16. Salmonella

Written on 10/9/12

I was sick. An understatement. I was even described ask, “He looked dead.” While I love adventures, this is one crazy one that I woudn’t have minded skipping over.

I had Salmonella…at its finest! Everyone went to bed Sunday night, but I was awake. I threw up 15 times by midnight. At this point, I had no energy left. I could not walk. All of my electrolytes vanished. At moments, six of my muscles were cramped at the same time. However, being a “tough guy”, I told noone.

Finally, amidst the prayers, I decided it might be a good time to get some help. I literally almost crawled to Juan’s door and politely said, “Ayudame, por favor (Help me…please!).” He was my knight in shining armor as he and Chad rushed me to the Hospital and even spent the first night with me. I thank God for their presence.

I could write a book on my experience, but Chad did a great job in his own blog. Here is the link to his take on the story. He’s a world class author in my book. The link to the story is:

http://myboliviaadventure.blogspot.com/2012/10/lake-week.html

(Scroll down to his post under October 8, 2012.)

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

15. Sabbath Meal

10/6/12

Today, I fed the multitude, and celebrated Freddy’s birthday.

This was the menu for the first day that I cooked all three meals for someone; (it just happened to be for 100 people):

Breakfast: Fruit salad (watermelon, papaya, pineapple, and bananas) with a loaf of Quinoa bread
Lunch: Pita bread filled with either veggies (cooked tomatoes, caramelized onions, peppers, and garlic) or a hummus mixture (chick peas, kidney beans, scrambles eggs, and salt) Delicious. Seriously my favorite meal so far…with bias aside.

J

Supper: Semola cereal (Like cream of wheat with sugar)

Pineapple. Not cheap down here...but worth it!

We are good! :)

Introducing the pita pocket to Bolivia

We started at 5 a.m. and worked straight until 6 p.m., minus a 2 hour nap after lunch. It was the most I have worked on a Sabbath, but the smiles and compliments of the people we are serving made it worthwhile.

I mentioned my amazing 2 hour nap. Well, I set my alarm…I didn’t have to. Two minutes before my alarm is supposed to go off, the loudest, most disturbing crying sound reached my ears. One of my nephew’s, Freddie, was bawling his eyes out. I’m pretty sure he made himself temporarily deaf. I jumped out of bed and found him sitting on the steps alone. Apparently myfamily had left him sleeping and went to a watering hole called Asunta. It seemed unfair to me, especially since he is the youngest in the family, 8, and is the cutest of my nephews by far.



The masterminds getting a chance to relax and enjoy



Well, after he calmed down, I decided to distract him with work. I had a new helper in the kitchen for the next two hours. While he happily helped me clean pots from lunch, I chatted with him. I eventually asked him when his birthday was. He replied, “ahora! (now).” I wasn’t impressed. I have asked about 30 kids before and they all seem to say that day so that they can get a gift from you. So…I didn’t believe him.

Well…it actually was! Doh!! When I found out when our family returned two hours later I felt like a mean person. So, I made it up to him. I gave him bubbles and we watch Disney’s Lady and the Tramp with the whole family.

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

14. Passion Fruit

Written on 10/5/12

No matter what happens to me the rest of the year, I will be content? Why? I had the passion fruits of all passion fruits today!  My favorite fruit in the world!! I’m am certain that this was the sweetest one ever created…maybe second only to the ones in the Garden of Eden.

David, my nephew, knew that it was my favorite fruit. Apperently he was given two as gifts today from someone. They are really rare in Rurre, so the fact that he gave one to me continues to amaze me.

I also spent the entire day mastering my cooking skills! It is was Annie, Chad, and myself slaving away for 100 people all day for Sabbath meals tomorrow. Chad and I are extreme rookies, yet we were motivated to debut with a bang. We made pita bread for the first time in the history of Familia Feliz, and we also put chick peas and beans to soak over night.

That evening was a special time for communion. Us four student missionaries--Erin, Chad, Annie, and myself—enjoyed an American delicacy after supper with our families: Worthington Big Franks!! Chad haggled a can from the states and made this a special occasion. We ate them in our pita bread.

While we all enjoy mingling with our Bolivian families and comrades, onece in a while it is a blessing to be able to fellowship with as an English-speaking family.

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

13. The Excursion

Written on 10/4/12

Excursion day! Time for a day-long field trip to the closest lake for a picnic, soccer, and swimming. This is a day I was looking forward to since I heard about it last week. However, the kids have been anxiously watching their calendars for this day for the past three months. It was worth it…but it almost didn’t happen!

 Two days ago all of the volunteers met and discussed logistics about the excursion, and they discovered some major problems: it is a three hour long truck ride on bumpy roads to the nearest lake, all 87 people would have to stand up in the back of a cattle truck for 6 total hours, the forecast predicted rain, and…it is very dangerous! So dangerous, in fact, that I am told it is common for one or two children on a given day to die due to anacondas and crocodiles. Wow! I wanted to go—but it was sounding less and less like a good idea.

