50. A Song

Sunday 11/25/12

♫Over the bridges and through the jungle, to Freddy’s house we go!

We ate up Cashew fruit and almost died, and said goodbye as we cried! ♫

...or something like that! :)

Today was a long, action-packed day. Freddy, Rekelme, Brandi, and Isaac were finally brought to their house for the summer. The thing is, we had to drive them 1 1/2 hours to deliver them.

We woke up at 5 a.m. and cooked rice and breaded eggplant. We planned on having a picnic in Rurre after we dropped the boys off at Reyes. We finally left around 8:00, and ended up bringing in some kids home to Rurre first. We were leaving Rurre when Brother Juan used his superpower eyes to spot something him and I were hunting for months now. Cashew fruit!!

Imagine an inverted pepper with a Cashew nut hanging from the bottom of it. When we pit into the fleshy red fruit-meat, water shot out like fireworks and the taste was fantastic. Ironically, it tasted dry and nutty (like a Persimmon?) despite all the water. It rivals watermelon in my opinion as far as water content goes.

We then went to Reyes. Juan wanted to travel 50 minutes to the "taxi stop" and let them take a ride home, but we ran into the kids' parents driving a moto towards us. We stopped, chatted, and decided to drive with them all the way home. My little man, Freddy, made the most of the trip and slept and drooled on me the whole way. I considered it last minute bonding. After crossing sketchy bridges, we arrived to their shack.

For Bolivian standards, Familia Feliz is a mansion compared to where these four boys lived. Imagine one small house without windows and real walls, a makeshift hole-filled oven, a tiny brown creek, and a gazillion mosquitos. That's there life! Not to mention there is noone around for ten minutes by car. No wonder the kids go to Familia Feliz; they need social interaction!

Cashew Fruit!!! Can you tell I was exited?

My little dude Freddy and I chillin' before the goodbye

Right? I want to do that too!

At the house we were offered what I refer to as death bread. They made us some cornbread looking stuff that was obviously dirty and made with salmonella and giardia (a.k.a.-eggs and creek water). Baby Emily hung out with Freddy's baby sister, also Emily. We then made the most out of getting eaten alive by Mosquitos and catching newborn chicks. We then left for home and said all of our goodbyes. See you next year kiddos!

It was now 1 in the afternoon and we were starving! We stopped half way and ate our lunch at the same soccer field as a month ago. Delicious. We safely made it to town despite the stick bridges a 1/2 hour later.

Trying for the GQ pose

I then dragged my four boys--Moises, David, Juan, and Brayan--through town. They were fasinated since they rarely get this experience. I set up Brayan with a facebook account to talk to his Mom and past volunteers. He was stoked. Of course, I made sure to give him a sermon on how to use it properly. I feel it is important to teach the kids how to use a computer for their future. Even if you are a farmer, you'll probably need internet in the future. We saw a bunch of the kids who went home a week earlier. We were even given free watermelon by one of the venders who had a daughter at the orphanage.

We then went home. We were exhausted from the traveling and the burning sun. Even though my only work today was watching the kids, I am looking forward to my day off in town tomorrow. 

**Keep adventurizing!...I know I will!**