Mosquitoes and Tetris

So once upon a time there were four boys by the names of Jesus, David, Manfred, and Jahel who lived in the middle of the jungle without electricity or running water and went to Familia Feliz for school where I met them and now I love them a whole very lot.

So the other day whenever Miguel offered for us to join him on a journey to visit them at their house, my reaction was somewhat like

OH MY GOODNESS IS THIS REAL CAN I REALLY GO OH MY GOODNESS I WANT TO GO RIGHT NOW WHERE’S THE CONFETTI LET’S CELEBRATE.

So that’s how I found myself getting up at 7:30 am Friday morning and hopping onto a taxi along with Miguel, Jonathan, Candace, Courtney, Kevin, and Armando and heading on our way.

Now let me tell you what “heading on our way” consisted of.

First there was a three hour taxi ride. It was actually pretty fun. We kept ourselves entertained by playing games three-year-olds probably enjoy, but hey. That’s okay. We gon play it anyway! (That was a poem. Also a representation of the kind of games we played.)

We arrived at Casa Blanca around 11am, which is precisely when Manfred, one of the boys, was supposed to meet us with the horses that we would take on a four or five hour ride through the jungle to his house.

Let me tell you something wonderful (and by wonderful I mean not wonderful) about Bolivia.

Everything is late. Always.

So around one we decided Manfred probably wasn’t coming.

Let me tell you something else about Bolivia. Everything is kind of whatever.

Like when we asked the stranger standing nearby if we could ride his horses into the jungle and he was all like sure.

You know. Riding a stranger’s horses. It’s whatever.

And so that is how I found myself on a random horse of this random dude riding through the random jungle. It was actually pretty enjoyable, besides the fact it was the most uncomfortable thing ever. I was carrying my backpack of all my stuff and the sun was having the time of its life destroying all happiness and the horse was going that speed which allows you to thoroughly and completely feel every single bump. But other than that, I really enjoyed myself. Truly.

A couple hours in we found Manfred with the horses. So soon after we did a little switcheroo, said thanks and goodbye to the stranger and his horses, and went with Manfred the rest of the way. Manfred was walking and told me he didn’t want to walk anymore and since he had already come so far just to get us and I figured we were almost to his house anyways, I gave him my horse.

Yeah. That was an incorrect assumption.

Basically I walked through deep mud for a couple hours and questioned things such as my sanity. 

But I did see Manfred chase an alligator through a little swamp with the horse I had been riding, so that was rather fun.

And then, finally, we made it to the boys' home. We made it to their ranch.

I was greeted by Jahel, which is probably the most wonderful sight in the world to be greeted by. That boy. He has my heart.

And then I saw David and Jesus and their little sister and baby brother (who is barely two months old) and their parents and oh my goodness it was so very exciting.

Oh I have missed them.

Believe it or not, after that ride I happened to be gross. As did Candace and Courtney. So soon after we arrived we got our stuff together and headed to the shower.

Now by shower I mean a pump. Nearby a swamp water pond thing.

And that, friends, is how I got eaten alive by mosquitoes.

That was probably the most miserable shower of my entire life.

It consisted of standing in the middle of an open field, pumping cold water into a bucket to splash on myself, and in the midst of that unsuccessfully attempting to kill all the mosquitoes that were quite successfully attempting to kill me.

OH MY WORD SO MANY MOSQUITOES AND THEY LOVED ME FAR TOO MUCH. THE LOVE WAS NOT MUTUAL.

Candace, Courtney, and I were literally going insane.

And I mean that sincerely, as we couldn’t find the soap so we showered without soap. And then right after we showered without soap we found the soap.

But we survived it. Barely.

Although we probably weren't very clean because we showered without soap. Or a shower.

The parents had made us supper so we sat in the kitchen at the table around a candle. So sweet.

And then we went to bed. And by bed I mean we went to rocks.

We brought a tent, but not really any padding. Which is how I ended up playing tetris in my sleep. Literally. I fit around the rocks to try to sleep. But was rather unsuccessful. In fact, I woke up at 2:30 am to throw up so that was wonderful fun. (sorry for the TMI)

And that, folks, was the first day.

Kinda cray.

BUT. The next day we rode cows. And hung out in the hammocks. And had a little church service. It was wonderful.

And that was supposed to be the only day. We made the long crazy journey for one day there with those kids. But? Jonathan, Candace, Armando, and I ended up staying four.

And those, sincerely, were four of the greatest days of my life.

Hanging out there with those boys was some of the most fun I have ever had. Ever.

We crossed the river twice to visit their uncle’s house. In a little boat.

We cooked and ate together.

We hung out in the hammocks for hours.

We watched the boys take care of their animals and work on their ranch and make us question if hearts can get much bigger.

I got to experience a life completely different from anything I have ever known.

I am so thankful for those memories.

Yes, getting there was insane. But you know what I’ve learned? Insane stuff can be just fine when you’re surrounded by the right people. Which I was. I am.

And also? I would make that journey again and again and again to spend that time with those boys.

I kid you not. It was so worth it.

These kids make everything so worth it.