Yesterday found us back in Raista. This was to have been our travel day from Las Maria's, but the water levels on the river were too shallow for the canoes to go further upstream so we took a down day.
The travel on the river can be very challenging and one must be prepared for it. It is hours and hours of sitting in the tropical sun on boards for seats. It is arduous. Our trip down river took us six hours to cover about 30 miles. I thought this was bad until I met one of the missionaries who lives 130 miles up river!! He told me it previously took 24 hours to make the journey, with his wife and children in the canoe. He found this untenable so he built a boat with a covered section and put a 40 horsepower motor on it and can now make the trip in seven hours.
I was invited to join a seminar planning meeting called by Dr. Camp, hosted by the missionaries and attended by Pastor Willington. The subject was a training seminar to be conducted in June here in Raista. Willington has approximately 50 individuals from many villages who will come together to learn long range planning, minor medical techniques, water quality and other subject matter. The audience for the seminar consist of villagers who show potential to be community leaders.
Another activity yesterday was the preparation of the pig. Our Cuban dentist, Illisio bought a pig while in Las Maria's. Our pig traveled to Raista with us (Dr. Bob and the pig became fast friends as the pig lay on the bottom of the canoe at his feet for the entire trip downriver!). Yesterday was the preparation day for our piggy. I won't go into gory detail but will leave it to your imaginations. Doctors Illisio and Bob spent all day around a pit fire, swapping stories and listening to radio out of Mexico to cook the pig.
So, last night was a banquet of sorts with lots of roast pig, yucca, rice and beans, pico de gallo, beer, and sodas. A special cake was prepared by the hotel cooks. After dinner, a large bonfire was lighted and we enjoyed a wonderful time of traditional Mosquito dances to which most of us participated in. If you knew Muggy, you will know she was very proud of me last night as I couldn't get enough dancing!! (Hey Dance Team, we need to dance again!!)
Earlier in the afternoon, a few of walked to the ocean and rollicked in some powerful waves. At one point, as I waded through the water I wondered what I was walking on. Reaching down, I found two handfuls of live sand dollars! There must have been thousands of them....all alive!
This was a truly a memorable day and I am thankful for the continued blessings God provides in my life. I am certain that this trip has forged life long friendships.
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