to Brazil specifically. The story behind it was, in the days of slaves, the plantation owners would throw out all their meat scraps, pieces of the animal they didn't want to eat, to their slaves. The servants would take advantage of the situation, and would cook what they received with beans. Now, most have accustomed to eating it with good meat as we did at Carol's (and were thankful ;D), but there are still some people who prefer it the original way.
We were going to make it to Santa Cruz, Bolivia as soon as possible, but had gotten news that they were voting for a new constitution in the country, so there was a good chance of civil unrest, so we decided to spend a week as a family at the beach. Saying goodbye to those in Limiera, (looking forward to hopefully seeing Cris, Felipe, and Carol in March when they come to take an English course in the US) we boarded yet another bus.
Arriving to Sao Paulo, it was necessary to get to another bus station, getting there on the subway. We weren't looking forward to that. We each had at least one big suitcase, and a backpack, as well as two other extra suitcases, and were NOT excited about squishing into one of those. Being our only option, we kinda had to do it. Our fears were confirmed when the train pulled up to the platform. We stared in through the windows, at the mass of people packed in like sardines. There's NO way the four of us said one to another, but we didn't have time to argue, or even second think when Dad said “Get in!”, and slipped into a car further on. Mom disappeared, and so the four of us, and our luggage jammed ourselves into the already pancaked people in the car. We got some dirty looks, and muttered phrases, but thankfully we didn't understand! The ride was hot, stuffy, and jerky. We pretty much didn't even have to hold ourselves up, because whether we held onto something or not, we wouldn't go anywhere, being plastered against people, or their belongings on every side. When the door opened, we practically bursted out. The six of us together once again, we had to catch another one to the other bus station. Thankfully, although it wasn't empty enough for us to sit, we didn't even have to touch anyone as we stood with our bags jostling through the city.
The next bus ride was around five hours to Maranduba, a little beach town where we were planning to spend the week. We had found the hotel on the internet, and really had absolutely no idea where it was as we stepped off the bus, and unloaded our bags all under the little bus stop cover. It was raining, hard. This was one of the first times my dad really didn't know what to do, or where to go. Although things are usually always last moment, we usually get there, and Dad has an uncanny way of just “knowing things” or at least figuring them out quickly. So, when this wasn't the case, and not “everything worked out perfectly” as it usually does, everyone was a little irritated. It's funny how many times this SHOULD have happened to us, but just never did. So, when it does happen, we're not quite prepared. The rain was puring down, and we tried to keep our luggage under the shelter, but even that didn't work too well. The fact that we were making others waiting for the next bus wait out in the rain, because us, and our stuff were filling the place.
Dad left, and somehow got a hold of the hotel, who said they'd send someone. After waiting out there for like 45 minutes, someone showed up... but, he was on a bike! We kinda smiled at that. He put one of the bags on the bike, which he walked, while we followed him, lugging all our baggage, through all kinds of muddy potholes, and a swinging bridge. Thankfully, the rain wasn't cold, but it was obviously wet. Getting us, and our stuff pretty soaked. While walking along the road, Ben asked the guy if it was always like this here in Maranduba. He replied, “no, the sun does come out sometimes... it was sunny two days ago.” We had been warned about the fact that the next town up, Ubatuba, had been nicknamed “Uballuva”, lluva meaning rain, so we should have been a bit more prepared for seeing only the sun peaking out from behind the clouds a couple times :D.The hotel wasn't luxurious, but it was perfect for what we needed; a queen sized bed, bunk-bed, and a hide-a-bed, with a small little kitchen, containing all the utensils we would need for cooking and eating.
As soon as our stuff was in the room, we all changed into our swim-suits, and went out to the beach. From the hotel, it was only about a seven minute walk. By this time, the rain had stopped, but even so, the beach was pretty much deserted. Mom stayed on the beach, watching us, with her long skirt, long sleeved shirt, wide-brimmed hat, and black umbrella to keep as many UV rays away from her skin as possible. It wasn't easy to loose her! We got in the water, and jumped waves for a couple hours, then went to a little restaurant by the water.
The next day, Nate and I got up before everyone (at nine) and went out swimming. The whole time it was overcast, and rained every couple hours, but that didn't matter, because the water was so warm, even the rain was never too cold. When we came back at noon, everyone was still in bed!
It was a really good time to just be as a family. The first time really on this whole trip we spent time being just us. We cooked our own meals, did our own dishes... it was almost like being home again (only without all our family and friends :( )! We had a lot of cereal and milk, beans and rice. Mom is trying to stay away from wheat as much as possible, which she's heard helps with Lupus. So, for everything we bought we looked for “gluten free”. It's harder than it seems! Practically everything has gluten in it, even the chocolate the rest of us all shared! At meal times she couldn't eat the bread we had with eggs, french toast, and even some ice-cream. But, thankfully, her favorite candy bar has no gluten; snickers. Uncle Nathan brought a bunch down from the US when he came, and, because nobody else in my family reads this, I can tell you that she still has a bunch of them hidden away in her suitcase, and when nobody is looking, she sneaks one every once in a while from her precious stash. I think everybody else thinks they're long finished by now ;D. Other than the diet, (which she really believes has been helping her tremendously with not being so drowsy all the time) which is pretty hard to be on, especially when we're always visiting other people's houses, (and you can't just say “I can't eat anything with gluten”), she has been doing much better than Leticia, improving all the time, and is back to her normal cheerful self. The only difference being she always has to wear the longsleeves, hat, and carry an umbrella as well as the 65spf sunscreen she wears to keep as much as the UV rays from getting to her skin as possible as we travel.
We were there for like two days before we left for Taubate, an assembly about six hours away, to spend the weekend. We left our suitcases at the hotel, and each packed a backpack.
When we arrived at the bus station, we weren't quite sure exactly of who we were looking for. The sister with who Dad had communicated only knew Portuguese, and without hand motions over the phone, it was difficult to know exactly what she was saying. What Dad DID understand, was that he had glasses. So, that was the only hint we had recieved. This was one of the few times we had never seen the person picking us before, but, like always, we found each other. Allesandro, Rosangela, Glauber and Leticia's house was right down the road, so it was easy to walk to from the station. At the house we met Lucilia and Juliano, Marcos, Elaine and their two adorable little kids Gabriel and Giovana. The whole assembly had come to greet us. Once again, we had a little bit of an awkward situation. We didn't know them, or anything about them, and they the same with us. As soon as we arrived, we sat down to an amazing meal they had prepared for us.
