So Colombia has regions more or less, somewhat similar to states. Like the city Medellin is actually in Antioquia. And Chocó [I think] is another state-like area. So while we’re in Chocó, we’re moving. We started in Quibdo from Saturday to Tuesday afternoon. After lunch on Tuesday we hopped into a chiva and moved to Lloro. And now we’re leaving Lloro and I have no clue where we’re headed but hopefully we’ll be there soon because this bus on these roads is probably going to kill me. 
Lloro is between two rivers, so to get here successfully we had to cross a foot & moto bridge. But it’s not just a bridge. It’s a swinging bridge; rickety and unsteady, with every step you take, you can feel the bridge mirroring the movement of your body. I like to consider myself adventurous, and even I was pretty weary. Imagine the horror of my comrades who already knew they were afraid of this feat. Thank God, we all made it across alive, some more or less traumatized. Once we got across the bridge we walked [a bit of a journey] to a local church where we would be sleeping. This is different from Quibdo, where we slept in three host homes. Now we all sleep together [boys downstairs, girls upstairs]. I prefer when we’re all under one roof. I think it adds more community to the team; people play games in downtime, move in and out of the kitchen to help and just spend more time together. Host homes are delightful in their own ways, but for me this is the true delight. Tuesday night started with a little dance party and some games with the kids near the church, then we did an outdoor movie for the people living on the same street as us. Most of the time I was sitting and journaling about my time here. While writing everything down a little boy snuck away from the movie to come and observe the strangers. I don’t know his age or name, he wouldn’t tell me & playing with him I got the idea that he might not know how to talk, although I would pin him between four or five years. But he was a sweetie. My phone was dead, but all the while still fascinating. He was racing it along the white tiles like it was a car, occasional “vrmmm” sounds included. A man would come and take him back out and he always got back in. I love that my little magical electric box [phone] can be something when it’s dead, that this little boy saw far more than a screen. [Eventually I learned his name] 
Another bucket shower! Woo hoo! And I met two lizards in the wall, I named them Fernando and Frank. I’ve named at least five lizards in this country Fernando. I have no clue what our schedule is so I’m just rolling as we go. Here’s a cool note, I slept so well that when I woke up I was confused as to how that happened, as I’m on a thin mattress on a concrete floor. I slept like I was in America. God is good! I needed that rest. Oh oh oh! And Tuesday I had fresh coconut water but more than that, I prepared the coconut for arroz de coco [coconut rice, very berry popular]. This included the process of getting all the coco out from the hide, then cutting off the thin layer of brown flesh still attached and then shredding it. I may or may not have left with a few cut up fingers but here’s to new doings. And it’s raining here. It started sometime Tuesday evening and continued into the morning. I love it. The whole world is a bit quieter and a pinch fresher. The sun is dimmed by the grey clouds hanging gently and the titter-tatter of the rain on the tin roofs has a calming effect. For me rain is calming and also energizing. Usually God gives me rain to refresh me, and I didn’t particularly feel like I need to be refreshed, but as always, that’s what the rain is doing. Calming my soul and resting my heart and head. I remember last summer while I was working as a counselor at RiverWoods and I was having the shittiest day. I felt like my kids weren’t be treated right and the management system wasn’t working for anyone but the people managing. And then there was this huge torrential downpour. It was crazy! My kids were with another team so I left my backpack and ran out into the rain. It was like I could breathe a new air, the rain brought me some peace. Like God just needed to wash out my frustration and remind me how great He is. Since that day, it seems whenever I have a particular terrible day I can count on rain. When I’m overwhelmed or stretched too far or sick, the heavens peel back and begin to cry out their rain over my laments. Tell me that’s not cool. Abba is so so great, He knows how to calm me and delight me and love me so well.  
Today was our last morning in Lloro. Again, I woke up to the rain, this time excited to run down to the river [like the previous night] to bathe. After the boys got up and were ready we made the two minute walk down to the river, where we crossed and then walked up the other side to get to the deepest, cleaner part. It was still raining and the sun hadn’t shown up and we weren’t all dripping sweat like we are right now. The most from all the rain was hanging on some distant mountains, so again we had a quiet muted morning. We all pretended to be crocodiles, grabbing each others feet and trying our best to scare each other. I wish I had pictures but I found it hilarious that there was a group of twelves people, lathered in soap and very foamy shampoo just splashing around in a river. After getting ourselves nice and clean we decided upon shenanigans like climbing the surrounding trees and plunging ourselves in the water from their higher branches, diving off tethered boats, and you know, just downright delightful stuff. People are really cool when you spend time with them. In the midst of our shenanigans one of us wanted to be baptized; so, for a portion of our time we dropped our wild shenanigans and joined in community in this middle of the rainy river to celebrate the heart of a Christ-follower. It was beautiful and intimate, in my opinion, much better than a church baptism, and I’m so glad I got to be there for this. After the baptism and bathing we went back to the church to dress and eat. After that we went to watch and play in a local soccer tournament. Then we packed, ate lunch and headed back across the rickety bridge to the bus we’re in now, bouncing down crazy roads and trying to get in a nap. 
I had no cell service in Lloro which was sad that I couldn’t live-document, but good to separate from the world even further. I got to help a lot in the kitchen, and that was really rad. We also had fish for lunch one day, and I almost worked up the courage to just go for it or at least try a bite but fish are friends, no food- so one of our growing boys got a double portion, bless his soul. 
And that’s about all I’ve got for you until I hit the next stop. Thanks for reading! 

The end.