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!**

7. Daily Routine

I enjoy routines. As a creature of habit, I thrive if I maintain a similar schedule each day. However, the only thing routine about my daily schedule nowadays, is that it is routinely different. I like it!

Here’s how my week days currently go…more or less.

5:00 a.m.!!!! Wake up. Devotional and preparation for the day.
5:20 a.m. Take a frigid shower. It’s hot outside everyday, but it’s coolest at this time in the morning so just assume that I have no problem waking up. J
5:30 a.m. Join the kids for praise and devotional.
6:30 a.m. Breakfast. Boys sing the “Thank You” song before the meal, then pray.
7:00 a.m. Chores. Each has his own chore. Wash plates, tables, sweep, clean, etc.
7:30 a.m. Watch the boys go to school. Then, off to work.
8:00 a.m. Water the fruit chaco (a garden with banana, watermelon, and citrus plants) with a couple boys and Chad.
10:00 a.m. Work in the new rice chaco. Currently, it’s comprised of ashes and fallen trees, but we hope to plant the rice this week.
12:00 p.m. Eat with my family. For each meal, a kid from each house retrieves the meal in a pot from the central kitchen.
12:30 p.m. Siesta time!! I supervise the kids as they play outside, play inside, quarrel, and draw with my crayons. Sometimes I take them to the creek to swim.
2:00 p.m. Work time. I help look for projects for the kids to assist in. Some of the projects my family has worked on so far have been mixing cement, collecting sand from a river 20 minutes away, unloading timber, filling holes in the soccer field, and stacking logs that we cut in the rice chaco. Surprisingly, they usually do this with smiles. Usually.
4:00 p.m. I help the kids water the fruit chaco and tomato plants again. Somedays. Other days they will play at this time.
5:00 p.m. Play!! I use the rest of my energy at this time. What do we play? Soccer. Always. The kids put me to shame as they use their instincts to maneuver around me. I usually feel inferior. Sometimes I surprise myself. I have yet to play volleyball, but was ecstatic when I discovered that a sand pit did exist on campus.
7:30 p.m. Supper
8:00 p.m. Workout with Juan. This house parent (my pretend brother since I am the uncle of the house) has taken me under his wing in this catergory. He is built like an ox, and even has his own “gym” in our backyard which improves weekly. We just built a pulley system…like a homemade Bowflex!! He also has dumbbells made from cement, metal poles, and paint cans. I am already sore after using the chainsaw and working in the chaco—so I feel like rubber after he’s done with me.

8:45 p.m. Shower
9:00 p.m. Bed. I read, journal, sometimes blog (like right now) , and contemplate as I does.
10:00 p.m. Sleep. I always feel in my own, protective world with my mosquito net encasing me in its cubicle shape. I love it.

My own room! It's currently "under construction"

The rice chaco where we saw and stack logs

The kids playing in the creek

My casa

There you are--my current life. It’s bound to change as I am given more responsibilities (for example, Chad and I will be the sole bread makers three times a week by next week. I will most likely gain more muscle mass doing this than during the rest of my day!). However, I enjoy being flexible and always look forward to learning new skills.

Thanks for reading.

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

6. Another Family

I have another family...a familia feliz (happy family--also the name of the orphanage).

Chad and I arrived at the orphanage last Friday evening tired and dripping with sweat from the 100-degree sun. Yet, we were exhilarated to finally arrive in Rurre, our home for the next 255 days. I hoped to live in a somewhat pleasant environment. I was not prepared for my new home environment...that is a good thing.

My other family minus Mom and daughter

Love. That is the atmosphere of my new home. Twelve boys, ages 7-12, a middle-aged married couple, and their newly adopted one-year-old girl. Picture the world's greatest father (besides my own!), with the kindest-looking countenance, and biggest heart. His name is Juan. The house I was assigned to is known for containing the troublesome boys. I do not believe it. Nine months ago, before Juan and his wife arrived, the boys may have been troublesome and eratic. However, after Juan got a hold of their hearts, these boys resemble little angels...most of the time.

From the moment I arrived, I was drenched in appreciation and joy. I am a tio (uncle) to the boys, and a hermano (brother) to the "parents". In addition to Tio Eric, I am called Teacher by all the orphans. However, due to the extremely different living conditions I consider them my teachers. I have learned how to wash clothes by hand, hang a mosquito net (very important!), pick fruits off trees (in my opinion, more important!!), obtain "honey" from termite nests, prepare food, and get used to my sleeping companions...cockroaches.

The others volunteers are very amiable as well. We had the benefit of meeting with most of the volunteers for Sabbath worship during our first evening. They consist of a mixture of Spanish, English, and Portuguese speakers...roughly 15 volunteers for about 60 students. I sense a great chemistry between the staff.