From there, we had a reading, where we sang, and read a passage. Afterwards, everyone loosened up a bunch. We took showers, and got our stuff organized. We had another meeting later on (which was there regular weekly meeting). Afterwards we went out to an Arabic restaurant. In Brazil, they have quite a bit of Arabic food. There was where everyone really got comfortable. We all talked there till late.
Because nobody´s house was large enough, our family was split up in twos for the night. Mom and Dad stayed with Juliano and Lucilia, Anna and I with Marcos and Elaine, while Ben and Nate stayed in the house we had arrived at; Allesandro and Roseangela's. Although the house where we were at was very small, only having two rooms, we got Gabriel and Giovana's room, while they slept with their parents. They were the cutest little kids ever. A little bit mischievous at times, but full of fun.
Sunday, because we were visiting, and there were too many to all fit in Allesandro's house, they rented sort of an event center. After meeting we had a meal, and the kids played in the pool, or threw little plastic balls at each other (like the ones at a Mc Donald's play place). Pretty soon, some got a little too comfortable ;D. Ben, Marcos and I all got thrown in the pool with our Sunday clothes on, and Juliano and Nathan got in a pretty serious war with the balls. Nate had little red welts all over his back, and I imagine Juliano did too. We all had a lot of fun.
We spent the evening back at Allesandro's, then stayed one more night before heading back to the houses we'd been in the night before.The next morning, we said goodbye to everyone, and headed back for Maranduba. Being there, in that assembly was really encouraging. The three families all got along together really well, and had all come into the meeting just within the last couple of years. They were all ready, and happy to learn all they could.
On our way back to Maranduba, we stopped in Ubatuba, where we met a whole group of kids, and young adults from YWAM (Youth With A Mission). There were over two hundred of them all from different churches, who had come together for some sort of a camp. We talked to quite a few of the kids for a while, and it was here where I could hear the ext ream accents. They say those from the north of Brazil, and those from the south can't understand each other. Even though we barely know Portuguese, there was a definite distinction in the way some of them talked. They were all excited,witnessing, singing songs, and performing skits for people on the boardwalk. When we were about to leave, they invited us to stay with all of them at the school they had rented, or if we wanted to have free surfing lessons the next day. Dad decided it was too much, so we went back to the hotel.
Instead of taking surfing lessons with those from YWAM, who were at another beach, pretty far away, Dad rented a surf board, and let me take lessons with an instructor. Nate was the first one to try, and he got up on his first wave. Ben did really good too, and with Nathan's help, Anna was able to catch a couple waves. It was really fun.
It turned out the instructor was a Christian too! While Nate, and Ben were out surfing, I talked with him. He had had a hard life, and everything went wrong before he finally turned to the Lord. After his conversion, by his testimony, his wife, two sons, father-in-law, and various others in his family were saved. He had a really neat, interesting testimony.
That was our our last day at the beach. We hopped on a bus to Sao Paulo, from where we got another bus to the Bolivian boarder.
The boarder town where we arrived was hot, humid, jungle territory. Probably one of the hottest places we've been. Dad had went scouting out for a hotel for us to stay in, and found one way out in the country, that was practically a ranch, with a bunch of rooms, overlooking the beautiful “Pantanal”, kind of a marshland (or something), which people come all over the world to explore. Apparently it has all kinds of snakes, piranhas, panthers, crocodiles, and other wildlife, but we didn't have time to see any of that if we were to arrive in Santa Cruz for Sunday.
Thankfully we had air-conditioning in our room, where we stayed the rest of the evening, except when we went out for dinner. Walking down the road we smelled shishkabobs being barbecued over coals, and stopped in. It was too hot to be very hungry, even though it was probably nine at night. There we celebrated our last night in Brazil...
For breakfast at the hotel, we were served eggs and milk probably from their own chickens and cows, as well as bread and bananas. In the place was a HUGE blue macaw, that chased us around during breakfast. The owner of the place came into the dining room to see us all hiding behind chairs, making sure that at least one object always between us and the extraoridinarily large bird. It must have looked very comical. She shooed the menacing creature out of the room, and apologized for it's behavior, allowing us to finish our breakfast. The train was to leave soon, on which Ben, Nathan and I would be riding to Santa Cruz, so we rushed to pack up all our baggage.
After crossing the boarder into Bolivia, arriving at the train station, the three of us older kids said goodbye to Dad, Mom, and Anna as they headed for the airport. We were planning on meeting up in Santa Cruz after about twenty hours...
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Finally Brazil!
The whole way to the boarder, we had all been praying
Arriving in
The next morning at six-thirty a brother came in and greeted us cheerfully. We poked our heads out of our cocoons and reached to shake his hand. He reminded us that praver meeting started in a half hour, so we probably should be getting up soon. Most of us rolled right back over until ten minutes before seven. We pulled on our clothes, and walked out to the beginning of a long day. After prayer meeting we had breakfast, a thick corn-meal drink, and a piece of bread. It was decided to read in II Timothy 2 for the Reading Meetings. It is so interesting, 'cause this was the third time we've read that chapter this year, whether it be at a conference, or an assembly meeting. The meeting after lunch, and before dinner was one long one of three hours. It reminded me of being in
This conference was really encouraging; especially the love of the people. In the meetings, as well as after so many were SO gracious, and giving all they had to make us comfortable and happy. There was family especially that really encouraged me. One of the main brothers in the assembly had quiite a large family, of which many had gone far from the Lord. But, in the last few years the Lord has really been working, slowly bringing them back, with their families. One of the sons were even baptized there after the conference, along with a young guy and girl. There were of their daughters (who are cousins), especially who were just on fire for the Lord, and their love for Him really showed. We just really need to remember to pray for the rest of their families too. I believe neither of the girls' moms are saved, but they are definitely interested. It was encouraging to hear too, that a guy and a girl were saved one night after a gospel meeting. I don't know whether the brother who goes out and invites people to come in influenced them to enter and listen, or whether they heard the message from the loudspeaker placed right outside of the meeting room, allowing all the neighbors and passer-byers to hear. The young people were encouraging too, ready to sing, or talk about the Lord.
From
It was the first time we were actually traveling by ourselves, to a place where there were no other Americans, and really nobody we really knew, except for the Villarubias, who live in
The eighteen hour train-ride was pretty cool. Although it was a little hard to sleep at night, the complimentary breakfast of cafe con leche, crackers, bread, butter, jam, and scrambled eggs made up for it. We snacked on vanilla and chocolate wafers, read our Bibles, talked, wrote in our journals, slept, or just sat there, staring out the window, or sleeping.
