Day 34 Tuesday in Gallito

Hey all :)

Sorry this is late, Tuesday once we got back from Gallito I went with some of the people from Huntington to help them do a little shopping... Then after dinner and devotions the ranggled me into playing cards... Then me and Pam sat down for one of our amazing chats and before we new it it was midnight, and that a problem when your getting up at 6:15...

Tuesday was amazing :) when we first got to Gallito we started working on replacing the posts under the church, the men went about digging the holes, cutting the beams, and then nailing them in place, but mind you this all took place in about five feet of space under the church... If you've ever tried to dig a hole on your knees... Then you can understand that the fact that they got 23 posts in the ground in about four hours is crazy, I worked with the women painting the posts with ceriasoak which is a termite preventative... They mix it with gasoline... So the fumes were strong to say the least ;) but even though we spent the morning crawling around under the church, we had a really good time, I teamed up with this girl from Huntington named Elise, and together we tag team to finish our posts the fastest this aloud us to do more painting :) we would claim three posts ahead of the one we were painting and no one could stop us because by they time they were done with there one post we had painted two :) the health competition kept us moving and helped us keep painting even after we realized we were doing a better job of painting ourselves, than the wood :)









After lunch we had craft time with the children, we did leaf rubbings of some of the amazon leafs and made butterflies to hang around the room :)







then we headed to the school yard to play some games, we did an egg and soup race... We played soccer, actually we got clobbered by the small Peruvian children, who are better athletes at seven then will ever be in my whole life lol... We ALS taught them how to play four square :)

I've been battling my feelings lately... I'm almost to the point where I will begin to get very anxious to see my family... To head back to my real life and leave the miracles of the Amazon jungle behind me... But even the thought of doing that makes me physically ill... How can I go about leaving a place, for which I have fallen in love... I love the noises on the street, I love the feel of the water, I love the culture, the food, the people... THE CHILDREN!!!

The thought of leaving this place pains me so much that, it literally feels like Iquitos will owe a piece of my heart forever... The reason I've been battling with my feelings is because I've convinced myself that my wanting to stay here somehow lessens my longing to go home... I've felt so guilty recently because I given away pieces of my heart to people I've just met, and yet I have an entire family at home anxiously awaiting my return...

On the boat ride in today from Gallito had my headphones in listening to whatever and then God threw me a bone... Mark Harris's Find your wings started to play... My mom put it on my graduation CD and it made it onto my iPod just for this opportunity the lyrics are listed below...

It's only for a moment you are mine to hold
The plans that heaven has for you
Will all too soon unfold
So many different prayers I'll pray

For all that you might do
But most of all I'll want to know
You're walking in the truth
And if I never told you, I want you to know
As I watch you grow

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things

I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

May passion be the wind
That leads you through your days
And may conviction keep you strong
Guide you on your way

May there be many moments
That make your life so sweet
Oh, but more than memories

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things

I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings

It's not living if you don't reach for the sky
I'll have tears as you take off
But I'll cheer as you fly

I pray that God would fill your heart with dreams
And that faith gives you the courage
To dare to do great things

I'm here for you whatever this life brings
So let my love give you roots
And help you find your wings


And I realized that my parents, my family raised me to someday go out and better the world. And this summer is the first of hopefully many opportunities to go out and do just that :) I feel much better about my feelings now, but I still can't imagine leaving this place, and I grow more and more homesick as the days get close to my departure from this amazing place :)

I think Pam put it best in our conversation last night, your heart changes down here it grows and swells and part of it will always remain here... Calling you back :)

Stay tuned :)

Location:Iquitos, Peru