Tuesday, May 8th

I got up around 6:20 feeling very refreshed! I went straight to the kitchen for coffee! I didn’t realize that they make their coffee kind of like sweet tea – they make the coffee in a pot, drain the hot coffee and then they had sugar. That was a surprise since I don’t usually use sugar for my coffee, but, I’m being flexible and drinking it anyway!

This morning we spent a lot of time organizing medicines and separating them into smaller portions. We had 500 pills of vitamins in each bottle, but they only give them 60 tablets – enough for 2 months. So, we separated and separated. It was actually fun because everyone was beginning to get antsy to “do” something. I didn’t realize how much preparation went into something like this.
This is also the day the boat started really rocking. Multiple people got sick, but no one that I know of actually threw up because of it – but we sure were taking the medicine!  Ruth Ann says that it doesn’t usually rock like this, but the wind and the other boats were making a lot of waves. One of the ladies in my room had Dramamine and the other had the patch. I took both!

Earl arrived on the boat and we immediately set out for the village the construction crew would be staying to build a church. While traveling, Earl brought maps up to the top deck and showed us all the places we were going to go. Wow! Nothing like seeing this all on a map to put things into perspective! We also assigned/picked jobs for the medical part of the trip. I was going to be in the pharmacy with Ruth Ann.  I was seriously disappointed at first because I wanted to be on the “front line” – but I tell you what, God knew what he was doing when he put me in the pharmacy! (Since I am typing this later, I can look back with some perspective).  I was able to pick her brain about missionary life, how they started in Brazil and what the future may hold for them.  It was a wonderful experience getting to know her and Earl on a more personal level. 

We ate a wonderful dinner! The cooks on this boat are wonderful. I was so surprised by how much food they provided and how wonderful it tasted. I was expecting something very basic – rice and beans, but we were served so much more!  Here are some pictures:

Sorting medicine...see how Dane's shirt is a weird grey-ish color?  Yeah - that's becasue the heat was atrocious!

It was so incredibly hot!  I was scared to death that I wasn't going to make it another week and a half! The sweat was dripping off of me!  GROSS!!!

I am already missing my husband.  It seems so strange that I am going through all of this without him.  I just read my son, Dillan's, letter.  It was so sweet!  I love that boy.  He has such a good heart.  He will be a great man, husband and father when grows up.  That fact touches my heart in ways I can not even describe!  Here are some pictures of my accomodations:

That is my bunk - the bottom pink one.  Looks comfy, huh?

Here is the shower.  Notice the ONE handle - on or off is the only choice!  Pay special attention to the white blur in the lower right corner......

Here is the white blur!  Yes, it is all together.  Very interesting.  The floor is somewhat sloped so the water runs down from the shower to the right to a drain thing.

After dinner, it is time to shower - ugghh!  Here are my choices for water temperature - cold or colder.  I whine like a child, but I suck it up and take a cold shower!  Tomorrow - we get down to buisness!