"Tasty Water"

Let me go ahead and explain the subject I chose for this entry. Today we traveled to the village of Mishquiyacu, a tiny village about two hours outside of Moyobamba. The ride there was an adventure, to be sure. Bumpy roads, mountain curves (a la Blue Ridge Parkway, almost) taken way too fast, crossing a creek and a river in a fifteen-passenger van. What a trip. The name "Mishquiyacu" means "tasty water" (or "good water," but I like "tasty" a lot more). There is a Presbyterian Church in Mishquiyacu - it is pastored by a lay pastor who also is the pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Tarapoto and it has a grand total of five members. We did manage to see thirty-seven patients/patient groups today. Another success.

When I say "village," I mean it. The greatest technological advances in Mishquiyacu are the motorcycle the pastor rides into town, the corrugated tin roofs, and the building materials used (about one step above mud bricks and thatched roofing, though both of these exist either in town or close by). Dawn and Luke played many games with los jóvenes of the town after school was finished. Included were Red Rover, Gato Gato Perro (think Duck Duck Goose), the Hokey Pokey, the Chicken Dance, and fútbol, of course.

We have celebrated two birthdays in the last two days - Doris and Luke. Each has received multiple outbursts of song (we sing once in English, once in Spanish, and sometimes add a Christian Happy Birthday that is sung here). It has been a joy to share such special days with special people in a special place.

Some of the group leaves tomorrow to begin the adventure to Cuzco. They will visit there until they meet up with the rest of the team (minus those of us staying three weeks) in Lima before heading back to the States. Their departure from Moyobamba instigates, for me, simultaneous feelings of both "Goodbye already?" and "Goodness gracious - I will be here for two more weeks!" What an experience this has been already. The team is really quite the well-oiled machine. All of us enjoy one another and all of us have worked so well together at the clinics, if I may brag a bit. We have experienced extremes - jealousy for the beauty of the surrounding mountains changes quickly to sorrow for povery, malnutrition, poor public health. We continue to wrestle, as with all missions, with what exactly we are called to do. We cannot - and do not really want to - impose American life on these folks. We appreciate so deeply the simplicity and slower pace of life here, but it is too easy to wish running water for those who don't have it. It is a struggle I look forward to continuing to tackle; I think and hope that my teammates feel quite the same.

Okay, one more time. I forgot to bring my pictures. I did upload this picture the other day, though. This was taken at La Casona, the hotel where half of the team is staying. Doris is chatting with Leslie, whom many of you may have met when she and her brother Robinson visited the States earlier this year. Leslie and Robinson's family has been hosting the rest of the team, and they are the kindest and most hospitable folks any of us has known.

I'm afraid that there aren't any more interesting pictures. I will do my best, now that I am at my preferred internet café, to bring pictures. Lots of them.

Time is running out. I hope everyone in Los Estados Unidos is doing quite well. We look forward to sharing more stories with you in the coming days. Grace and peace a todos.

Happy trails -
sch