Trip to Karama, Feb. 2019

So, we had a great trip into the jungle village of Karama, visiting the pastor and his family, checking on the building of the church there, and doing some ministry with the kids!

It was a great group that went in, including another missionary brother Chris, a couple of national sisters, and several single youth. We had a great time together, both on the trip, and also ministering in the village.

Thursday morning, it dawned still raining, as it had been for several days. As we all gathered at the bus station in Puyo, in the pouring rain, there was a lot of talk about swollen rivers, impassable trails, and if we were even going to make it in to the village. After placing everything in Gods' hands, we set out on the more than three hour bus ride. There were hardly any other people on the bus, a plain indication of how rainy it was; because usually that bus gets packed by the time half of the trip is over.

When we arrived at the first river crossing, several hours into the trip, there was another bus and a pickup truck pulled up along the river stone road, not being able to cross the river. They told us that another bus and several trucks had already turned round, giving up hope of crossing that day. After a lot of talking back and forth, the driver decided to try and cross the river. We took all of our bags out form under the bus, and put them up inside where we where, and gathered as many people as possible for weight. After we opened the windows, just in case we needed to bail out of a bus being flipped over by the river, the driver revved up his engines and took off across the wide river. Although the swift current did push the bus a little, it was not as deep as it appeared, with the water barely coming in the door of the bus, and we got safely across. When we could finally hear ourselves over our beating hearts, we all started to laugh and talk at once, very glad to have crossed without having any mishaps or getting wet.

Realizing that the trail we take to get to Karama crosses another river, which was probably even more swollen than the first one, we took the bus up to where that river crossed the road, passing our drop off point, to get a feel for how high the river was. This second river was so swollen and swift, even our gutsy bus driver didn't dare cross it, but rather decided to turn around and go back to Puyo, the river being very close to the end of the road. Seeing how high the river was, and knowing that we couldn't swim it, let lone wade it as we had planned, we decided to go back to Puyo as well. But as we were passing the village where we normally get off to continue the trek on foot, we saw the pastor from Karama there! He had come down that very morning for an event in the other village, and told us that there was another trail through the jungle, to get to his village, and that they had cut a tree down so as to get across the river in that spot.

So, we all piled off of the bus, and stayed in the village by the road for a while, until the pastor was ready to head back to his village with us. About three in the afternoon, we set out on a trail that was longer than the one we usually take, and also a lot wetter!! But, it really didn't matter to much to me, as in the first five minutes of our hike, I slipped on a log crossing a small stream, and falling into the stream, got totally drenched from the mid stomach down. Thankfully, almost nothing in my backpack got wet, but it made for a very long two hour hike, with wet jeans and wet, squishy socks and boots!

After the couple of hours going through the jungle, with half of the trail being ankle deep or more run off from all of the rain (very ideal snake territory!), We arrived at the river. It was very high, and very swift! I am bad at judging distances, but it had to be at least 30 feet wide, and with only a tree trunk to cross on, a very dangerous crossing. Of course, the pastor crossed it with no problem, and the rest of us followed. Thankfully, there were no mishaps, although the two young ladies with us crossed on their hands and knees. After all the excitement, when we arrived some 20 minutes later, the village and huts were a very wonderful sight indeed! Most of the villagers were away at a party in another village, but we had a good time with the pastor, his family, and a number of children who had been left behind. We set up our hammocks inside the new church building, had a quick supper, and after a quick bath in the stream, went to bed and slept very soundly!!

The following day was filled with talking with the pastor, some of the brothers who had not gone to the party in the other village, and doing children ministry; as most of the children had been left behind. It was a fun time of games, singing and playing, in which all of us took part. No matter what the event was, wether children games, volleyball, or soccer, it was the villagers against our team, and we got whooped soundly almost every single time! But it was a lot of fun, spending time together. I also shared the bible story with the kids, and they really enjoyed it. After lunch, we went to the river with the kids and youth, and did some swimming together. Because it hadn't rained the whole day, the river had slowed down considerably,although it still was higher than normal. That evening, We all sat under the meeting area that they had, fired up the generator, sang songs, and listened to the pastor share Gods word to his people. What a blessing to hear him share, to see how he is growing in his biblical study and understanding!!!

After a very late meal, we slept, knowing that we would leave tomorrow early in the morning. If the rivers were high, and the bus couldn't cross over them, we would have a two hour walk to the road, and then another 7 hour hike along the river stone road to the point where the busses would come. Here in Ecuador, and especially in the jungle, things never go as planned, and you learn to prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and just go with the flow, in a term we affectionately call 'flexador!' Plus, it rained a number of hours during the night and into the wee morning, and so after a quick breakfast, we started off, uncertain of what we would find on the hike back. thankful, even with the rain f the night before, the rivers were not too high; and so we took the normal trail back to the road, which only takes about an hour or a little more. There is a steep hill right at the end of the trail, just a few minutes from the road, and as the first of the group started down the hill, they heard the bus going by on the road! We had just missed the bus, and would have to wait a couple of hours before another one came along! We were very thankful, though, that we would not have to make the 7 hour hike to the first river!

After waiting, the bus trip on the way back was uneventful, and we arrived in Puyo around 4 in the afternoon, thankful for Gods' protection, his guidance, and very encouraged to have been a part of his hands to touch the village, and to see the growth in the man that he has put over the spiritual care of those people. God is good!

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