In the Jungle

Before leaving for Peru, we decided to visit the jungle.

So that's how we ended up flying to Pucallpa in the jungle. That means we drove to Cusco in 3 hours, flew from there to Lima for 1.5 hours, and after a layover, flew another 1.5 hours to Pucallpa.

The drive from Curahuasi to Pucallpa takes 30 hours!

When we arrived in Pucallpa, we were picked up at the airport by friends we know from our shared mission organization, SIM. They had arranged a car for us, so we were able to go grocery shopping right away.

We were able to stay at the base of «»PETRA". It was founded 20 years ago by an American couple and consists of several houses and apartments intended as a retreat for missionaries returning from the jungle.

The best part of it all was that they built a large, deep pool themselves, which we used up to three times a day. That’s because the temperature and humidity were high, and it hardly cooled off at night.

Six years ago, the owner found a young sloth during a forest fire. They successfully raised it, and it now lives with them in their house. Its name is „Sid,“ after the sloth from the movie *Ice Age*. We got to visit it and hold it in our arms. What a funny animal—it moves in slow motion!

We were able to take a private boat tour on Lake Yarinacocha. We saw iguanas in the wild, a sloth, and many different species of birds. We got to hold a boa constrictor on our shoulders, as well as tame monkeys and a baby sloth. Mava now has a new favorite animal!

In addition to the break, we visited various projects, such as that of Daniel Müller from Germany.

He previously worked at Diospi Suyana and established the orthopedic center there.

We were given a personal tour of the newly built orthopedic center in collaboration with «»SCALPEL AT THE CROSS."

That made a big impression on us, because the center is large, modern, and state-of-the-art. They fit prosthetics for amputees, apply casts for clubfoot in children, and offer physical therapy.

We have the «MISION SUIZA» We visited Jonathan and Evelyn Portugal, who live there with their four children. We know them from the annual SIM meetings in Lima. Jonathan teaches at the Bible school for indigenous people from the jungle, and we were able to sit in on one of his classes. Our children visited the elementary school and were thrilled because classes are taught in German and almost all the children speak Swiss German.

On Wednesday, we attended the two-week SIM team meeting and were able to visit the Gomez family, who live in downtown Pucallpa, right away. We know them, too, from the SIM meetings in Lima.

After a guided tour at «»SAM-Air" We were able to arrange a flight over the jungle. The flight lasted 30 minutes, and—at our request—it was in a seaplane! It was our first time doing this, and I prefer the gentle landing on the water! Until just before the flight, however, it wasn’t clear whether they’d be able to go ahead with it at all, since it had rained heavily all morning and everything was gray. But after lunch, the skies cleared up and the sun even came out.

On Sunday, we drove to Lake Cashivococha, and Ilay got to go piranha fishing with some other missionaries' children. Ilay was successful, and for dinner we had a piranha the size of a hand. There wasn't much meat on it, but it sure tasted good!

Mava spent a few hours swimming in this water with her friends!

According to reports, several children have already been bitten by piranhas. Their razor-sharp teeth tear out whole chunks of skin, causing quite a bit of bleeding. But it hardly ever happens!

After these memorable experiences, we were able to spend our last night before heading back to Curahuasi with Brendan and Erin Connally and their three children from SIM in Cusco.

Grateful for this break and all the encounters we were able to have—whether with people or animals—we’re returning to our tasks feeling motivated and rejuvenated!