Upon arriving in Villazon, it seemed as though brethren began to pop up everywhere. We had bought tickets so late that we were unable to go in the second or third class cars with those that we knew (or we had at least maybe seen before some place, or were known by people we knew from meeting). So when we arrived, and met up with everyone who had been riding the same train, in the other cars, there was quite a group of us. We lugged our stuff down to the meeting room.
The town of
We made the rounds greeting every person who was a brother or sister in sight. You had to be especially attentive, because some would only shake your hand, while others would shake your hand, give you a kiss on your cheek while putting their hand on your shoulder, then shake your hand again, while still others just give you a kiss, while patting your upper arm.
After greeting everyone standing anywhere around, the whole group of us who'd arrived kinda just stood there in the entrance of the meeting room not knowing quite what to do next. But, it was all sort of disorganizedly arranged for us to all to stay at a house of a family. There were two rooms, out behind the main house. The whole building was put together with mud adobe, having a tin roof, being supported with thick branches. After walking into the dim, cool room from the bright sunlight, our eyes made little sun-spots around on the cracking, brown walls, randomly having little plug-ins waist-high, and on the hard, cement floor, as well as the corrugated metal roof. Once our eyes adjusted, the straw-tick mats lining both sides of the room, having a isle way in between them, and two rickety, metal beds.
Others coming for the conference were sitting on their mats chatting, meeting again, some after years of being away from eachother. We each threw our bags down on a mat, along with the twenty other people staying in there. Ben, Dave, Cam, me, and
The bathroom was another issue. Both the toilet, and the shower (as well as the customary “bude” however it's spelled in French...) were in the same room, so if anyone was taking a shower the line outside the door grew longer and longer waiting for their turn. There was no separation between the main bathroom and the shower, so the faucet, where the water came out to bathe, poured right out onto the floor, getting everything wet, and sometimes even leaking under the door onto the ground outside, making the powdery dust into a mushy mud that was tracked into our room, as well as back into the bathroom. So now the floor is extremely wet, AND muddy. So, naturally not wanting to change in front of everyone where we're sleeping, we have to change in the bathroom. Having nowhere to put the clothes you're not wearing, you have to hold them in one hand, while slipping each article of clothing on carefully with the other hand. It was a challenge to keep any of them from falling. To avoid that risk, we discovered an alternative, and aspired to become almost* professional sleeping-bag changers. It probably looked like quite a struggle watching someone squirming around in the long, black mummy bags, but instead of transforming from a caterpillar to butterfly, the pajamas become a conference outfit, and vuala, we were ready. Another day of at least eight hours of meetings, with three breaks had just begun!
Prayer meeting began at six. We were at least a little late for every one :S. Breakfast, at seven, was a five minute walk from the “local” where the conference was being hosted. It was in a small, dusty, court-yard covered by a blue tarp. Against one wall, made with mud and straw bricks were two large cauldrons, made of metal 50-gallon drums cut in half boiling over red, hot coals. Standing in line, those at the conference waited to be handed their breakfast, consisting of a large mug of tea (or coffee with milk), accompanied by a piece of bread and a bowl of soup. Some brought their own eating utensils, while others borrowed from the local assembly. There were a certain amount of seats, so especially by the third day the majority had to stand eating. It was a good feeling, drinking warm, steaming tea, those brisk, cool, mornings, standing chatting with the others around us.
The first reading meeting (where it was decided we would study Romans 8) started an hour later, the three hours until lunch.
Listening, and trying to concentrate on the doctrine being preached, all in Spanish was mentally exhausting. Even more so for Dave, Cam, and
During the breaks we would either walk around, talk, take a nap, or stand in a circle, hitting the volleyball around. Once we walked over the boarder to
By the end of the day, we were all absolutely EXHAUSTED. Gospel went from eight to nine, then after that, the YP would want to do things. The first night we helped tie the tops little long, skinny bags of jellow for the next days snack between meetings. While we tied, we learned Quechua songs, while teaching them what we could in English.
Another night we had a sing in the meeting room, which lasted till like eleven. Then, the last night a bunch went to play “wally”, a type of volleyball in an enclosed room, where you can play off the walls. It was way fun, but staying there till 12 was a little late after having to wake up at 5:30, and having meetings all day.
From Villason, we took a bus with some brothers to Tarija. An assembly with quite a few young people.
We spent an amazingly fun week there, before meeting up with my family in the bus station, less than fifteen minutes before the next bus left to take us to Palpala.
We got to Palpala late Thursday night, or more like early Friday morning, slept a couple hours then went to conference. The house where we were in had two rooms, one for my parents, and the other for us six young people, then other people came some of the nights. We separated the guys on one side of the room, and us girls on the other.
Conference was good. Now, being a really long time since we were there, I don't remember too much....
From that conference, we traveled to
We stayed in
From
Two of the weekends we were there we helped her with the Sunday School work she's doing there in the neighborhood. She is the main one organizing the kids, singing the songs, and getting everything going. It was really fun.
From
But being there we were really encouraged. Every day we usually had at least two invites to go to someone else's house. Tons of more people asked to have us over, but there just wasn't time. And the people there eat at crazy times! We started dinner at
We had a day out at a property of the brother Niconor's (in whose house we stayed). A bunch of the people in the assembly brought food, and we had a pot-luck with everyone. Afterward we had a Bible study, then played volleyball, soccer, and a kid brought a bat, so I taught a group of people how to play baseball. I never realized how many rules there are in the game. It was kind of ironic having me teach people to play baseball. I honestly don't know half of what baseball consists of. But they had fun, and that's what counts! I felt bad though, 'cause one time I went to hit the ball, and in my followthrough, I followed through right smack on the side of a kids' head!
But, there was quite a large group of young people there, many of which loved to sing, and pass out tracts.
One girl in particular impressed me. Seven years ago when we were in Bolivia, we heard about a truck full of fruit and vegetables, as well as those going to sell it had rolled, hurting many, and killing a few. Her mom was one of those who died. Eva had to grow up, raising her younger siblings, and is now fifteen. She loves to sing, and go out with the young people, and pass out tracts. One day she invited us to wake up early and go pass out calendars for the new year at the bus and train station.
