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Published: March 21st 2011
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Sorry I've been radio silent. I've been writing and taking pictures but haven't been at in internet location long enough to upload anything. We are back on the coast in Chiclayo after going all the way down the Marañon River to Chipe and then past that to the Kusu River to visit Kusu Chigamai. I'm writing this paragraph Monday evening. We just got off the 8 hour bus ride from Bagua. The guys went to Santa Rosa but I knew this may be my only internet opportunity so I'll catch up as much as possible. I've got a ton of pictures. I'm going to put up separate posts based on what we were doing or where we were. Those that have heard about the mototcycle wrecks (yes, plural) will have to wait for the post on Montango. Unless you are related to Greg or me you have nothing to worry about from the motorcycle wrecks story (we're fine). It's going to be difficult picking which photos, between the four of us are pushing 1,000 photos. Here is the start of catch up.
I’ve learned a couple things about Steven these past 4 days (I’m writing this on Friday). Number 1,
Wearing a TV
Yep, he's wearing a TV. This guy was walking around the Lima airport. I think he's advertising something, or he lost a bet. this is his 20th trip to Peru. Number 2, his middle name is “How’s Emily?” He brought his daughter Emily on two or three trips and she apparently made a lasting impression on everyone she met. So far everyone that has know Steven in Lima, Chiclayo and Bagua has given him a big hug and said Hola Estaban, como esta Emily? I’m pretty sure it is his legal name.
Larry showed up during breakfast Wednesday. If you want to know anything about the Miami Admirals’s Club, Larry is your man. He was there about 10 hours Tuesday. He said he met all 3 shifts. Traffic in Lima is bad, traffic in Chiclayo is dangerous. Mototaxis (imagine a motorcycle cut in half with a rickshaw tied to the back) are everywhere. Mototaxi drivers are sure they are exempt from all traffic laws and several laws of nature. They have no fear. Bagua is almost all Mototaxis but Chiclayo is a dangerous mix of cars, trucks, busses, and taxis. We caught a nice bus (not kidding, it was nice) from Chiclayo to Bagua at 1:30 in the afternoon. We made a stop at Jaen and rolled into Bagua about 8:15PM. The
What time do we tee off?
Greg doesn't golf. He fills his golf case with wonderful Christmas gifts for his congregation. You'll never guess what we are getting this year. seats on the bus reclined almost flat. There was a video you got to watch and listen to (whether you wanted to or not). We were on the Jean-Claude Van Damme tour, 3 of his classics back to back to back. I re-lived my pre-teen years and got car bus/motion sick. I’m really looking forward to the ride back now. Of course it could have been the papa a la huincianio I ate before we got on the bus. Speaking of food I haven’t had lomo saltado yet (that got remedied Friday night by Babina and Felix). Larry finally told Greg that this bus had been running for over 40 years but he didn’t want to spoil him and the other kids so he always took the worst roads and made them ride in the back of a truck. I don’t doubt it for a minute.
Bagua
If I wasn’t sure I was traveling with Rock Stars before Bagua, I was convinced of it by the time we arrived. We were met at the bus station by Manual Lopez (Pastor of a growing church in Bagua). Manual has been with Larry for a long time and used to run
Meet Steven
This is his 20th trip to Peru. He knows to bring reading material because when you aren't running 100 miles an hour, you wait. the Bible School at New Horizons. After dropping our bags at the hotel Larry and Greg were interviewed by a local newspaper reporter. We were then brought to Manual’s home where his wife (Hilda) had prepared a great meal of chicken soup with noodles. We also had humita (similar to a tamale but made with fresh corn instead of dried corn). I’m told Addie Garman can (and apparently has) eat her weight in humita. Manual’s oldest son is named Larry but he seems to have overcome the handicap nicely and is a good young man. They have another son, Danny, and a very cute daughter, Eunice. The food and hospitality were (to borrow a phrase from my friend Kathy) delightful.
Even though it was after 10:00 (I know, Greg Garman up way past his bed time!) Manual wanted to show Larry and Greg the new church that is being constructed. They are building what will eventually be a two story facility. The ceiling of the first floor and temporary roof will get poured this week. When I say poured I mean buckets of wet cement will get walked up a ladder and dumped one at a time. Not my
This is Greg
Greg grew up here. He knows sleep is more important than reading material. idea of a fun day. Every day the women of the church make 600-700 humita that are sold on the street the next day. They sell for 3 per sole. A sole is about $0.90. The church will be the second largest in Bagua when it is completed. Larry remembers when they told him about their plans. He cautioned them about taking on such a big project but they were confident they could make it happen. We went back the next day before breakfast and shot some pictures.
We walked back to the hotel and on the way an Ice Cream/mototaxi slowed down. I figured he was going to try and sell us something when a voice cried out, Doctor! It was Wilmer who is Jose’s nephew and the son of Felix (more on him later). Larry remembered when Wilmer was born premature and would have fit in a cereal box. I don’t think Larry tried to put him in a cereal box but you can never tell with Larry. The Doctor and Addie are known and loved throughout the jungle. We returned to the Emperador Hotel and I learned the differences from our US hotels. Steve and I
Good start to the food
The first day Greg met with Itamar. When he offered to take her to lunch she picked well. A Brazillian churrascaria. were put on the top floor each with our own room. Larry and Greg shared a room on the second floor. I though Greg and Larry were just being nice and letting Steve and I have our own rooms but I should have known better. The top floor in a US hotel is usually the best rooms with the most amenities. In Bagua there are no elevators so you are schlepping you luggage up 4 flights of stairs. The water is gravity fed so the lower floors have pressure and the upper floors have no water or just a trickle. I should have seen it coming.
The next morning we had a great breakfast at Manual and Hilda’s house and then were met by Benedicto Flores, the pastor of the church in Montango. Steve is bringing a team from his church in Ohio to help finish the church being built in Montango. This trip gave him a chance to see for himself how to get to Montango and to set up accommodations.
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