Leticia and Brazil: Friday, May 30th
For pictures from this day, go to:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151471447135215.840603.741380214&type=3&l=1695c28162
We were planning to leave ECA at 10:00am, however, we heard news of horrible traffic and an accident on our route to the airport, not much unlike our trip last year. So, we got permission to leave at 9:30am. Praise the Lord!
We got to the airport just fine, no traffic, and check-in was a breeze! The people at COPA airlines were amazing; and even if our bags were a few pounds over, they didn’t make us pay. They even counted 2 smaller bags that totaled 45lbs as one bag so we didn’t have to pay for an extra check-in bag! I don’t know if this is normally what they do, or if they saw that we were a HUGE group with tons of medicine and donations, but we were SO grateful!!! I think we will fly with COPA whenever we can!
We got through our check-in and still had plenty of time to get some lunch before the flight. We also had time in the airport to meet our non-ECA team members.
Only one of our bins had to go through a separate inspection… the one with all the toothpaste! It was a great chance to talk to the COPA people about what we were going to be doing in the Amazon, and they were really intrigued. We never know who’s heart is fertile soil to plant seeds in, right?
We got to Leticia just fine, and got a discount on the tourist tax that we normally pay because we weren’t coming in as tourists, but as servants.
At the base, they already had lunch waiting for us! It was SO good to be back! Our cook from last year, Agusta, even came from Brazil to visit with us!
After lunch, I sent the team to the orphanage to play with the kids while Leo and I stayed behind to organize the medicine with the doctors. There was so much to organize! (there’s that word again!)
They got back just in time for dinner, and then we all headed out to find 24 motorcycles to take us to Brazil. It was so much fun! This year, Diana took us to an amazing ice-cream place “Los Gordos”. They had delicious copoacu ice cream and everything! I got peanut and brownie ice cream.
After only about half the people had gotten their yummy treats, the power went out in the whole town. So, Kylie went back to the counter with her head-lamp and helped them see what they were doing so that the rest of us could get ours. We had a blast laughing and taking pictures! The flash from the camera was the only way we could see each other! It was so much fun!
We took another motorcycle ride back, and some of us had a nice swim in the pool at the base. It was a little dirty, but in comparison to the water I knew we’d be swimming in the rest of the week, I took advantage of it! 🙂
We had a great time of worship and prayer together, and then the team headed off to bed.
Leo and I stayed up for a long time talking with the different missionaries at the base. Monica looked really tired, and when I asked her if she had slept, she just laughed. After her 2-week trip to Peru, she hadn’t gotten a single day off. I don’t know how she does it! All the missionaries at the base are incredible, with amazing stories of living by faith! They inspire us with their passion for the Lord and their willingness to serve Him, no matter the cost. I wanted to keep listening, but I was honestly falling asleep. Ha!
I got back to the girls’ room really late, and there weren’t any beds left. At least there was a small mattress and a space on the floor. It was going pretty well until Lili had to get up to use the bathroom and almost stepped on my head! Good times! J
I praise God for the team we have… doctors, teachers, pastors, students… I pray that we work together in unity for the purpose of the villages growing in their knowledge of Christ.
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