Lions and Tigers and Bears

Peru has four great geographical areas within its borders—selva, or jungle, montaña, or high jungle, the lofty Andes mountains, and a dry coastal desert plain. Each area differs greatly from the others as to terrain, altitude and climate. The last two weeks in May were unforgettable, because I got to know the selva. A sister in my congregation Eli Gomez, invited us to visit the selva with her as she revisited her 2nd assignment as a special pioneer; El departamento de Madre de Dios, Puerto Maldonado. Animados, we formed a group which consisted of 3 peruanos, 1 spainard, 1 polish, 1 japonese, and 1 from the U.S(me). The attention we attracted in Puerto Maldonado was funny.. One guy asked.. how did you all meet up, on Facebook?! Lol.. What a shame, Facebook is the world’s idea of unity.. haha.. Gladly, we were able to give a good witness about the unity we experience in Jehovah’s organization, and he came to understand that we are all brothers. 
The trip to Madre de Dios from Moquegua was nearly 20 hours in bus.. but we made it safely and were welcomed by an abundance of unkempt greenery and humidity. Puerto Maldonado isn’t really as pretty and tropical as I imagined, but, interesting none the less. I like that the only mode of transportation is motorcycle. It’s most practical there, so you won’t see many cars or taxis.. Puros motos, y mototaxis. Fun! Just like Jarabacoa, Rep Dom.
We all stayed together in a medium sized concrete, and wooden house with a tree in the middle of it! Haha. Also, the roof was open to the nightlife.. small lizards, and the like. Playing Jenga one night we were visited by a huge possum! After the initial greeting of screams, it quickly made its exit. If you plan to visit the jungle one day.. Mosquito nets and the yellow fever vaccine are essentials.. I went to get my shot the 2nd day in Puerto, but little sidenote: it doesn’t have any effect for 10 days!! What a silly risk to take! Fortunatly we visited around the time when the mosquitoes aren’t so vicious. But fearing dengue and yellow fever I stayed covered in OFF! The others were getting eaten alive, but I witnessed Jehovah’s protection because for the whole trip I only saw evidence of 3 bites!

We became close to the brothers in Puerto Maldonado immediately, we felt there hospitality in the congregation, as well as in their homes. Preaching in this jungle town was excellent! The tranquilidad puts you at ease while you share the kingdom message. Most were willing to stop their work, or whatever other activity, and listen attentively. I took the opportunity to preach to a man although he was on his way to work. To my surprise, he stopped his motorcycle in the middle of the road to read a scripture, and except the latest magazines! Many people in Puerto Maldonado posses a great appreciation for the Bible. My partner that day was only 18 but already had 4 spiritual children! Que privilegio! Much more work to do!

Comida selvatica! Jungle food!

I especially enjoyed eating in the sevla. Main staples are 20 varities of platanos and yucca! Q rico! Everything tastes rich, full of flavor and fresh! We ate platanos(bananas) boiled, fried, roasted, mashed, and raw! It’s interesting how much they vary in sweetness. Tacacho is un plato tipico. You boil bananas and then smash them like mashed potatoes. You can add whatever you’d like afterwards, salt pepper green onion, chicken, fish, carne.. It’s like the Mofongo from Puerto Rico. One hermano prepared it for us with fresh fish from the river excellent! I also watched the full process of the slaughter, pluking, and cooking of the duck that we ate with rice and platano.. Pobre pato… Interestingly, even after all that, it was the first time I enjoyed duck! The selva produces lemons the size of large oranges, or small grapefruits! And I learned a new fruit called Cocona. Its similar to tomato, but yellow and tart.. Really good as a salad! But my favorite exotic fruit, for now, is Copasu! It looks like a large kiwi(10xs actual size).. But has a hard shell. Once you break it open you find a soft cluster of seeds. You only eat whats around the seeds, which is the perfect combo of sweet and sour.. It’s not comparable to anything else I know.. But in Puerto, copasu juice and ice cream is popular.. yuum! Being here made me reflect so much on all of the creation of Jehovah, and the things we have yet to discover. If Jehovah allows we will have eternity to get to know all the things he made especially for our enjoyment!

All Aboard!

Seeking adventure, we all agree on going as far inside the jungle as we can. I’m excited about the chance to see tigers, monkeys, large snakes, in there natural habitat. We embark on a trip of 24 hours by river in a small motorized canoe. Others from the congregation join us which makes a group of about 15. Along the way it was fun singing Kingdom melodies, but we slept a lot, played cards, and read too… we would stop only to refuel, and use the “facilities”. We all packed as if for a camping trip mattresses, backpacks, food, stove, mosquito nets and the like. Someone wise once said, “You can’t travel with fear” -Elizabeth Gomez. Haha. So, we found confidence in our “tour guide” , who was, pretty much George of the Jungle, except his name is Roni. Haha! No, it’s just a brother who’s 100% Jungle Book.. haha.. No really, Hermano Roni was nice enough to take us to this chakra of castanas situated in the middle of nowhere.. Roni and his family have always lived in Puerto. So hes got experience, that tells him what to eat and what not to eat. What to touch, and what not to touch. And so on and so forth. He’s even hunted a tiger!
Tambopata, got to know this these waters well.. not just from the travel by boat, but from bathing in its creeks and cooking with it too!

Camping in the Jungle

Nightfalls, and Roni says he can’t continue driving because large tree trunks are being carried downstream which needless to say, could be pretty dangerous. Nevermind the fact that there’s no light!, just Ivan in front, with a little flashlight, doing his best to help navigate. So we stop. This night I will never forget the view of the stars, I’ve never seen so many. The height and lack of pollution afforded us the opportunity to see other galaxies.Maravillosa! We find a place to camp out, make a fire, roast banana… Then, make our “beds” and sleep under a roof which houses some of the biggest spiders I’ve ever seen in my life! Why?! That is my only fear! The cockroaches and frogs didn’t bother me. Sorry, no pictures. I was too busy running in the other direction! I don’t even know how I slept for the 2 hours I slept that night. I’m still trying to convince myself that they were real, because I literally had to make them a figment of my imagination in order to make it through! Just imagine a black spider the size of your hand embroidered with green! Disgusting! Wild! Q miedo!
The next day, after complications with the boat, we finally made it to our destination! La casa de la Hermana (Roni’s mother) Imagine living so far in the jungle that you frequently see pumas, tigers, and monkeys! She is the first witness that the missionaries aided here in Puerto Maldonado. She was very hospitable, in welcoming the large group into her… home… campsite… She was nice enough to prepare mono (monkey) the first day! I just couldn’t.. Honestly, I actually would have tried it. But, I was washing my clothes in the stream when most everyone ate it… but really, just seeing it’s little hands in the pot was enough to make me glad Roni caught a large sharklike fish to eat instead! That was really good… and for free! Selva!!!

How exciting seeing beautifully patterned butterflies of all sizes, parrots, crocodiles, and various monkeys in the trees. I was quite disappointed to not have seen a tiger, or ananconda… well maybe next time.. or maybe waiting until Isaias 11 is fulfilled is a better idea. Lol. “And the sucking child will certainly play upon the hole of the cobra; and upon the light aperture of a poisonous snake will a weaned child actually put his own hand. They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.” - Isaiah 11:8,9