Welcome to the Jungle

The past 24 hours have been really great for me.  I have seen the love, creativity, protection, and provision of my God.  He is so wonderful!

Last evening, I had the privilege of watching most of the children of La Aljaba participate in a music concert.  They played several different instruments and sang as well.  It was beautiful and made me cry.  I know, that does not take much, but it was beautiful!  I did get some video so hopefully I can share it soon.

This morning Lucy called me while I was in the shower and said that we were suppose to be at the river in 10 minutes.  I hurried to get ready and ran out without my camera.  I asked her what we would be doing, and she responded with "We are going to see the river."  , but she also suggested that I put on shoes.  I had on flip flops.  That should have given me some idea of what she had in mind. 

We drove down to the river, and I saw for the first time how vast the flooding was.  It had crested the bank of the port and had risen up the street. We waked along planks to get to the port and the boat house that we docked from.  There we met George from New Life Ministries.  We went along the river for many miles and then drove into the jungle, we boated about a mile into the jungle and then came to an "island" that was being cleared for a farm.

We spent the next 3 hours hiking around in the jungle.  It was wonderful.  We even came across cattle, yes, cows in the middle of the rain forest.  Who would have thought?  During our hike, it began to storm, but it was even beautiful then.  You should have seen me slip and fall down the side of a hill.  I was laughing so hard, I could hardly get up. 

The natives to the island were gracious with their food and shared something that looked like hot chocolate,  but it was a plant that hand been reduced to a liquid form.  We added ground yucca and ate.  It was surprisingly sweet.  Lucy said it was a staple for the indigenous people. 

While I was sitting down eating, I noticed that there were many small drops of blood on my legs.  I had become a feast for the mosquitos.  My deet is packed in the luggage that has not yet reached me.  On the way back to Leticia, the thunderstorm continued and we were soaked all the way through!  It was a wonderful adventure!

I got to know George a little more after returning to Leticia and I realized that he shares the same view of the Kingdom as I do, and his ministry is to the villages along the river.  He has been here as a missionary for 17 years.  I am sure that I will learn a lot from him, while I am here.

After I showered and changed clothes Lucy and I travelled to Tabatinga, Brazil where we picked up my new bed.  It was custom made for me by a craftsman there.  I am so please with it and I feel so very blessed.  I will receive my mattress tomorrow and hopefully the rest of my luggage.  I thank each of you who have supported me, you are making all of this possible.  More to come soon...