The Jungle and the Fire

Finally got to go to the jungle this week!! The trip started out with a very interesting car ride. We took public transportation again, and they put the 5 of us in the back seat of a very small car. :P I wanted to get a picture, but all our bags and cameras had to be put in the trunk…It was a hilarious, yet very uncomfortable hour. By the time we arrived, Brayden’s legs were numb and he fell to the ground. The driver himself was sharing his seat with someone!! Those taxi drivers know how to get their money’s worth out of a drive. 

We spent our 3-4 hour hike through the jungle exploring, looking for monkeys, eating bark, learning about the rain forest, climbing vines and if you’re Brayden-getting pooped on by a monkey. :D  

Our guide. 

Brayden trying his hand at being a monkey. 

A huge, beautiful tree. 

We had a good guide who was a lot of fun and helpful…it was great! There is something surreal about walking through a rain forest- experiencing the sights, sounds and smells, hearing birds that we have only heard in movies before. J 

The group: Josh, Beca, Bryn, Cooper and Brayden. 

While in the rain forest, I was struck by how awesomely creative God is…detailed, creative, incredible…cares about details. 

                                  . . . . .

Monday morning, about 3 am, a friend of the Cashes’ house burned to the ground not far from here. Mr. Cash went with the local fire dept. to fight the fire that night trying to save what they could. Sadly, it burned to the ground. The next few days, we spent trying to salvage letters, important documents, pictures, solar panels and etc. from the ashes… 

It was very sobering to see how quickly everything was burned…so much gone. It re-emphasized again to us the need for more fire equipment here. They desperately need equipment here for their fire brigade ministry that they are trying to get started...to help serve friends, villagers, fellow missionaries by being able to save their homes, valuables and often times, their very lives...Praise God no one was hurt during this particular fire.