In di Jungle

Thank you all for your prayers! The trip to Chapari with the girls was great-

           Chapari is a land of coconut, plantain, and orange trees, tropical birds, and rivers that flow down from the mountains. Normally it is also super humid, hot, and full of mosquitoes. BUT thanks to the cold winds that blow up from the South Pole every so often, it was colder and mostly bug free.

            We stayed in a hostel in a little village called Tunari. I stayed in a room with 2 of the girls, Tomasa and Paola, and although no one from home would find the accommodations so great, they were thrilled. When they each wanted their picture taken of them on their beds with the beautiful bedspreads, I was quietly humbled. They will never see riches like I have, but they will forever see beauty. The room was simple, we even slept in our coats to stay warm overnight, but it was paradise.

            The second day was sunny and unexpectedly warmer. (A huge gift from God) We hiked through the jungle and the girls were not shy about climbing on rocks and through vines on paths not often trod. Happy to say this climb was worth it. We made it to the waterfalls and to the lookout where the monkeys hang out.

            Monkeys, as it turns out, can sense character. They walked right up to Tomasa, who is definitely the most timid girl in the house, and wanted to hold her hand. One monkey climbed up Tomi, the woman who is the main caretaker for the girls, and cuddled with her. Then one papa monkey, with his baby tied on him, climbed up and latched on to Delia, who gladly carried them all the way down the mountain. He looked so sad when she finally put him down and left him.

            Throughout the adventure I was able to joke around with the girls, and start relationships. It was good to laugh with them, to start to understand some of their complex personalities. And my time with the staff who loves them tirelessly gave me such a better glimpse of what it takes to love these girls well.

            AND I was also able to find food that wasn’t too harsh on my stomach! (I went to the Dr here by the way and got great care, I have gastritis. No coffee or mandrines for me for a while.)

            Here are some visuals (the girls LOVE getting their pictures taken)