Agua Azul, Hammock Lessons, and Sad Goodbyes
Picture this: hammocks hanging all over your living room, filled with crazy gringos who sometimes fall out, who try to speak in Spanish but get all tangled up, and yet somehow have an unspoken connection with you because of Jesus. Got it? That's what the jungle was like!On Thursday we packed up and headed out for four days in the jungle. But, our trip out was interrupted by, yep, Agua Azul! 
Can't pass that by without stopping, can you?! :-) Beautiful waterfalls, stunning blue water, georgeous landscapes, and perfect swimming spots pretty much sums up Agua Azul. We all piled out of the vehicles glad to breathe fresh air and stretch our legs, and enjoyed spending a few hours in and around the falls. It was amazing, and reminded us all of the vast handiwork of our Creator. If you're ever in the area, be sure to stop by. :-)Finally, we arrived at the home if Israel and Concepcion who were our gracious hosts for our jungle stay. They, along with their two boys, were willing to host the entire team in their house (guys upstairs, girls downstairs), which was a blessing to us not to have to spread out into several families' homes. The team guys quickly got all the hammocks hung from rafters, doorways, and one rope was even sent over the wall, through the ceiling, and tied to a tree outside. Creativity is an indespensable survival tool in the jungle! Several of us newbies got hammock lessons from the experts and we only had one complete spill, much to the amusement of the family watching. (Adrian would like us to think it was on purpose, but we all know better... :-) ).
For the next couple of days, our time was filled with installing water filters and running two kid's programs. All in all, we installed about 26 water filters in various homes and were able to pass out gospel and devotional material to each of those families. The excitement they displayed as we handed them Scripture CD's was so special. The kids also were excited about the two afternoon programs we did, and it was neat to see them absorb all the lessons, skits, crafts, and games, not to mention the attention. It's a good reminder to us why we came to study Spanish.
On the way home we had the opportunity to stop at Palenque to see some Mayan ruins. They were so cool! We didn't have tons of time, but we were able to walk around several of the buildings, tour the museum, and see some neat scenery. Palenque is definitely another one of those "don't pass it by" places!Our time in Mexico ended all too soon, however, with the sad arrival of the long-dreaded Tuesday morning. Katie, Adrian, and I all had an early flight out that morning, Elizabeth and Ruth would leave early afternoon, and Daniel would leave Wednesday (Steven is staying a couple weeks longer than the rest). There were some tearful goodbyes on everyone's part as the team was finally split up and we headed back home. We had such awesome times together, and we all have great memories from our time in San Cristobal. But, we all know that our ministry doesn't end there. Instead, as Daniel often reminded us, life is ministry and ministry is life. So, it's simply the end of something good, and the start of another something good. And, ultimately, the purpose is always the same - the glory of God!Until next time,Amy for the language team
