Mini Vacation with my Man!

Lynn got home safe and sound. When I met him at the airport we took off to Gamboa Rainforest Resort for two days – a little anniversary trip that turned into a great experience!
We visited a zoo that specializes in animals of the rainforest, with all kinds of tropical birds, monkeys, and the national bird, the Harpie Eagle, among other animals. It was very interesting and most enjoyable with my wonderful husband at my side!


HARPIE EAGLE
We also took a boat ride on the Panama Canal. I did not think we could afford that, but it was not near as expensive as I had thought. We played in the wake of the huge ships headed down to the locks, and felt very tiny when we got close to them! We visited an island that was home to a family of white-faced capuchin monkeys. They were quite accustomed to the boats coming to see them, so jumped right on board at the sight of an apple or grape. We also saw parts of the enlargement project where we learned that the several hundred pvc pipes we saw planted in the ground held dynamite ready to blow away a huge chunk of dirt to widen the lake. A little frightening to me!


We also saw lots of wildlife closer to the hotel - two bats were sleeping above our balcony door, and on a nature walk we actually saw (pictures to prove it) wild toucan in the jungle!
We enjoyed the hotel for two nights, and then as our last activity we visited an Embera village. The Embera generally live in the Darien province, but there are 7 tribes living along the canal. They came there over a hundred years ago to work on the canal as laborers, and brought their families, then stayed. Now these villages are sharing with the world their culture and way of life in an effort to conserve both. Their numbers are small, but they are very diligently trying to keep their ways alive. We spent 3 hours touring the village, with a guided tour of the plant life, a typical meal, traditional dancing, and I even got a tattoo like the women there have. Mine, like theirs, will only last two weeks before it needs to be redone. The ladies tattoo most of their body, but I just went with an armband. Lynn was happy about that!
What a nice way to get reacquainted with my hubby! We enjoyed it thoroughly, and are now back in the house enjoying the last days of summer.
Other notes:
 School is well underway
 Yari is walking normally and will be free to do biking and running in another month!
 Saly had 7 BIG beautiful babies – actually she had to have a C-section because they were so big. All are doing well.
 A young friend of ours lost his girlfriend, and took his life. We are all still reeling from this.
 We have heard that the government will begin bringing food to el Valle School, but we are still awaiting final word before addressing what our role will be if it happens. Like so many things, talk is cheap, but we will wait for action!
 Dear Sister Holly plans to come down in June to help us out, Lord willing and airfare doesn’t skyrocket even higher!
 Another sister, Meredith Woodell, plans to come spend a month or two with us as well.
 We almost have a new kitchen!!!!! We have been in the process of changing the laundry room to an outbuilding and enlarging the kitchen to use that space. It is just about done! I even have a kitchen window!!!!!!

God is so good to us – and to you, just pay attention and don’t take His gifts for granted!!!

posted by Joy in the wrong account!