Day 6 Saturday, July 18th

Another long day but the church is coming along. We got a lot done today. After work we ate dinner and then went swimming. It felt so good. Although you start sweating again almost immediately. I felt loads better today though. We ate paca for lunch and it makes your stomach go on a roller coaster for a while - I never thought I'd eat a rodent.

Last night I could hardly move I was in so much pain. And then our hammock nets are very stuffy. They were playing loud loud music down at the boat - which they have started up again just now, and a generator was running on the other side of the village - a lot of noise for a long time made it really hard to sleep.

All the guys pour buckets of sweat - it's horrific.

Day 7 Sunday, July 19th

It has been a wonderful day. Still not sleeping extremely well in this heat and humidity. I woke up every half hour and got up about 5:30. The dogs growled all night at each other right under the house. Late last night Cama & I went down to the boat where the music was and watched and played dominoes, they are crazy fast at it.

This morning we went to church at about 8:00. Usually it's at 7:00 but they changed it because everyone was tired from working. It started by all the men gathering in a circle some way away holding palm leaves. They came singing and marching into church. Down the isle and around the pulpit. The women and children sit on one side and the men on the other. Judy didn't want it that way but they knew it was done like that in other parts of Brazil. We sang (or tried to pronounce their lengthy words), said the Lord's Prayer and different men read the bible and spoke while Judy translated. Her ability for switching between languages is incredible. I was very impressed with their understanding of the bible. They are so sincere.

After Church I played Frisbee for a long time and got drenched in sweat. The Fockler's brought some balloons so they filled them with water and we threw them around until they broke - they loved it.

Then Cama and I went visiting. Some of the Indians were more friendly than others but they were all hospitable.

Cosma (the chiefs wife), gave me some rings. They make them out of nuts, she's very sweet.

Then I went down and had a swim with Judy and Laurie. We swam out to a cold spot in the water, held on to a tree and talked for a good hour - it was wonderful.

I cleaned myself up and wandered down to the boat thinking everyone else might be there. They weren't but I stayed down there for an hour or so because they wanted me to teach them English by pointing to different fruits and vegetables on a grocery ad. They had a really hard time saying "er" and 'r' in our words and we all laughed till we almost cried.

I came back and played Frisbee and got all gross again...it's useless getting clean.

We had church again at 5:00 and we didn't get out until it was dark. They don't have a set time that it lasts - just when anyone who has wanted to talk has finished.

Jannie, Jared, Daniel, Andrea, and I played dominoes with them in the schoolhouse since they have a generator and light out there. Daniel drew pictures on the chalk board of animals and stuff and made them say the Apurina for it. It was very humorous.