A Very Memorable Memorial….

First, thanks to everyone for all of your encouraging e-mails, and for letting our family know you’ve not forgotten about us. I promise I’ll be responding very soon to everyone's e-mails!

The last few weeks have been really busy (like it is for all of Jehovah’s people this time of year). We’ve been busy with the invitation campaign for the Memorial, and the response has been very nice.  Bolivian people are just naturally respectful -- it’s their culture! So it’s been nice to talk to people where they take the invitation, also take the magazines, smile, and are just really friendly and receptive. 

The groups in the country always appreciate a hand in covering their large territories, so we had the chance to visit some friends of ours that serve in the town of San Lorenzo (about 30 minutes away).  It’s a diverse group that sets out that morning including myself, my girls, a sister from England, a brother from Sweden, and 2 Bolivians. FYI, Connor is now also serving with the group in San Lorenzo -- HOORAY!

There is only room in the truck for 2 people (I’m one of the fortunate ones), and the rest of the group piles into the back of the truck.  At first we’re driving on paved roads heading towards the mountains. But then, things start to change.  I notice we start driving over fields, across shallow streams – and I begin to wonder, “WHERE IS THIS BROTHER TAKING US?”

I see small farms and homes nestled in the mountains -- but far from each other. The road (if you can call it that) is now non-existent, and the drive starts to get very bumpy.  I have this sinking feeling that we’re going to hit a bump and one of my daughters will go tumbling backwards over the side – BUT IN TRUE LEWIS & CLARK STYLE THEY KEEP THEIR BALANCE!

We go over a couple of small streams, not to daunting… But then we come to a stream that’s wider and deeper than the others.  I think, “Surely we now have to stop and turn back – there is no way across!” Not only that, but on the other side of the stream is nothing but trees.  Even if we manage to get across, there is nowhere for the truck to emerge.  But do we turn around -- NO! Using true Bolivian initiative, the brother finds a more shallow area of the stream, gets out a large tool, and begins clearing a path. Not to be deterred -- the friends take advantage of each opportunity to invite ones to the Memorial!

The brother cuts a path -- to cross the river -- to walk across the fields -- to get to the house that Jack built. THEN WE ARRIVE – WELL, SORT OF! 

We can’t go any further, so at this point it’s time to get out of the truck and go on foot.  Except, we first must cross another stream. Taking off our shoes our little group carefully walks through the stream to the other side – OK, NOW WE ARRIVE! 

I later discover that we would have to do the whole taking off your shoes and going through streams several times that day - let the fun begin!

We finally reach the territory and for the next 3 hours it feels like we're on this incredible nature walk -- except we're searching for people to invite to the memorial. In the distance of the territory there is a beautiful waterfall, and I think how amazing it is to be here. 

But let me go back a moment.....

As I stand here surrounded by beautiful mountains, a waterfall, and all sorts of gorgeous wild flowers, I can't help but reflect a bit on the incredible journey and the circumstances that occurred to get us here. I’ve always tried to write blogs that were encouraging, humorous, but also an honest portrayal of our experiences in Bolivia.  It’s hard to ignore all that’s happened the last19 months or pretend like it didn't happen -- I don't much see the point – IT DID! After battling cancer (and almost losing), and then your husband leaving you 1 week after your 25th year anniversary, it's easy to sometimes feel a bit bemused at being in Bolivia. It's not like you're a Missionary -- you aren’t a Special Pioneer -- not even a Regular one.  On top of it all you aren’t even the support of an appointed man.  You think to yourself, “Why am I here? I can’t really contribute much.  My value here is minimal at best!  But then on this particular morning, in this particular territory (BY THE WAY, IT'S MARCH 26TH, AND I TURNED 52 YEARS OLD TODAY), as I take off my shoes and begin walking across the stream, it suddenly dawns on me that despite how you feel about yourself -- Jehovah sees something of value! 

I'm a bit in awe that at 52 years old I'm having amazing experience. I’ve always had a desire to serve in another country – AND HERE I AM! And I begin to really understand all the loving care and support Jehovah has given to our family, and I finally begin to know that everything is going to be OK. It was a wonderful day, and as we go across our last stream….

