When I awoke around 6:30, we were still traveling to the first village. Breakfast is always promptly at 7am. There were so many people on this boat that a lot of us had to eat up on the top deck. While we were eating, we heard this aweful noise. It sounded like a wild boar. I could not believe how loud it was – I was almost frightened. We were all searching the jungle to see what it was – finally we spotted it! It was a red howler monkey. I didn’t think a monkey could make all that noise and at that volume! We also saw multiple parrots and McCaws. Pretty cool!
Around mid morning we pulled into our first village - Araras.
This village seemed small. We opened the clinic up about 10:30. Everyone gets vitamins and de-wormer. My first real eye-opener was the 12 year old girl who came up by herself. She was beautiful! Her card indicated that she needed pre-natal vitamins. I looked at Ruth Ann while she was talking to the girl and she confirmed that she was pregnant. I was shocked. I had already seen other girls 16, 17, 18 that were pregnant, but I could not get over the fact that she was 12. I just could not get over it the rest of the day. I mourned for her - I wish I could explain what it was like - she hung out with the children during the day. She still "played" with the other girls her age. I just couldn't get over it. I kept coming back to her. 12 years old!
When we were done with the clinic we got off the boat and explored the village. The kids flock to you and start talking to you in Portugese and you begin to feel really confused. You want to talk to them, but they can’t understand you.
Little girls we played soccer with
A couple of us played soccer with some little girls. Of course the village had a soccer field! We are in Brazil after all! The other thing that struck me was that the people in this village looked happy. The kids seemed content and people didn’t look miserable – which is what I was expecting. I think about my boys and how they would not know what to do with themselves. Sharon was a big hit because she was talking pictures of the kids and showing them their pictures.
Some of the construction crew left when we got there to go pick up the wood for the church. When they got back, we all helped unload it. I didn’t think we were going to be able to do it, but finally, we got all the boards off that little boat!
This may not look like alot of wood, but let me tell you - the shortest board was 8 feet and the longest was 12. It was work to get them out of the boat!
Not long after, we had a church service with the villagers. To see the way Earl interacted with the kids was amazing! They all loved him! We also had to sing the song that Earl had, taught us in Portuguese to the villagers.
Little did I know we would be singing more and more and more in the days to come!
After church, we headed back to the boat for a late dinner. I think it was 9pm...As I reflect on this day, it amazes me at how happy these people are with nothing. The kids in the village share 2 soccer balls. They live in shacks - crowded shacks! Sometimes up to three generations in one shack! We were all talking about how this must be a hard life for them. We were so happy to be there and to help these people. It was a wonderful start to the trip!
Some more pictures from the village:
The birds just hang out.....
Girls getting fitted for pillowcase dresses.
The first and biggest house in the village.
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