I counted the Stars......

Where can words even begin with today? The Timmer’s decided we deserved a much needed day off and for that, they treated us to white water rafting in the Chapare jungle. Our day started at 7am and is just now ending at 10p. But what a day it was.

Our tour guide, James Bond, drove us 4 hours into the Chapare jungle where we would begin our adventure. After long travels and an early morning we were ready to hit the water. We carried the boat down, exactly what you are picturing a yellow raft, through an ant hill –where we were then given instructions (in Spanish) on what to do once we were in the water.

It was amazing. Well, that hardly covers it. We started in category 3 (out of 6) waves and we almost lost Jacklyn. Okay, not really, but it was the most difficult part of our journey. For the next 3 hours we battle some rapids while we also enjoyed smooth glass like water. At one point, our tour guide allowed us to jump out of the boat. Picture this: floating down a river between huge mountains that are lush with forest and filled with colorful wild life. The sun was shinning and the water felt wonderful. I could not even believe the things I was seeing. I was determined not to allow this day to go by to quickly. I took it all in.

I felt the sand between my toes. The water on my skin. The sun was in my eyes. I heard the roar of the water and the calm of the forest. I took note of the beautifully fresh air I was breathing. The trees, bushes, and flowers went on for miles and miles. It was a scene out of my dreams. Again, words hardly will express the beauty, but I was truly living my dream.

We even took a break for some ‘pi pok a’ (popcorn) and coca cola (sorry Karen Pepsi is unheard of down here). During our break our guide showed us a cliff we could jump from into the rapids (don’t worry Grandma I had on a life vest and a helmet) –it was so much fun!

A heavy note for the day: As we took the break we saw much of the poverished culture that we were invading. It was not that I was unaware, for we have seen this before, but gosh did it strike me. Here I am, enjoying the beauty of God’s country all around me, when there were a number of naked children coming to the river just to watch us play. It was surreal. I wanted so much to speak my bit of Spanish to them, but it was so much more than that. Much of this, I imagine I am still processing.

After lunch, we began our long journey home. Andrea and I cuddled and watched a few office episodes J It felt so good for both of us to just laugh and enjoy our day and finally feel less homesick then we have in the last few weeks. Once the dark came it was the high point of my night came. Through out the day I made sure to touch, hear, see, feel, taste, and notice everything as this is an adventure I likely will not do again here in Bolivia. Okay one more image for you:

All seven of us are in this van, loving life and headed back to our home. A few are sleeping, others listening to Ipods, but each of us enjoying the beauty we have seen. I was gazing out the window loving the mountains that surrounded us looking into the beautiful skies. Loving life and enjoying the music on my Ipod when the Chris Tomlin version of “Indescribable” came on. For those of you unfamiliar: “You placed the stars in the sky and you know them by name. You are amazing God. All powerful.” I really do enjoy the whole song, but as this lyric came on I was noticing the 6 billion stars filling the sky. Hair blowing in the wind, good friends to my side, awesome scenes of nature, and a wonderfully powerful God.

That’s it. That’s why I am here. It seemed so clear in that moment.