Hey all! We are safe in Iquitos! We got here Monday at around
4:30pm...a friend of a missionary family we know picked us up, we dropped all our bags off
at the their house and then we walked to MEPI. There was a group of them
playing volleyball...we walked in and called to Marcos and Gilber who
were playing...their eyes about dropped out of their heads!
Hahaha...everyone was SO shocked I can´t even describe it with words.
We DID get videos! It was AWESOME...The whole night they kept saying, ´´we´re
dreaming we´re dreaming! We never once thought you guys would be
coming!´´ It was the most amazing epic surprise ever.
They asked us where we were staying and immediately insisted we stay
in the apartment where we lived for 6 months... (su casa! your house! they say) So here we are. In a place that seems so much like home it´s crazy. I woke up this
morning in my bed, and looked around the room, so familiar, feels so
much like home. Just one thing though...the family isn´t here! It is so
strange to be staying in the apartment without them. It is so sad,
and makes us miss them all a ton. Oh what I would do to have them come here!
Everywhere I look here, there´s memories, and they all include the family. It is so
weird being here again without them! So many times, I have looked up at the apartment and expected to see one of my sisters´ heads pop up in the window. Ah! Come to Iquitos you guys!
So, Iquitos is just as hot as ever! Linz and I stepped off the plane
and couldn´t breath...I had forgotten how hot it really is! We had gotten
used to Cusco weather...HUGE difference. Big change in weathr! But everything else here in Iquitos, all the smells...the food...everything´s the same! This morning I was
pleasantly surprised to see the empanada man walk in MEPI at 10:00am
just like clockwork. :) I had forgotten how much I love Iquitos. Truly like a second home!
Tonight will be the wedding of our friend Esther...we are preparing food and cleaning the mission. Lindsey and I had a fun experience plucking a few of the 40 chickens they are preparing. Oh Iquitos! There is supposed to be 250 guests. If you knew how things are here in Iquitos, you´d agree with me how HUGE of an undertaking that is. Crazy! The hardest part is the food preparation of course...just imagine doing EVERYTHING by hand (including killing and plucking the chickens!) I suppose that´s why Peruvian weddings normally don´t start till after 8pm.
Well, the surprise is out and everyone knows we´re here now. So now we will settle in, and I will begin teaching English soon. Please continue to pray for safety and health!
We miss you all.
Blessings,
Larinda