I’m currently sitting on a boat on the Amazon River listening to “Colors of the Wind” from Pocahontas. What a coincidence. This place is magical. The people, the smells, the food, the smiles. People say that everything is bigger in Texas.. but they have obviously never been to the Amazon. Everything here is ridiculously big… except the people, who I’m pretty sure average out to be maybe 5 feet tall. We have tarantulas in Oklahoma, but they are like Amazon tarantulas’ baby cousins. You think you’ve seen a big cockroach in your lifetime? We saw one last week that was as big as my hand. I used to see a bug and run away screaming, fanning my hands in the air. Now I say, “Bring it on,” and flick it away casually like a boss. So, as I sit here listening to Colors of the Wind (it’s on repeat), I hear the lyrics “But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew.” It’s so accurate, especially here. I’m walking in the footsteps of a Peruvian and learning new things daily. Never in my life did I think I would be so grateful for mosquito nets, itch cream, and bug spray. It’s hard not having showers or electricity, and having to hand wash clothes. We’re going to our third village this week, and I’m amazed each time by how the people live. They work so hard and never complain. We saw a man carrying a whole boat by himself the other day. Here, once the kids reach the age of 10, they are basically in charge of their younger siblings. People fish all night just to support their families. We met a man once who walked three hours to work every morning. Yet the people are so welcoming. They let us into their homes and schools and are so grateful for our presence. I’m experiencing things here that I’ll never forget. I love this country. I love these people. I’m so glad God placed me here with them. I’m living this life that’s a mixture of Mother Theresa and Steve Irwin and its so exhilarating. Every morning I brush my teeth while overlooking the Amazon River. I keep forgetting that this is real life. Yes, I have moments here where I’m homesick and all I want is my cat and McDonald’s, but then I step back and look at the bigger picture. There’s no place I would rather be. Our God is remarkable, and I’m so glad that I’m following and trusting Him.
From Peru to you, Madison