The lake. Gorgeous even on
a stormy-looking day

Well, after much debate, everyone ended up going. I could not understand how it could be worth it—especially if a kid got injured by an animal. I just hoped to see an anaconda—from a distance! We piled ourselves, the food, and my sports balls into the truck. As we set off, my heart sank; there was no room to move. To make it worst, we all had to stand while our hired driver stopped for twenty minutes in town and ate breakfast!!!!! Not cool! 

Relaxing at the lake



We eventually made it. I decided instantly that the trip was worth it. The views were gorgeous and they had a great place to dive into the crocodile infested water. We ate, played some soccer, then I took a big gulp of air, said a prayer, and dove into the water. Refreshing! I tossed kids, played chicken, volleyball, and constantly looked around for a creature sneaking up on us.



Happy to survive our swim
without becoming anaconda food



After much fun, we had to return home. We were half way back when I saw what had to be the most beautiful, greenest soccer field in all of Bolivia! I was even more excited when we all got to play on it! That was the highlight of my day. We returned home and Islept like content baby.

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

12. Teacher, Baker, Farmer, Uncle

Actually written on 10/1/12

I woke up this morning, took half a step out of my room, and Juan immediately declared, “Rabbit, rabbit!” (With his accent, it soundent more like, “Rabbie, rabbie.”) Apparently this phrase has migrated from the States to Bolivia…like everything else.

Chad and I then headed to town with the truck around 10 a.m. After a brief chat with Joy and Melissa. I think I have now wrapped my mind around my job description for at least the next 2 months.

I am an uncle to 12 boys, a co-bread baker with Chad, a farmer to water the plants every morning and to help build the rice chaco, and a high-school English teacher for four grades on Tuesdays and Thursdays. While I will be burnt out at the end of each week, I am glad to finally learn my place at Familia Feliz.

I start teaching this Thursday and I look forward to it. Up to this point I have mainly interacted with the little kids. Not anymore. I will have 3, 1 hour class peiods twice a week with the high school kids (7^th, 8^th, 9^th, and 10^th grades are considered high school here). Plus, I will be a assisting Chad with the pesky 3^rd and 4^th graders during his weekly English class.

I could use some prayers. However, let the experiences continue.

Me as a baker

Making pita bread

That right there is pristine texture for Foccocia bread. My favorite!!

Not too sure if I would trust these panaderos (bakers)

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

Pictures. Part 1

Drawing!! A lost pasttime in the States

Circle time to welcome and dismiss the Sabbath

My nephews donning my soccer jerseys

Trying to look professional as I work on my book shelves

Me and Emy!! (Juan and Emiliana's daughter)

11. Madidi National Park

9/30/12

Today was our excursion with Lisandro. You know how activities are more fun when the circumstances are sketchier? This was the case. We had lots of fun.

We arrived in Rurre at 7:00 a.m., took a shuttle boat across the Beni River to the smaller town of San Buenaventura, and met up with the patiently waiting Lisandro. He then promptly loaded me on his dirt bike and we zoomed toward his tiny shantie. After an hour, we then began our journey.

Sketchy adventure aspect number 1: a boat. Lisandro, our friend from familia feliz and a father of four, managed to supply us with the whole trip for only 9 U.S. dollars each. A usual, similar tour costs about 80 dollars. Needless to say, we expected this to be less than luxurious. The boat we were gifted with was more like a hollowed out tree, two loose boards for seats, and a motor loosely attached to the rear. Good thing only four of us were aboard.

Sketchy adventure aspect number 2: gasoline. The motor for our boat had no gas. Therefore, they left Chad and I in the baking sun for a half hour as they went to buy some. They returned with half a soda bottle of gas…from Lisandro’s dirt bike. It was just enough to propel us back to Rurre to buy some.

Sketchy adventure aspect number 3: Chad’s stomach. The day before our trip, Sabbath, I was out of commission with a bad stomach, a.k.a. the disease of gringos. However, Chad was lucky enough to have it today, but a lot worse. He fed the fish at least twice over the side of our canoe. Yet, he still managed to have a good time.

The rest of our adventure was less exciting, yet still rewarding. We received a 1 ½ hour trip down the river into Madidi and a 1 hour trip back. The light breeze in the hot sun was delightful—I almost fell asleep.

When we reached the information center, we landed, and relaxed in the lawn chairs for about 20 minutes while chatting with the ranger, Luis. We then took a 2 mile trek into Madidi, waded in a puddle and small waterfall, returned to the chairs, rested for 20 more minutes, then returned to Rurre.

Oh wait! I almost forgot about sketchy adventure aspect number 4: hitchhikers. As we were half way back to Rurre in our river boat, 6 youth waved to Chad and I, so we waved back. Big mistake! We then had to pick them up in our shaky little water craft and haul them the rest of the way back to town. I’m surprised the vessel didn’t split in two.

That was our day. We saw few birds and no animals, but we enjoyed every second of it. However, the highlight of the day was yet to come.

I arrived home to bunches of hugs from my boys. However, at supper time, my heart melted.