One story I'd like to share would be the mouth-dropping, three-mile walk into the jungle in search for the main event, a rare swimming hole. However, I'll let the pictures do the story telling.

Freshwater crab found in a water tank

Miel "Honey"

We are surrounded by those blue and red Mckaws you see in pictures

Pineapple

More pics to come next time I'm in town. Next time I'll share a snippet of my work environment. I have a pretty cushy day-job. Not! ;)

I'll appreciate prayers and look forward to more blogging of my adventures. Especially, the adopted daughter of the house parents is very ill; she needs a blessing.

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

5. Luggage

Book 1: Journey to the Orphanage
     Chapter 2: Santa Cruz
          Adventure 2: Luggage

I could have saved $320 USD...if I was a foot shorter.

Notice the sea of handles at the bottom

Traveling with a 9 month supply of luggage is not an easy task in Bolivia. In the United States, while slightly strange, observing two young men hauling four bags (2 suitcases, 1 backpacking pack, and 1 small Camelbak) is more usual due to the convenience granted by the American airlines. A U.S. plane can check in 3 bags in addition to 2 carry-ons for a fee of around $70. In Bolivia, so far, I have spent $320 on luggage alone, due to the fact that the planes are a third of an american vessel.

The numerous bags filled with goodies

Without a doubt, however, the nuisance and cost of this baggage will be worth it. Our reward for our troubles? Smiles!! One of my two suitcases is filled with goodies for the orphans: burettes and hairties for the niñas, colorful construction paper, crayons, colored pencils, a ball pump, and most importantly, four soccer balls. I think I am excited about these as the children will be!

Even with yesterday's hassle, we had another great day. We concluded the day with a gander in the markets of Santa Cruz. We purchased $3 soccer jerseys and fresh fruit! A citrus looking item that was neither good nor bad, some peaches, and an amazing kiwi that appeared to have two heads. We felt like legitimate locals as we bartered for fruit in the markets (I'm sure they still got the best of us :).

Yummo! Who needs dessert with these beauties?

Tonight is our last night in a city besides Rurrenabaque. Also our last night with internet for a while. We finally get to see the kids tomorrow morning--we cannot wait! While this unplanned vacation due to our visa issues was fantastic, I feel it will pale in comparison to the reward of serving these children.

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

4. Falling Fruit

Book 1: Journey to the Orphanage
     Chapter 2: Santa Cruz
          Story 1: Falling Fruit

We were bombarded by fruit in two ways yesterday: physically and spiritually.

Yesterday could not have gone better. We woke up in tropical Santa Cruz, finally met the Gospel International Ministries employees, had delicious food, found out Portugal won, and most miraculously, finished our visa application process!

Completing the application process for our temporary visa is supposed to take 10 to 30 days. However, our outstanding coordinator, Jimena, managed to get this done in 1 day!!! A miracle in my book! She is the coordinator at A.S.D.E.I.H., a branch of GMI. She does about fifteen of these visa applications for student missionaries a year, and is therefore quite experienced. I felt like extra baggage as we followed her all day throughout Santa Cruz as we ran our visa errands....we did nothing; she did all the talking. The only effort we exerted was a few fingerprints for the police department. In all, we went to Interpol, the police department, a photo booth place, a lawyer, and a hospital to draw blood (quite nerve-racking in a third world country!).

After our productive day, we retired to the hotel and enjoyed some pasta at a beautiful restaurant, which featured an outdoor patio containing fruit that tried to fall on your head.

A soccer jersey treasure cove!

The previous day highlighted quite the memorable experience: the Black Market (Mercado Negro). This large network of streets and shops contained everything from hammers, to potatoes, to clothing. Beware of brand name clothing, it is likely fake (hence the title of the market). However, this was a gold mine for soccer jerseys! With this large selection of jerseys you would not find in the States, I was in euphoria and could care less if they were not authentic. The most expensive jerseys were 12 U.S. dollars. One of the highlights of the trip thus far.

Chad and I can clearly see that we have been blessed and watched over during our trip. Most obvious, is the rapid solution to our visa problem. In addition, I have had extremely helpful hotel employees who spoke Ingles, incident (and accident) free taxi rides, nothing stolen, a helpful university (SAU) to answer all of our questions, and a decently adequate traveling companion; Chad (hehe, actually, I couldn't have asked for a better friend on this trip). God has undoubtfully been with us each step of the way. Our completion of the visa so quickly was obvious evidence of God's "fruitful" blessings that he sent down on us for our behalf: falling spiritual fruit. :)

We will be attentively watching out both types of fruits for the rest of our stay in this country.

We plan on flying to Rurre tomorrow (Thursday). Ironically enough, this will be the third time we attempt to land in La Paz, where we will have a connecting flight to Rurre. We miss that beautiful city.

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