grubs

We had a retreat in Tena. This is deeper in the jungle than Shell, where I live. We were guests in the property of an man from the US who was married to a Quichua woman. He wanted us to have the full Quichua experience, so one night we had traditional Quichua food. Of course, accompanied by something more normal for us city folk. Geovanny and I both decided we were going to try the grub. It was about an inch long. It was plump and had been fried in butter. So we counted to 3 and ate them at the same time.

The stuff that squirted out of the inside when I bit into it tasted a little like the seafood mix stuff they stuff mushrooms with. The body was very chewy, like rubber, eventually I just swallowed it whole. He head was like biting down on glass, it was very hard and not easy to break. Geovanny had about the same opinion as me. It was not horrible, but I won't look for the opportunity to eat more.

After dinner, we were talking with a few others and we commented about the head being like glass. We were told you are not supposed to eat the head, you are supposed to bite the body off the head. I do not think I would have been able to do that. I was able to eat it because I just put the whole thing in my mouth and started chewing.

If you are interested in trying one, be sure to let me know!!!

Found - 1 Boa Constrictor

This is a very friendly, but at the time, very hungry boa constrictor. He (or she) was found near the guest house on our property here in Shell. When the maintenance guys found it, they brought it to my house looking for me. Then they came to my office looking for me. Apparently they knew I would want to hold it. It was pretty cool, this is definitely the biggest snake I have ever held. It was very heavy.
Don't worry mom, I have been here a year and this is the first big snake I have encountered, and this one is not poisonous.

Año Viejo

This is my first Holiday season here in Ecuador. I learned about how Ecuadorians celebrate New Year's. They celebrate the old year more than the new year. We went out walking around last night and everyone was out on the street. They make papier mache dolls (life-size) and they say that they have put everything bad that happened in the old year in the doll. They set these dolls up in scenes with notes and sayings. Then at midnight, they burn them in the middle of the street. Then they have a big dinner and stay up partying until about 5 am. And today (New Year's day) they sleep all day.

Here are some photos of the dolls before being burned, and then while being burned.

Just to give you a laugh

The other day, I was working late, I got home about midnight. I went to bed shortly after that. I woke up, had no clue what time it was, and there was a HUGH tarantula walking under the top bunk (thus, just above my head). I screamed, threw my blanket at it and jumped out of bed. My feet got caught up in the blanket, and I fell flat on my knees. Now I was freaking out because I was caught in the blanket and the tarantula was caught in the blanket too. I managed to free myself and ran out of the bedroom. Now I was panicking, heart racing, couldn't catch my breath, wondering what I was going to do. I still had no clue what time it was because all the clocks were in my room. I knew it was after 12 but before 5:30 because it was still dark outside. So I called the nurses station at the hospital. I explained what had happened and she said she would send the only man who was working in the hospital at this hour. I told her, there was a problem. I was not wearing any pants and was not going to go back in my room to get any. So 2 nurses showed up at my door with a broom (I still have no clue what time it is). They searched my room, took the sheets off the bed, flipped the mattress, looked with a flashlight behind the dresser, under the bed, under the treadmill, everywhere. NOTHING!! One of them looked at me and said "I think you were dreaming!" I was not convinced because this was the most real image of a tarantula and I was awake when I saw it. So now I know it is 1:15 am, the nurses leave, I close the bedroom door and lay down on the couch in the living room. Sometime later, I woke up and again saw the same thing above my head. This time I realized that it was not real. Regardless, I hardly got any sleep, but I now know that I was dreaming. Unfortunately, I have 2 bruised knees and have still not slept in my own bed.

When a patient doesn't react

The other day, I had to give a lady news that I would consider the most devastating news anyone could give me at my age (and she was just a few years older than me), even worse than a diagnosis of cancer or sure death. I can't say that she didn't react, but she didn't react the way I would have. She told me she didn't understand how this was possible, but she didn't cry, she didn't scream, she didn't act as though she was devastated.

As a christian physician, many thoughts were going through my mind. Does she just have such a great relationship with the Father, that she has so much peace and doesn't need to feel devastated? Is she in denial? Does she understand what I just told her? Is it possible that she just doesn't care?

As her physician, what am I supposed to do when she doesn't react? Where does my responsibility end? Do I just ask her if she has questions, be sure I explain in common language, and then let her leave? Do I need to ask her why she is not reacting, is that any of my business?

I did ask her if she had any questions, I did explain everything in common language and I asked over and over again if she understood, then I told her what she should do next, and I let her leave. But I do not feel my responsibility ends there. I have been praying for her since she walked out of my office. I know that I can not do anything more for her, and I am not sure the specialists can either, but our Great Father in Heaven can heal her in so many ways. He can heal her physically, He can heal her emotionally, and He can heal her spiritually.