Although the young people want to please the Lord, there is a lot of discouragment. From both the world, and even in the assembly itself. Please pray for the assembly of
I cried on the bus for a half hour leaving that assembly. Both because I know I'm going to miss them so much, and I never know when (or even if) I'll see them again, and too, praying that they would be encouraged to continue in their desire to follow the Lord, and stay strong during the trials. We left there with four more young people. Eliana and Josue who we stayed with in
The girls are especially encouraging. Whatever opportunity they have to sing, they take it, whether it be walking down the road, sitting on a bus on our way somewhere, or in the house doing clean up. They are also always ready to go pass out tracts and calendars. Such examples!
So, one day in
That evening, our bus left for
So now we're in
Thursday, November 27, 2008
An update on Mom
Some of you probably know that my mom hasn´t been feeling well for the past three months or so, and after experiencing fever, extreme fatigue and joint pain with swelling, Dad took her to the doctor in Colombia where the orthopedic surgeon operated on her right wrist for carpal tunnel syndrome. He then advised her to see a rheumatologist when she arrived in a major city to have further tests done. When we arrived at the conference in La Paz, Bolivia, Dad took her to another doctor who then called in a specialist to the room. After looking at her blood tests and observing her symptoms, the doctor advised we return as soon as possible to the U.S. for further tests. Dad asked if it were possible to have them done while we are here to be better aware of the options, and she agreed to do the bloodwork and then the results sent on to a rheumatologist in Cochabamba Bolivia where we were planning to visit next. My parents overheard her tell the other doctor that she strongly suspected systemic lupus... that she saw ¨these kind every day¨. Further bloodwork was completed in Cochabamba, where the rheumatologist confirmed the diagnosis as Systemic lupus erythematosus. She is currently taking prednizone and an anti malarial drug that is to help with her symptoms, and she is feeling better. Her desire is that this would bring her closer to the Lord, and that He would have the glory in this trial. At this point, we plan to stay down here longer, and are looking to the Lord for wisdom as to future plans. Thanks for your prayers for her and all of us!!
the other half of our boat trip
From Iquitios, we continued on the river. This time we were on a big boat, similar to the one we'd traveled on coming to Leticia. It was a cargo ship, the bottom deck containing all kinds of scrap metal stacked about ten feet high on either side of the narrow walkway leading to the stairs. Upon going up to the second level and entering the large, enclosed area with small, variously colored windows and benches lining the perimeter, three rows of hammocks containing people sitting, laying or sleeping with all their luggage scattered around were visible. On this level, in the front was an open space overlooking both the pile of metal junk immediately below, as well as the vast Amazon river and jungle visible when scanning the horizon. Our deck was the third; almost the highest. Here it looked very similar to the level below, but some of us were privileged to be able to stay in a “cabin”. If we would have gone on this boat before the first one, after walking in we would have taken a big breath, and been like “ok, we can do this”, but because we had already been through, this was luxurious in comparison. It was twice as big, had bunks that were a foot wider, and had individual bathrooms in each room! This time, mom being with us, instead of having to fit ten people's luggage, and two people in one tiny room, we had two way bigger cabins to fit five people, and everyone's luggage. Each room had a pair of steel bunks to the left, with thin, green mattresses to lay on. At the head of each of the beds was a window, where in the mornings we could pull back the thick, matching green curtains, and see the soft pink, blue, and orange sky as the sun began to rise. To the far back, taking up about 1/3 of the room (about four by eight feet) was the bathroom. Immediately behind the slightly blue tinted glass door was a brown, corroded, seat-less toilet, filled with brown, murky, Amazon water, that returned from where it came from as soon as it was flushed. Between it, and the faucet coming from the ceiling, serving as a shower was a small sink, and mirror, all being in the same room, and each using the same source of water; the Amazon. So whether you took a shower, washed your hands or flushed the toilet, it was all the same opaque brown water flowing out. Knowing that the river, where the water was coming from was the also the local sewer system wasn't the most comforting thought as you stood there taking an uncomfortably warm shower, or turned on the faucet to wash your hands. But, we were all extremely thankful for the room, bathroom, and although filthy water, something less dirty than we we were to use while cleaning up every once in a while.
Compared to the others on the boat (excluding Ben and Dave), we were very fortunate. They all had to sleep on the deck in hammocks with all the other hundred people, their children, babies, and assortment of small pets. At night the TV blared, babies cried, parrots in little wooden crates squaked, people rudely rammed into your hammock, and large men snored. All this occurred with the lights on. From our room we were able to hear all the commotion during the night, but were able to turn our lights out, making it much more comfortable. The first night, we thought we'd discovered what everyone else had overlooked... a space where we could put our hammocks up on the VERY top level. Although the sound of the engine was absolutely deafening there, considering the smoke-stacks rose from below, it seemed to be deserted. We hung our hammocks all up there to save spaces. Us girls even decided we'd rather sleep up there in the fresh air, than inside a protected cabin. Later that night we discovered that the place was not so deserted. It was for the captain who was off-duty, and his crew. One man rudely told us to get downstairs, but as we fought with trying to undo the knots Ben had securely tied, making sure there was NO WAY someone would fall, a man came up and said it would be ok, but just tonight. We found out he was the captain! It was so beautiful up there. The noisy deck below was inaudible due to the constant droning of the engine, and there was a cool breeze circulating the whole night as we lay in our hammocks talking, looking up at the vast sky, or out over the dark, now quiet jungle. So, that night we slept up there; a guard pacing back and forth carrying his shot-gun over his shoulder, not being careful in the least with it, pointing it in every direction, practicing absolutely no gun safety techniques. Because he had to keep himself awake all night he kinda hung around and tried to talk to us, but we were so tired we fell right asleep.
The next few nights, because it was a little too cozy, warm, and sweaty sleeping two girls to a bed in the cabin, it was decided two would sleep out on the deck every night. It wasn't as bad as it's description most of the time, but stopping at little villages all hours of the night did get a little frustrating, having people ducking under your hammock to get by then standing up too quickly, giving you a jerk, waking you up. Then, it seemed even though all we had to do on the boat was just sit all day anyways, some people would be up and awake at like four or five in the morning! Although not the most pleasant awakening, the sunrises were always beautiful over the water. If the boat would get close to the bank, or stop at a village, cutting it's engine at that time, the sounds of all the jungle animals could also be heard. Some places little monkeys were visible swinging from the branches of banana trees. Other times our boat would be passing canoes, and looking down from where we were, HUGE fish would be visible in their boats. Some so big you hardly knew how they could fit in such a small boat without it sinking!