I take one last look at the beautiful mountains surrounding us, hear Priscilla’s laughter floating in the air from the back of the truck, and it sounds like sweet music to my ears. 

FROM HOT TO COLD TO REALLY HOT…..

The following Monday (March 30^th) we leave the warm weather of Tarija, hop on a plane, and fly to La Paz where it's alot colder.  We spend the night and get ready to catch a bus and prepare ourselves for the 12-hour bus ride to reach Connor in hot & humid Tipuani……

Bolivia is a somewhat small country and so you can fly to almost anywhere in less than 2 hours (that is to those few areas that have an airport). So, the first part of our trip we fly 70 minutes to the capital city of La Paz -- a trip that would have taken 16 to 18 hours to drive because of the mountains. The airport is located in El Alto (13,600 feet above sea level, and the highest major metropolis in the world).  Because of the high altitude, when you get off the plane it’s very common to feel light-headed and have difficulty breathing.  You feel nausea, have headaches, and your fingers and toes start to tingle = a really weird experience! We quickly catch a taxi and head to La Paz (a mere 11,800 feet - I’m being sarcastic!). 

But despite having some physical effects, I’m amazed by the sheer magnitude of this massive city that has been built into the side of mountains. I'VE NEVER SEEN A CITY LIKE THIS!

The streets are teeming with lots of people, and it reminds me of pictures I've seen of the streets of Shanghai. There are narrow streets packed with people, shops everywhere, and people selling things on the sidewalks. Everywhere I look there is activity, and cars go along sometimes driving within inches of the masses amount of people. The buildings look as if they are built on top of each other, and seem to take up almost the entire surface of the mountains they were built on.

Unlike Tarija which has a strong influence from Argentina, La Paz is definitely Bolivian with lots and lots of Cholitas (traditional women). 

The next day we hop on a bus (to me it resembles more a school bus than a bus designed to take travelers comfortably to their destination), and begin a 12-hour bus ride from La Paz to Tipuai. My fingers and toes are already numb -- I’m a bit dizzy -- and yet the bus begins to climb higher and higher into the mountains. I start to feel a bit woozy and think how high are they going to go -- how high can humans possibly go up without passing out? I AM SUCH A DRAMA QUEEN!

The mountains of La Paz start off rocky, are not very green, and are massive. The landscape is absolutely gorgeous. I've never seen such beautiful scenery in my life. The Andes are amazing, majestic, and breath-taking! 

I have never seen so many natural waterfalls in one day - I counted 16 total. Some were smaller but some started at the top of the mountain and went all the way down - all of them were beautiful! The first 3 hours are on paved roads with a lot of guard rails for protection -- I'm sort of feeling proud of myself, feeling good, feeling brave, thinking I'm fearless. .... It's taken me 5 months to build up the courage needed to brave the long road to see the mountains of Bolivia - AND HERE I AM! 

SIT BACK FOLKS AND ENJOY THE AMAZON...

As I said, I was feeling brave and fearless AT FIRST.  Then, after about 4 hours the road (which was paved) changes into a hard dirt road, and the guard rails (which I loved) are now gone! The mountains which were rocky turn lush and green - - so dense that you can't even see beyond the trees that face you. We now are on a curved, winding road that sometimes is mud (because of all the rain), and in some places is only wide enough for one vehicle to pass.

Admist all the wonderous beauty and excitement of being here, one emotion quickly over-shadows all the others -- SHEER PANIC - more drama queen!  But after a long bus ride (did I mention the bus was broke down for 3 hours),   Connor and Ebron meet us at the bus stop in Guanay, where one of the Elders is waiting for us  at midnight with a taxi. From Guanay the 6 of us now ride another 3 hours to reach Tipuani (by the way, the taxi also got a flat tire). We finally reach Tipuani at 3:00 am. Two of the friends have offered to let us stay with them (Victor and his wife Ada). This is them!

There are 14 Jehovah's Witnesses in Tipuani and up until Connor and Ebron came, the group was only having one meeting each month, no ministry school, no set plans to preach, and none of them have been to a Circuit or Regional Convention in years. I'm really impressed by the friends here and how they've been able to keep going these many years. Tipuani itself is one of the most depressing towns I've seen since coming to Bolivia. It's a Gold Mine town that in it's day was rich and was nicer. But, the gold is now almost gone, along with a lot of the people and businesses. There is next to no work here and almost no way to earn money. The friends are struggling and many of them don't know how much longer they can stay. Then, 4 months ago (right after Connor arrived) the river flooded and washed away many homes and damaging many others. LIKE I SAID -- DEPRESSING!

