I flunk missionary exam!
Trip Start
Jan 12, 2006
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38
41
Trip End
Mar 12, 2006
La Mamora, Bolivia
Sunday, March 5, 2006
The parish commerated the first anniversary of the death of one of the members. So the family sponsored a meal for the parish after the mass, outside in a patio-type area. The Bolivian people were rather quiet and reserved, we noted, compared to the chatty groups we are used to in Mexico. We ate a huge plate of Saice (pronounced "SIGH see"), a local favorite of ours, and drank soda pop.
Then it was off to Rio Negro for Mass in a farming community. They have a very small traditional church building, and it was standing room only. Nicanor, one of the Marist team, grew up here, and his family was very busy and involved in the liturgy. His dad Eligio visited with us, confident and unafraid. Paul extended our thanks to the assembly at the end of Mass and told them that being with them was like praying with a family. Nicanor's mom, Saturnia, asked us to take the greetings of Rio Negro back to the USA with us. After Mass, John and Javier offered a ride back to the clinic at La Mamora to a sick woman, so Paul and I offered to ride standing in the back of the pickup. How exhillerating it was to blast through the mountains with that cool air rushing past us! We loved it.
In the afternoon we were off to La Capilla, which involved fording the river which is rushing with the seasonal rains. I only had my tennis shoes and flip flops for this weekend. Not wanting to soak my only shoes, I decided to wear my flip flops to cross the rocky rushing river, but when we got to the bank, Javier told me the current would take the flip flops; I should go barefoot. I could only take two steps on the rocky bottom before falling a bit. My feet are weak, so I decided to stay behind and let Paul, Javier and Nicanor go ahead without me. Later Paul told me that the folks in La Capilla weren't positive that the missionaries would be able to cross, since the current was stiff. In fact, since their trousers got wet to the waist, the guys removed their pants on the trip back...something they wouldn't have done if I were in the group...so it was good I turned back. Everyone joked that I flunked the "fording rivers" section of my missionary exam, giving me something to improve for the future!
Our Sunday work finished, John prepared a great roasted chicken dinner for us. The team men had some free time while Paul, John and I enjoyed a quiet evening, a few drinks, & some great Australian and Mexican music on the tape recorder. (I forgot what a great chef John is.)