Casa del Suizo

This past weekend, me and 3 other ladies decided to go relax for our birthdays. We set out for Casa del Suizo, a resort in the jungle. This place is very well known among the missionaries as it is a great place to relax and there are fun activities if you choose to do them. There is a pool, every room has a patio with a hammock that overlooks the river, and there is plenty of food.
We borrowed a friend's car, and set out on Friday night. I was the driver as I am the only one with a driver license. The car was a stick shift. I have driven a stick, that is all they have here, so when I took driver's ed, that is what I drove, but have not driven one since then. So we were in for an adventure. All my passengers said I did a great job!
Of those who had been before, no one could really remember the road, except to say that it was a bad road. Well, we drove for about 40 minutes on a beautiful road, so we were thinking maybe they fixed the road. Well, they had fixed the road, but they were not finished yet. We got to the part that was all rocks and pot holes. This lasted just over 20 minutes, but it seemed like forever. But we got there without any problems.
After we got there, we relaxed for a while, then it was time to eat lunch. They had very normal food, very good food. But one thing that they had, that I had never tried before was cow tongue. So I decided to try it. It was smothered in mushrooms and sauce, so it actually tasted good. I was expecting it to be very tough, but it was tender, except for the very edge. It kind of had the consistency of canadian bacon. I tried a piece without mushrooms to see what it actually tasted like. It wasn't gross, but it didn't have a great flavor either, I can't really describe it for you though. You will just have to try it for yourself when you visit a place that serves tongue.
After lunch 4 of us set out on an adventure to a Quichua village. We were going to be in a canoe for a while, then have to walk through deep mud, then another canoe, then walk through the forest. So, we decided to wear our mud boots, of course we had on shorts (because it was very hot there) so we looked very stylish.
We arrived to the part where we had to take the small canoe. This was a canoe carved out of a log, it was barely wider than me. Everyone that crossed in the small canoe while we were watching was wobbling back and forth. I thought for sure we would tip over when it was our turn. I was not worried about getting wet, I was worried about my camera. The way you got to the other side in this canoe was, a little girl, not more than 4 feet tall, pushed the canoe all the way across the river and the water only came up to her waist. So I said I was going to walk across. Our guide wanted me to go in the boat for the experience, so he took our cameras. Our turn came, when I was getting in, I lost my balance and almost fell into the river. I should have taken that as a sign to walk. I got in and we headed across the river. We got almost to the other side and we hit a big rock on the botton, really hard. We rocked back and forth, I thought for sure we were going down. But we didn't. But, funny how the guide, with our cameras, shot a picture just as we almost fell out. He denies that was planned, I don't believe him.
When we got to the village, there was this Quichua house. We went behind the house and they showed us how to shoot a blow gun. I was not able to hit the target, but I was able to make the dart fly. It was a lot harder than it looks, the blow gun is heavy and you have to hold it up high.
Then we went in the house and they showed us how to make Chicha. Chicha is an alcoholic drink that traditionally was fermented with spit. The women would chew yuca and spit it out, it would then be left to ferment and the men would drink it about 3 days later. Now, at least in the Quichua culture, it is fermented with sweet potato. So they showed us how it is made, then we all tried some that was made 5 days ago. Traditionally, when you enter a Quichua house, they will pass the bowl of Chicha around for everyone to have a sip. So she gave us the bowl and we all took a sip. It was very fermented, and as yuca does not have much flavor, neither did this. It was not very good.
Then, right before we left this village, our guide, who was Quichua, pulled a seed from a nearby tree to show us what they would use to paint their faces. My friend Beth and I got or faces painted. She was painted like a bride and I was painted like a warrior.
The last thing we did on our tour was go to a place where they make pottery. The pottery is all hand made and hand painted. It is painted beautifully and intricately with many lines and 2 colors, all natural, black, white, and red.
Over all, we had a very relaxing and adventurous time on our trip. The ride home in the car was just as bumpy and rocky, but again, we made it with the car in one piece. And let me tell you, I am much better and more confident driving a stick shift now.

Retreat on the beach

The end of last month, I went to Same, a coastal town, for a retreat with Samaritan's Purse. We spent 2 1/2 days at the beach. It was a blast. The first day everyone got fried, we were much more careful after the first day. It was a spiritual retreat, so we had devotional times every day, but we played a lot. The water was so fun as the waves were big but manageable. And just walking or jogging along the beach was relaxing, a much needed break from work.
Several of us went on a banana boat ride. They asked us if we wanted the ride with falls or without falls. Of course we wanted falls. So they tipped us over purposefully 3 times. Many of you know I am a huge Jaws fan. Well, remember in "Jaws the Revenge" he attacks a banana boat. That was all I could think about as I was out there on that banana boat. But it was fun!
All of us went whale watching. The boat was too small for the number of people we put on it. We started out and the swells were about 4-5 feet. While we were moving, I felt ok about it. When we got out to where we slowed down to look for whales, I started to get a little worried. I realized we were this tiny boat in the middle of the very large ocean looking for an animal larger than our boat. I was not very comfortable with that thought, I didn't feel very safe at this point. Right before we went out, I heard that a few weeks earlier, this same group of people had gotten to close to a whale and it came up under the boat and tipped it over, several of them died. So right now, I was scared. Then we finally saw a whale, but our guide decided we were not close enough and headed right for the spot where the whale was. I was very scared now, then he turned off the motor. So now I was scared and nauseated, not a good combination. Then a few people started vomiting, so we headed back, I was not one of them, I made it back without vomiting. All in all, it was not a good whale watching experience!
I also got my hair braided while we were there. That was fun, but after about 2 days, it itched so bad I had to take them out.