I think Everyone Should Get to Visit the Peruvian Jungle!!!

Well, we left last Monday afternoon around 2 PM and arrive by bus in Lima around 7 PM on Tuesday night. In total, we spent about 50 hours on a bus over the course of a week! It was an amazing ride filled with book discussions with our group, making bracelets, watching movies, and eating snacks! The first night was filled with fellowship and dinner with the WMF Lima, Peru staff and servant team. From the beginning, I know this was going to be a great time because these people are amazing! We stayed with a staff member the first night and I got to have CEREAL for breakfast with real milk! I have only had powdered milk for 3 months! Then, we went on a solidarity walk much like the Observation day walk we did at the beginning of our time here in La Paz. We began in the poorest section of town where we witnessed many of the children they work with that live on the streets working, playing their instruments. A guy tried to spit on me, and the sidewalks and air is just filthy. Throughout the rest of the walk, it got progressively nicer ending in a side of town filled with Fridays, Chili´s, and Starbucks. It was obvious that the residents of the other side of town are not welcome there. It was very eye-opening and also just interesting to see another city so similar in many respects yet SOO different from El Alto.
That night, around 10 PM, we boarded another bus to head to...the JUNGLE! We arrived around 6 AM...and let me tell you, this place was incredible! It began with the 13 of us needing to cross a river...and what better way than a hanging cart that you pull yourself across!! It was so much fun. I have pictures that will be put up later! It was this little retreat center run by a Peruvian pastor with little cabins, a pond, and SO many animals! My favorite part, the animals consister of: a turtle, a monkey, about 6 peacocks, 2 owls, 2 cats, 3 dogs, a parrot, a rooster, and a BEAR! I totally pet the bear because I felt safe. He is a little slow because he was injured by some hunters! It was such a time of reflection of our time in South America, relaxation, and fellowship with our new friends! God´s presence definitely filled that place. We hiked a mountain one day and hiked to waterfalls to play the next! The pastor shared his testimony with us and shared all of our meals with us. It was an incredible time...possibly my favorite time in Latin America. We headed back on Saturday to Lima and spent the rest of our time in a hostal run by a fabulous family that really excelled in customer service. We were SO spoiled on this trip. We eventually got Papa John´s pizza!! And we had hot showers...which we get in Bolivia, but they are always still FREEZING because the temperature outside is so cold!
Another fantastic aspect of this trip was Sunday night...AMAZING RACE LIMA!! They split up the teams and we were off...it consisted of...eating 5 little loaves of bread, competing in Dance Dance Revolution and getting at least a D (We got on a hard machine and it took us about 6 trys), water balloon toss, choreographing a 30 second dance on the other side of town, eating a live fish (not me), and making someone a birthday cake...like making them BE a birthday cake (we poured 6 eggs and LOTS of flour on their head). This all ended with my team winning, but it was SUCH a fun time. We had some down time to hang out with the other team. I learned to slackline (does anyone do this because I want to again!!!), sat by the ocean, and shared some great meals! This trip really did leave me feeling refreshed and renewed in the rest of my time here...only one more month! I can´t believe it is almost here. I am thankful to be back with my family here in El Alto and to serve the people here as best as I can for the rest of my time. I am praying to for the ability to stay present to them and to be able to love them well and to serve and glorify our God in everything.

Little side note: For my project of doing market research, I will need lots of emails. If anyone has a list of emails or even just your email you would like or be willing to send me to send a short survey to later, that would be fantastic!! Love yall and miss you tons!!!