Meals on the boat were pretty decent. For those in the cabin, two were served, then the others would go down to the second level, their own bowls and spoon in hand, and wait in line for their turn. Although the meals for those in the cabin were definitely better, the others were good too. We had quite a bit of fresh fish from the river, as well as yuca, rice, and chicken. To drink we were given avena (a liquid oatmeal, which most of us considered delicious) for breakfast, and tea at dinnertime. We also brought snacks, and large amounts of water and soda in case we needed more than was given.
Time was an abundance for the five days we were on the river. Some hung out in the hammocks, taking frequent naps, others played Rook, Phase 10, and Authors (mostly Ben, Nate, Anna and Dave, with Cam and I coming in every once in a while), Lydia and I enjoyed painting up on the top deck, sometimes some of us would play soccer, or volleyball up there too, but after accidentally hitting the volleyball over the side, and watching it disappear down river, into the distance, we decided that might not be the cheapest way to spend our spare time. Having time to read our Bibles, and having quiet time with the Lord was really one of the things we appreciated the most. We could just go up on the top deck, and even if people WERE making noise up there we wouldn't hear it! Being up there was just amazing. Although I realized for the first time I COULD get a headache from too much loud noise, being up there for short increments was awesome. The whole jungle (well at least part of the whole) spread as far as you could see ahead of us being interrupted only by little villages and the winding river, looking like it had gotten lost, reminding me of nonobjective termite tunnels going every which way, having no specific destination. During the day, it was extreamely hot, but dawn, and sunset were the most amazing times to be up there. The sky, with parrots and elegant white birds flying overhead, would turn all sorts of vibrant colors that looked photo shopped. Sitting up there, in the coolness, a slight breeze, you'd just get lost in the beauty of it all.
People on the boat were interesting. The only other tourists were two girls in their twenties from Spain, here to help the disabled in the Jungle. They knew some English, and we talked with them a little bit. One of them played the guitar, and at night she would sometimes take it out, and play. Because of the beautiful music, and lack of anything else to do, people would gather around and listen. One night Lydia and I climbed up on a pile of crates near where she was playing, and laid on our backs listening to the soft singing and strumming, talking, and looking up at the starry sky, watching for shooting stars. Talking with one of the girls, we found she really didn't have a “religion”, she said she believed everyone is right, and everyone's religions have good points. It's so hard to know what to say to that kind of person! The little kids on the boat were crazy. One of them was terribly rambunctious. He wasn't exactly BAD, but was always doing little things to get a reaction from anyone he could. He threw bugs at us, as well as tried to drop them in our soup, would come into our rooms unannounced, beat up other little kids, and insist on HIS way. Another girl I talked to was going into nursing like me, so I really enjoyed talking to her. She was almost more of a doctor, but was doing “practice” time in the remote Amazon villages. It was her first time out in the jungle like this, and she was really nervous about the primitiveness of it. On the boat also, in a hammock near where the boys were sleeping was a little old man, somewhere in his late eighties or nineties. He was terribly skinny, every bone in his body was visible. The light in his eyes was dim, and he was very weak. According to the lady traveling with him, he had cancer, and was going for treatment in Pucallpa. Honestly, he didn't look like he would last much longer. One night we had our Bible reading with him, all sitting around his hammock. I'm not sure exactly what religion he was (probably Catholic), but the whole time he had his hands pressed together in front of his face with his eyes shut, as if he was praying. He, and the lady traveling with him both really enjoyed the singing too (even though we WERE right by the smokestack, where you could barely hear).
Every evening we would have a Bible reading. We started reading in 1 Corinthians on the boat to Leticia, and continued on. One night was with that man, two nights we all squished in one of the cabins. Guys on the top bunk, girls below them, Dad sitting on a bench outside the bathroom. It was SO warm in there, and the next night we decided to go out on the front deck. We all sat there with our flashlights, singing out of our hymnbooks, when people started to gather around. It was pretty much like they'd done with the girls from Spain. They were curious as to what these Americans were doing; reading and singing in Spanish, when they really spoke English. Some were really interested, and talked to my dad even after the like two-hour reading. It was neat. After that, there were a few Christian kids who had listened, and afterwards took out a keyboard they'd brought (one of them was on their way to Lima to find a better life, working as a clown, playing the piano...) and played Christian songs on it. It was awesome, just sitting there, cross-legged in a circle, on a boat, in the middle of the Amazon river, singing with Christians, at night, watching the stars.
Sunday was a little compicated. The day before, when we'd stopped for a while it a little town, we'd gotten off to see if we could find wine for remembering the Lord in his death. So, we were going through this town, the only white people, going around asking for where they sell wine in this jungle village. One place we asked they were like, “sorry, we don't have wine, but we do have rum?”. We were like “uh, no thanks”, and finally did find a place. So, when we were actually there, remembering Him, we had this little “pansito” on a blue and white checkered napkin, and next to it the wine in a flimsy, clear plastic cup, sitting on a little “table” having all kinds of random articles on the shelf below. Again, we were on the bunk-beds, but this time, being during the day, it was SO stuffy, hot, sweaty, and really hard to concentrate too. It was probably the most unique Breaking of Bread I've ever been to!
The whole boat ride was a really awesome experience, and a really nice little break before launching off to more craziness.
As soon as we got to Pucalpa, we spent the day with Franklin and Ruth's (from Lima) niece who lives there, then got on a bus that evening. Eight hours later we arrived in Huanuco, showered (the first REAL time, with CLEAN WATER in over a week!!!!!), slept a couple hours, ate, spent the day with the brethren, went to meeting that night, then were on another night bus to Lima. Getting in at five AM, we got taxis to the Flores. After eating breakfast, started right in on the wash that needed disparate attendance. Us girls hand washed all the clothes, and put them up on the clothesline like the whole day. The Lord gave us an amazingly sunny, warm day for the wash to dry. The day before, as those after were all typical; smoggy, cold, and NO sunshine, but that day was perfect. We unpacked, repacked, slept the night there, then were off another bus for Bolivia the following afternoon.
