Brazil trip - Day 4...

I feel like by the end of the day I've already forgotten the stuff I wanted to write, so its a good thing I'm journaling!  I'm sure after this trip I'll up my paper and pen for a long time though.  I usually plan on getting up around 6 am, but am always awake by 5 am instead.  I make myself stay in bed as long as possibly so as not to wake my roommates up and listen to podcasts or read books I've got on my iPhone.  By about 5:45 I can't lay there anymore and start my day.  It gives me time to get some Bible reading in before the bustle of the day, so I don't really mind.  (That and since I get up at 4:15 am for work, its still actually sleeping in!)  After another great breakfast, we had our morning devotions with the team.  Also one of the Brazilian staff tries to teach us some Portuguese while she tries to learn some English.  Not sure how well we are doing, but we are trying!  We started clinic pretty early this

morning, but only had a few patients left to see.  Next we had to make a little detour to "dump our waste" from the boat...one of those things you don't want to dwell on too much!  Then it was on to our next village.  I was one of the "doctors" today, so it was nice to get to interact with the patients.  The best part was being able to pray with each patient and family that came through.  Most of the patients came with aches/pains/colds but also treated a lady for hypertension as well.  A few actually came with labs they had had done previously and I had a lady come in with prescriptions that a Brazilian clinic had written for her that she couldn't afford.  We were able to come up with the meds or similar substitutes and send her out with all her meds!  We also had a little girl come in who had been hit by a motorcycle and broken her leg.  She actually had an external fixator on her leg which was a first for me to see outside of the States.  She was cute and had such a precious smile.  I wish we would have had some crutches to give her though.  She walked in front of her mother who would hold her under the arms and swing her forward with each step.  Thankfully she was getting her fixator off in a week or so. It rained a lot and very hard in the morning so that seemed to keep some people away.  It ended up just being a nice steady day.

 The guys caught 2 alligators last night so we got to hold them and of course get pictures with them.  They also caught some very ugly fish that they told us are a delicacy...I'm ok with not eating them!  Later while I was walking around the lower deck, I saw the remnants of the alligator as the guys had filleted it so we could have it for dinner.  No worship service for us tonight but it did look like they were setting up the local church for a wedding.  Dinner tonight was fried alligator and it was delicious!  Even better with a little hot sauce...although honestly, what isn't?  It tasted like chicken but had a texture closer to fish.  I would definitely eat it again.  We also had passion fruit mousse today which was fabulous.  Edilsa sure knows how to cook!  We actually got the recipe so looking forward to trying to make it once I get home.  She also gave us her great home made bread recipe too...although I'm not

nearly as excited about that one.  We also got a new room-mate tonight.  Her name is Flavia, and she is a Brazilian who helps out on the boat trips.  She told me tonight that she has been on 26 riverboat trips with CBM.  I'm not quite sure what her exact role is but she did spend time at the school today.  Which reminds me, I took a tour of the school house today. Talk about stepping back in time.  It was a little one room school house with old wooden desks.  It did have a dry erase board though.  The kids artwork hanging on the walls was adorable.  After dinner, I got to enjoy a little quiet time on the upper deck before the bugs got bad.  (Not quite a roof in Haiti, but a close 2nd!)  There weren't many lights on in the village, so looking up you could see a billion stars across the sky.  I never get tired of views like that!  It's so quiet and peaceful, other than the hum of the generator, and I love seeing the villagers settle in for the night.  I think some of the team finds it odd how much time I can spend up there alone but I'd much rather be outside on the upper deck enjoying the beautiful night sky and sounds than any where else.  (Especially not hanging inside in the a/c)  Oh and there was a beautiful sunset this evening.  Now I need to get out there in time to see the sunrise.  I do have to say I am missing my family and friends a little...Its been weird not having any type of communication with them, and I keep thinking of things I want to tell them.  Am definitely praying for them all though.