Our 7 nights of sleeping in hammocks has come to an end. It was bittersweet; sweet because it was the first morning without a 3 am wake up call from the roosters, but bitter because it was our last day. However, the night was not totally without a wake-up call. The Parkers drove through the night back to the Base and hit a severe storm in the early morning. The crackling thunder woke up many of the team, and the storm was so bad it delayed our travel by several hours.
This ended up being a pleasant surprise (at least for the Calvary team). Not only were we greeted with a beautiful sunrise, but it also gave us time to debrief, take turns driving the boat, and enjoy more close, quality time with the Parker’s. We enjoyed Kim and Annie’s breakfast one last time on the boat before we touched ground at 9:30 am. The team worked quickly to offload the boat so we could visit the town before lunch siesta. In town, we explored the local fish market, sports stores, and supermercado. Each of us left with something special to remember the trip and coffee grounds in hand.
We ate lunch around 11:30 at the base, and then had several hours to tour the Parkers homes and enjoy their property. Some of us played volleyball and capture the flag, some swam and napped, and some hung out with Greg and Annie at their house. The mid-afternoon was dedicated to devotion and reflection amongst the team. In the midst of our reflection we saw a rainbow form in the sky! We knew this was a sign from God’s covenant with us. This was even more enlightening because one of the VBS stories was about Noah, and the craft included a rainbow.
Rick then took us on a nature walk to feed their fish and see some monkeys, before the night culminated in a backyard Brazilian barbecue bonanza (say that 5 times fast). Greg and Matt masterfully grilled us picanha, filet, Brazilian sausage, and the most delicious part… chicken heart. The Parker’s once again showed unprecedented hospitality as they served us in their home and we shared stories and laughter.
By 7 pm, we left for the airport and said some of the hardest “see you later’s” we ever had to say. No more than 5 minutes into the bus ride we were met with a large tree limb blocking the road. Despite God’s sign for us to turn back and stay with the Parker’s forever, we moved the obstruction and pushed on. We enjoyed some more knowledge from Rick on the ride and arrived safely to Manus airport where we’ve made this post!
Thank you for being a part of our Amazon journey and for all the cheerful prayers along the way!
Prayer Request:
-Prayers that the seeds we planted in the villages lead the peoples to Jesus
-Safe travels home to family and friends
-Continued support to the Parker family and their ministry among the villages
-Smooth transition for the Calvary team back into normal life and minimal reverse-culture shock
In Christ,
Derek & Amy Bibeault
This ended up being a pleasant surprise (at least for the Calvary team). Not only were we greeted with a beautiful sunrise, but it also gave us time to debrief, take turns driving the boat, and enjoy more close, quality time with the Parker’s. We enjoyed Kim and Annie’s breakfast one last time on the boat before we touched ground at 9:30 am. The team worked quickly to offload the boat so we could visit the town before lunch siesta. In town, we explored the local fish market, sports stores, and supermercado. Each of us left with something special to remember the trip and coffee grounds in hand.
We ate lunch around 11:30 at the base, and then had several hours to tour the Parkers homes and enjoy their property. Some of us played volleyball and capture the flag, some swam and napped, and some hung out with Greg and Annie at their house. The mid-afternoon was dedicated to devotion and reflection amongst the team. In the midst of our reflection we saw a rainbow form in the sky! We knew this was a sign from God’s covenant with us. This was even more enlightening because one of the VBS stories was about Noah, and the craft included a rainbow.
Rick then took us on a nature walk to feed their fish and see some monkeys, before the night culminated in a backyard Brazilian barbecue bonanza (say that 5 times fast). Greg and Matt masterfully grilled us picanha, filet, Brazilian sausage, and the most delicious part… chicken heart. The Parker’s once again showed unprecedented hospitality as they served us in their home and we shared stories and laughter.
By 7 pm, we left for the airport and said some of the hardest “see you later’s” we ever had to say. No more than 5 minutes into the bus ride we were met with a large tree limb blocking the road. Despite God’s sign for us to turn back and stay with the Parker’s forever, we moved the obstruction and pushed on. We enjoyed some more knowledge from Rick on the ride and arrived safely to Manus airport where we’ve made this post!
Thank you for being a part of our Amazon journey and for all the cheerful prayers along the way!
Prayer Request:
-Prayers that the seeds we planted in the villages lead the peoples to Jesus
-Safe travels home to family and friends
-Continued support to the Parker family and their ministry among the villages
-Smooth transition for the Calvary team back into normal life and minimal reverse-culture shock
In Christ,
Derek & Amy Bibeault