Once in a blue moon, the abusive/neglective parents of my boys will take their kid out for a day-long field trip to treat them to gifts. My little buddy, Armando, had his turn yesterday. His parents bought him one thing: chocolate cereal, a major delicacy. At supper today, he graciously offered his cereal to first Juan and Emy, then to baby Emy. They were gracious and accepted with smiles. Armando’s eyes were bursting with joy and happiness. He was full of love and pride as he was able to provide for his “adopted” family after all that has been done for him. I had a great sleep as I pondered his joyful generosity.

Our "boat" 

Beautiful Madidi...even with the dirty water

A makeshift map of the park. It's huge.

Explorer Eric

Chad climbing a waterfall

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

10. Two Birthdays

9/29/12

Yesterday and today revolved around two words: Happy Birthday!!

Yesterday was Erin Messinger’s 22^nd B-day and today was Melissa’s 30^th B-day. If they ask, I did not share their age! J Erin is a missionary from Southern who has been at Familia Feliz for one year already, and Melissa is the founder of the orphanage and has been here since 2005.

Planning both fiestas was a blast. My boys, myself, and Chad were able to each draw a picture for her, and buy her a full uniform of the soccer team Barcelona. Yuck! My least favorite team. However, I couldn’t help myself—she is great at soccer and her last name has Messi in it…the name of the world’s best soccer player. She loved it. Emy and I were also able to pull our funds together to treat her to cake, pizza (a rarity here),  birthday candles, and fruit punch!

For Melissa we had a surprise party complete with the world’s best tortilla’s and a double decker cake!! After word she was “lovingly” dragged into a pre-made mud pit. Also strange, the birthday tradition here is to egg the birthday person.

However, my favorite part was sticking a candle into a “birthday coconut”…that’s one tradition I would like to continue from here on. (As pictured)

The birthday girl surrounded by my boys

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

9. Heroes

Actually written on Thursday, September 27, 2012

There we were, Juan and I. Against all odds. Trying to save the world’s problem: water.

On this day, nature was our worst enemy. During the previous evening, the rain attacked from above. Rain drops the size of bombs struck our humble thatch-covered shanties. It not only bombarded us, but hit us where we were weakest, our water supply. This thunderous rain, lasting more than five hours, pelted our modest pipes of slim build.

Therefore, there we are. Trekking along a 5-mile path to the source of the problem. This path journeyed into the heart of the rain forest.  The ants were stinging, almost doubling me over in anguish, the branches were reaching out to me with their thorny limbs, and the sun was stealing all of my water supply via evaporation.

Nonetheless, we pursued our mission. We met with another fellow who joined us in our quest. This guy has dealt with these pipes for more than 10 years and has mended them millions of times. With him, we found the problem: clogged and dislodged pipes. We then used bamboo to increase the water pressure, and manually shook the pipes to clean them.

However, one problem remained; cracked pipes and loose valves. They usually utilized rubber to solve this problem, but were all out. They were about to leave the water as it was with poor water pressure. Up to this point I had merely been someone to trail blaze with a machete and to carry the saw. But now, I was able to save the day. I had brought my duct tape!! With it, we solved three of the problems, and the orphanage had water the next day as the tanks filled. My two amigos patted my back over and over. I felt like a true hero!!! I tried to retain a humble countenance, but my true emotion was probably quite obvious…a mere lanky, American had assisted the two experienced native Bolivians…not bad for a gringo in these parts!!

While quite exaggerated, I had a pretty amazing time. As we returned, I was “rewarded” with three scorpion sightings, a rare frog, and a burst of colorful butterflies and fairytale-looking, neon pink dragonflies. It belonged in an animated Disney movie like Snow White. The welcoming and expressions of gratitude from the rest of my family didn't help my increase in ego either... :)

As if I wasn’t already exhausted enough, I returned just in time to start making bread. Ughhh! A six-hour process of bread pounding. I am more tired after kneading and punching bread than after my nightly 40 minute work out sessions with Juan. However, today, due to faulty yeast, our usually fluffy bread turned out to be more like bagels with quinoa. However, I savored it anyways. No matter how awful it may be in the future, I feel I will love it anyways…like a problem child I created. How can you not love something you made. Who knew I would get a parenting lesson from bread?

I better induldge in my hero experience, it doesn’t happen very often. J

Where we had to unclog and increase pressure in
the PVC pipe

My heroic act

A content expression of accomplishment

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

8. Coconuts

Actually written on Tuesday, September 26, 2012

Juan, Chad, and myself. Refreshing!!

Today I saw a toucan!! It made my day. I would have taken a picture to show you. But by the time I had my fill of this elegant ave (bird) it took off. In flight, it resembled a fighter jet with its large front fuselage and aerodynamic wings.

In the afternoon, the day consisted of watermelons and coconuts. What more could a fruit nut like myself ask for. We helped a local farm move watermelons. As a result, we ate a bunch, were able to keep about 30 for the orphanage, and were allowed to purchase 100 coconuts from them for 12 cents each!! I bought 22 for myself.

Finally, a nice short blog. My favorite. Hope you don't get too thirsty!

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