Compared to the others on the boat (excluding Ben and Dave), we were very fortunate. They all had to sleep on the deck in hammocks with all the other hundred people, their children, babies, and assortment of small pets. At night the TV blared, babies cried, parrots in little wooden crates squaked, people rudely rammed into your hammock, and large men snored. All this occurred with the lights on. From our room we were able to hear all the commotion during the night, but were able to turn our lights out, making it much more comfortable. The first night, we thought we'd discovered what everyone else had overlooked... a space where we could put our hammocks up on the VERY top level. Although the sound of the engine was absolutely deafening there, considering the smoke-stacks rose from below, it seemed to be deserted. We hung our hammocks all up there to save spaces. Us girls even decided we'd rather sleep up there in the fresh air, than inside a protected cabin. Later that night we discovered that the place was not so deserted. It was for the captain who was off-duty, and his crew. One man rudely told us to get downstairs, but as we fought with trying to undo the knots Ben had securely tied, making sure there was NO WAY someone would fall, a man came up and said it would be ok, but just tonight. We found out he was the captain! It was so beautiful up there. The noisy deck below was inaudible due to the constant droning of the engine, and there was a cool breeze circulating the whole night as we lay in our hammocks talking, looking up at the vast sky, or out over the dark, now quiet jungle. So, that night we slept up there; a guard pacing back and forth carrying his shot-gun over his shoulder, not being careful in the least with it, pointing it in every direction, practicing absolutely no gun safety techniques. Because he had to keep himself awake all night he kinda hung around and tried to talk to us, but we were so tired we fell right asleep.
The next few nights, because it was a little too cozy, warm, and sweaty sleeping two girls to a bed in the cabin, it was decided two would sleep out on the deck every night. It wasn't as bad as it's description most of the time, but stopping at little villages all hours of the night did get a little frustrating, having people ducking under your hammock to get by then standing up too quickly, giving you a jerk, waking you up. Then, it seemed even though all we had to do on the boat was just sit all day anyways, some people would be up and awake at like four or five in the morning! Although not the most pleasant awakening, the sunrises were always beautiful over the water. If the boat would get close to the bank, or stop at a village, cutting it's engine at that time, the sounds of all the jungle animals could also be heard. Some places little monkeys were visible swinging from the branches of banana trees. Other times our boat would be passing canoes, and looking down from where we were, HUGE fish would be visible in their boats. Some so big you hardly knew how they could fit in such a small boat without it sinking!
Meals on the boat were pretty decent. For those in the cabin, two were served, then the others would go down to the second level, their own bowls and spoon in hand, and wait in line for their turn. Although the meals for those in the cabin were definitely better, the others were good too. We had quite a bit of fresh fish from the river, as well as yuca, rice, and chicken. To drink we were given avena (a liquid oatmeal, which most of us considered delicious) for breakfast, and tea at dinnertime. We also brought snacks, and large amounts of water and soda in case we needed more than was given.
Time was an abundance for the five days we were on the river. Some hung out in the hammocks, taking frequent naps, others played Rook, Phase 10, and Authors (mostly Ben, Nate, Anna and Dave, with Cam and I coming in every once in a while), Lydia and I enjoyed painting up on the top deck, sometimes some of us would play soccer, or volleyball up there too, but after accidentally hitting the volleyball over the side, and watching it disappear down river, into the distance, we decided that might not be the cheapest way to spend our spare time. Having time to read our Bibles, and having quiet time with the Lord was really one of the things we appreciated the most. We could just go up on the top deck, and even if people WERE making noise up there we wouldn't hear it! Being up there was just amazing. Although I realized for the first time I COULD get a headache from too much loud noise, being up there for short increments was awesome. The whole jungle (well at least part of the whole) spread as far as you could see ahead of us being interrupted only by little villages and the winding river, looking like it had gotten lost, reminding me of nonobjective termite tunnels going every which way, having no specific destination. During the day, it was extreamely hot, but dawn, and sunset were the most amazing times to be up there. The sky, with parrots and elegant white birds flying overhead, would turn all sorts of vibrant colors that looked photo shopped. Sitting up there, in the coolness, a slight breeze, you'd just get lost in the beauty of it all.
People on the boat were interesting. The only other tourists were two girls in their twenties from Spain, here to help the disabled in the Jungle. They knew some English, and we talked with them a little bit. One of them played the guitar, and at night she would sometimes take it out, and play. Because of the beautiful music, and lack of anything else to do, people would gather around and listen. One night Lydia and I climbed up on a pile of crates near where she was playing, and laid on our backs listening to the soft singing and strumming, talking, and looking up at the starry sky, watching for shooting stars. Talking with one of the girls, we found she really didn't have a “religion”, she said she believed everyone is right, and everyone's religions have good points. It's so hard to know what to say to that kind of person! The little kids on the boat were crazy. One of them was terribly rambunctious. He wasn't exactly BAD, but was always doing little things to get a reaction from anyone he could. He threw bugs at us, as well as tried to drop them in our soup, would come into our rooms unannounced, beat up other little kids, and insist on HIS way. Another girl I talked to was going into nursing like me, so I really enjoyed talking to her. She was almost more of a doctor, but was doing “practice” time in the remote Amazon villages. It was her first time out in the jungle like this, and she was really nervous about the primitiveness of it. On the boat also, in a hammock near where the boys were sleeping was a little old man, somewhere in his late eighties or nineties. He was terribly skinny, every bone in his body was visible. The light in his eyes was dim, and he was very weak. According to the lady traveling with him, he had cancer, and was going for treatment in Pucallpa. Honestly, he didn't look like he would last much longer. One night we had our Bible reading with him, all sitting around his hammock. I'm not sure exactly what religion he was (probably Catholic), but the whole time he had his hands pressed together in front of his face with his eyes shut, as if he was praying. He, and the lady traveling with him both really enjoyed the singing too (even though we WERE right by the smokestack, where you could barely hear).
Every evening we would have a Bible reading. We started reading in 1 Corinthians on the boat to Leticia, and continued on. One night was with that man, two nights we all squished in one of the cabins. Guys on the top bunk, girls below them, Dad sitting on a bench outside the bathroom. It was SO warm in there, and the next night we decided to go out on the front deck. We all sat there with our flashlights, singing out of our hymnbooks, when people started to gather around. It was pretty much like they'd done with the girls from Spain. They were curious as to what these Americans were doing; reading and singing in Spanish, when they really spoke English. Some were really interested, and talked to my dad even after the like two-hour reading. It was neat. After that, there were a few Christian kids who had listened, and afterwards took out a keyboard they'd brought (one of them was on their way to Lima to find a better life, working as a clown, playing the piano...) and played Christian songs on it. It was awesome, just sitting there, cross-legged in a circle, on a boat, in the middle of the Amazon river, singing with Christians, at night, watching the stars.
Sunday was a little compicated. The day before, when we'd stopped for a while it a little town, we'd gotten off to see if we could find wine for remembering the Lord in his death. So, we were going through this town, the only white people, going around asking for where they sell wine in this jungle village. One place we asked they were like, “sorry, we don't have wine, but we do have rum?”. We were like “uh, no thanks”, and finally did find a place. So, when we were actually there, remembering Him, we had this little “pansito” on a blue and white checkered napkin, and next to it the wine in a flimsy, clear plastic cup, sitting on a little “table” having all kinds of random articles on the shelf below. Again, we were on the bunk-beds, but this time, being during the day, it was SO stuffy, hot, sweaty, and really hard to concentrate too. It was probably the most unique Breaking of Bread I've ever been to!
The whole boat ride was a really awesome experience, and a really nice little break before launching off to more craziness.
As soon as we got to Pucalpa, we spent the day with Franklin and Ruth's (from Lima) niece who lives there, then got on a bus that evening. Eight hours later we arrived in Huanuco, showered (the first REAL time, with CLEAN WATER in over a week!!!!!), slept a couple hours, ate, spent the day with the brethren, went to meeting that night, then were on another night bus to Lima. Getting in at five AM, we got taxis to the Flores. After eating breakfast, started right in on the wash that needed disparate attendance. Us girls hand washed all the clothes, and put them up on the clothesline like the whole day. The Lord gave us an amazingly sunny, warm day for the wash to dry. The day before, as those after were all typical; smoggy, cold, and NO sunshine, but that day was perfect. We unpacked, repacked, slept the night there, then were off another bus for Bolivia the following afternoon.
Fast Boat Adventures
Cam wrote this a long time ago, and I didn´t realize it wasn´t up yet....
well as instructed i am writing from a sweaty hot and smelly room over looking the muddy ugly and polluted village which connects directly to the amazon river with the same conditions. Ben now told me that he is going to fire me for what i just wrote. let's say the true interpretation of his “instructions” is that a lap top is very good to have because we can describe our surroundings and they're not always a stinky internet cafe. the room here is actually quite comfortable, gracias a Dios. and compared to last night, this place is a Hilton. but let's back up from there. first of all, i won't comment of dear Uncle Dan's need to be in the internet office for 3 hours before we left Leticia nor Dave's heroic attempt to help us across the mighty amazon at 11 at night by contracting with 2 fortune seeking boat stealers. but still, i'm still getting ahead of myself. our “last supper” was prepared by the loving hands of Bethany, Daniella, me and Aunt Martha. Nathans loving hands were occupied showing some of our friends from school around the lap top. they were sweet and it was fun knowing we had made some different friends while staying there. we then told them goodbye and started our pizza dinner...one of our favorite meals while there. we had a very touching speech/prayer from Dani one of our faithful friends here. while eating i was sure to remind Dave to enjoy every last bit of the American luxury. our dinner was over at 7ish which moved directly into making room for all of the last minute things in our bags. around 9 we set off for the port, using our most popular method of transportation: walking. the bags were carried in the jeep and we set off on foot. that is when we were brought to our boat. after about ½ hour of standing around we threw our things into the borrowed boat. we said all of our goodbyes to Paul, Martha, Bethany, Matthew, Dani, and Durley. then we sat and waited in the boat while one of the boys tried to get the motor started. he tried probably 49 times, winding the cord around the thing that spins then pulling with all his might. near one of his last attempts the motor started then abruptly quit. we had been waiting for nearly 20 minutes and the thought of the motor finally starting was a relief. then to our great shock and astonishment a older man walked onto the boat saying in distinct Spanish “this is my boat, and it is not going any where. if you do not get out and leave it alone i will call the police.” then through a maze of confusion we found out that the boat and motor had been temporarily borrowed or to be less polite: stolen. the funny thing is, is that the boat had a leak in it with the bottom being so rotten that if it had ran into a floating obstacle of some sort we would have been swimming with all of our luggage across the amazon. instead of this adventure, we dragged our things back up the hill to where we got a taxi into Tabatinga, Brazil. there Uncle Dan woke up the boat dock guard and convinced him to take us across to Santa Rosa, Peru. we loaded our things onto a considerably more luxurious boat with a non-decomposing base, a dry wood floor to walk on, and a good paint job. we slipped away from the dock with our friends standing by to wave us goodbye. then we floated into the dark amazon as our boatman took us safely across to the other side. through the haze of 12:15 in the morning i gathered that our boat was next to the fast boat we were going to board at 4:30 in the morning. we then decided to just sleep on the floating dock next to the boat. well some of us did. Nathan, however, decided to accept the dare from Dave and stay up all night “watching the stuff.” Daniella found herself a bed on a bench, i found one beneath her, and the rest threw up hammocks, grabbing 3 quick hours of sleep. i must not forget to remember the squadrons of F-17s (other wise known as mosquitoes) that Aunt Cheryl was trying to fight off through the night. they must've been hungry in order to be willing to bite through the hammock and her clothing, finally getting their midnight stack. then around 4 in the morning we woke up to a gathering of fellow fast boat travelers. we brought our passports to be stamped, loaded our luggage, and found our seats on the fast boat. at 4:35 we putted away in our fast boat from the floating dock. amazing how after such a rigorous evening of things not going as planned some things can just happen like clock work. so here we were, on our way to Yquitos. during the boat ride we got a good ham sandwich and coffee for breakfast, then lunch was rice, a potato, stuffed chicken, Inca cola, and 2 candies. the ride was enjoyably cool. after that trip i discovered that when you're tired enough one can really sleep anywhere. apart from the good food, talking to Daniella, sleeping, and watching a boat that was stuck try to wiggle it's way out of a sand bar, nothing of much intense interest happened. well that's my ride Nathan and Anna, however, had a different experience with “Pony” a local “energy drink” spilling on them. Anna was just about to fall asleep on the dirty yet comfy ground when a “sailor” thought “this poor beautiful gringa needs a pillow...here, i'll be her handsome frog and give her a life vest.” turning to give her the life vest he did not realizing his heroic attempts to be the princess's frog had been altered by a bottle of “Pony” sitting in the pocket of the life vest. he then turned the vest upside down pouring “Pony” all over poor Anna. then being wedged between two seats, Anna could not turn to miss the flow of “Pony” and sat staring up at the sailor in helpless horror. Nathan, sitting directly above Anna grabbed the life vest and showed the sailor the bottle of “Pony” the sailer then chucked it out the window and brought Nathan a towel. Nathan started to wipe off the seat then moved to Anna when the sailor came and snatched the towel back. once we arrived we were greeted by our ripped backpacks and many moto taxi drivers. we chose 3 drivers and were brought to our old favorite “motel.” the view from where i write this really is quite incredible. the lush green jungle, the quaint huts built off of the ground with a roof made out of palm fronds, and finally the silvery blue amazon. the sun will be setting soon showing another day completed here on this earth. which just means one day closer to spending an eternity with Him. we will be going to get supper when Aunt Cheryl and Anna return from their quest for water. the Lord continues to carry us here, and shows His good and caring hand to us through our path down here. Lydia just came and informed me that we are looking at going on a boat for Pucalpa to marrow. your prayers for us on the rest of this journey are greatly appreciated. we will continue to remember the words from the song that i am just now listening to “in Christ alone my hope is found, he is my light, my strength, my song. this corner stone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm. what heights of love what depths of peace when fears are stilled when striving cease, my comforter my all in all, here in the love of Christ i stand.”
-Cam
well as instructed i am writing from a sweaty hot and smelly room over looking the muddy ugly and polluted village which connects directly to the amazon river with the same conditions. Ben now told me that he is going to fire me for what i just wrote. let's say the true interpretation of his “instructions” is that a lap top is very good to have because we can describe our surroundings and they're not always a stinky internet cafe. the room here is actually quite comfortable, gracias a Dios. and compared to last night, this place is a Hilton. but let's back up from there. first of all, i won't comment of dear Uncle Dan's need to be in the internet office for 3 hours before we left Leticia nor Dave's heroic attempt to help us across the mighty amazon at 11 at night by contracting with 2 fortune seeking boat stealers. but still, i'm still getting ahead of myself. our “last supper” was prepared by the loving hands of Bethany, Daniella, me and Aunt Martha. Nathans loving hands were occupied showing some of our friends from school around the lap top. they were sweet and it was fun knowing we had made some different friends while staying there. we then told them goodbye and started our pizza dinner...one of our favorite meals while there. we had a very touching speech/prayer from Dani one of our faithful friends here. while eating i was sure to remind Dave to enjoy every last bit of the American luxury. our dinner was over at 7ish which moved directly into making room for all of the last minute things in our bags. around 9 we set off for the port, using our most popular method of transportation: walking. the bags were carried in the jeep and we set off on foot. that is when we were brought to our boat. after about ½ hour of standing around we threw our things into the borrowed boat. we said all of our goodbyes to Paul, Martha, Bethany, Matthew, Dani, and Durley. then we sat and waited in the boat while one of the boys tried to get the motor started. he tried probably 49 times, winding the cord around the thing that spins then pulling with all his might. near one of his last attempts the motor started then abruptly quit. we had been waiting for nearly 20 minutes and the thought of the motor finally starting was a relief. then to our great shock and astonishment a older man walked onto the boat saying in distinct Spanish “this is my boat, and it is not going any where. if you do not get out and leave it alone i will call the police.” then through a maze of confusion we found out that the boat and motor had been temporarily borrowed or to be less polite: stolen. the funny thing is, is that the boat had a leak in it with the bottom being so rotten that if it had ran into a floating obstacle of some sort we would have been swimming with all of our luggage across the amazon. instead of this adventure, we dragged our things back up the hill to where we got a taxi into Tabatinga, Brazil. there Uncle Dan woke up the boat dock guard and convinced him to take us across to Santa Rosa, Peru. we loaded our things onto a considerably more luxurious boat with a non-decomposing base, a dry wood floor to walk on, and a good paint job. we slipped away from the dock with our friends standing by to wave us goodbye. then we floated into the dark amazon as our boatman took us safely across to the other side. through the haze of 12:15 in the morning i gathered that our boat was next to the fast boat we were going to board at 4:30 in the morning. we then decided to just sleep on the floating dock next to the boat. well some of us did. Nathan, however, decided to accept the dare from Dave and stay up all night “watching the stuff.” Daniella found herself a bed on a bench, i found one beneath her, and the rest threw up hammocks, grabbing 3 quick hours of sleep. i must not forget to remember the squadrons of F-17s (other wise known as mosquitoes) that Aunt Cheryl was trying to fight off through the night. they must've been hungry in order to be willing to bite through the hammock and her clothing, finally getting their midnight stack. then around 4 in the morning we woke up to a gathering of fellow fast boat travelers. we brought our passports to be stamped, loaded our luggage, and found our seats on the fast boat. at 4:35 we putted away in our fast boat from the floating dock. amazing how after such a rigorous evening of things not going as planned some things can just happen like clock work. so here we were, on our way to Yquitos. during the boat ride we got a good ham sandwich and coffee for breakfast, then lunch was rice, a potato, stuffed chicken, Inca cola, and 2 candies. the ride was enjoyably cool. after that trip i discovered that when you're tired enough one can really sleep anywhere. apart from the good food, talking to Daniella, sleeping, and watching a boat that was stuck try to wiggle it's way out of a sand bar, nothing of much intense interest happened. well that's my ride Nathan and Anna, however, had a different experience with “Pony” a local “energy drink” spilling on them. Anna was just about to fall asleep on the dirty yet comfy ground when a “sailor” thought “this poor beautiful gringa needs a pillow...here, i'll be her handsome frog and give her a life vest.” turning to give her the life vest he did not realizing his heroic attempts to be the princess's frog had been altered by a bottle of “Pony” sitting in the pocket of the life vest. he then turned the vest upside down pouring “Pony” all over poor Anna. then being wedged between two seats, Anna could not turn to miss the flow of “Pony” and sat staring up at the sailor in helpless horror. Nathan, sitting directly above Anna grabbed the life vest and showed the sailor the bottle of “Pony” the sailer then chucked it out the window and brought Nathan a towel. Nathan started to wipe off the seat then moved to Anna when the sailor came and snatched the towel back. once we arrived we were greeted by our ripped backpacks and many moto taxi drivers. we chose 3 drivers and were brought to our old favorite “motel.” the view from where i write this really is quite incredible. the lush green jungle, the quaint huts built off of the ground with a roof made out of palm fronds, and finally the silvery blue amazon. the sun will be setting soon showing another day completed here on this earth. which just means one day closer to spending an eternity with Him. we will be going to get supper when Aunt Cheryl and Anna return from their quest for water. the Lord continues to carry us here, and shows His good and caring hand to us through our path down here. Lydia just came and informed me that we are looking at going on a boat for Pucalpa to marrow. your prayers for us on the rest of this journey are greatly appreciated. we will continue to remember the words from the song that i am just now listening to “in Christ alone my hope is found, he is my light, my strength, my song. this corner stone, this solid ground, firm through the fiercest drought and storm. what heights of love what depths of peace when fears are stilled when striving cease, my comforter my all in all, here in the love of Christ i stand.”
-Cam
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)