But even among the ruined and deserted buildings and unkept town there is still beauty to be seen – both manmade and the Earth’s natural beauty.

Day #1 - we wake up and in usual Bolivian custom, Ada has made a breakfast for us of bread, tea, and coffee. We notice they don't have much food, but we brought alot of supplies with us, which we readily share with our new friends. Next, a quick trip to the local market to but more food that we all can share.  Lunch includes rice, one fried egg, and some lettuce (this is our main meal  for the next few days). Then, Victor gives us a brief tour of Tipuani....

Next, it's off to clean the Kingdom Hall because the Ministry School is that night. There is a nice group at meeting of about 15 people (including us).  It's funny because Connor and Ebron have to do all the meeting parts, even the talks on the Ministry School. So, the two of them just take turns the whole meeting - UP AND DOWN ON THE STAGE! Aubri and Priscilla were asked to do a demonstration.

Day #2 - The rigors of the trip to Tipuani catch up with me. Aubri and the sister that came with us (a friend of ours from New Zealand), go with Connor to pass out more Memorial invitations (Pris and I were a bit wiped out). Then it's back to the market for supplies to make our new friends homemade bread and a cake with chocolate icing -- the Bolivians love it.  

The couple we're staying with are really nice and have made us feel like we're family.If coming here does nothing more than encourage them -- it was well worth it. 

Ada is 48 years old and reminds me of a Bolivian hippy -- she's totally into nature and animals. She rescued this parrot with a broken wing. It can't fly so they rigged up this long branch from the house to the trees that it walks along. During the day it chills out back in their avocado tree and then sleeps in the house at night. 

Victor is 61 years old and a very nice brother. You can tell that the two of them were primarily holding the group together before Connor and Ebron came.

Day #3 - After a breakfast of homemade bread, tea (New Zealander's beverage of choice), and coffee, we head off to the Kingdom Hall to get things ready for the Memorial. The Kingdom Hall needs a lot of structural work done and before we arrive Ebron and Connor paint and do some plaster repair. But today the whole place needs to be bleached and given a good scrub -- from the walls to the floors. But, it cleans up nicely and while the brothers wish more could have been done, I think it looks pretty  nice.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

The congregation has 13 Publishers and there were 80 attendees at the Memorial. Due to the shortage of brothers, the girls had to help pass the wine and emblems, and Shiela and I had to be attendants. It was such a special evening.  While most of the people there were not Jehovah’s Witnesses, I was really impressed at their respect for the event. The congregation only has a few Bible Studies so most of the people that came were not Bible Students, but had received the invitation from Connor and Ebron.  Many of them brought their own personal copy of the Bible, looked up the scriptures, and followed along. Ebron gave a very nice talk and helped everyone to understand why they should not eat the emblems or drink the wine! 

After the Memorial, the group throws Connor an unexpected Going Away Party. We all get really choked up. Your heart really goes out to the friends that are living here and the struggles they have in just trying to survive. Many of them don't know how much longer they can stay in Tipuani, and with Connor now coming to Tarija, Ebron isn't sure how much longer he'll be able to stay either. But, we tried to be there for the friends, met some very sweet brothers and sisters, and hopefully we'll be able to all see each other again in the the New World.

Oh yeah, the kids also resuced a female puppy which we then had to get back from Tipuani to Tarija. Welcome the newest addition to the Hughes Family.  Unlike all our other dogs she's big, blonde, and blue-eyed! But we love her and she'll definitely be coming back with us to the United States.

 Day #4 – It’s time to go home. It’s been an amazing trip but we’re all feeling a bit emotionally drained and teary at having to leave the dear friends in Tipuani.  We feel a bit like we’re abondaning them, but at the same time there is only so much you can do and we’re all ready to get back home, But, it’s an experience none of us will ever forget. As I hug Ada good-bye I feel my eyes fill with tears, and I look over to see Sheila also has tears in her eyes. 

It was a memoriable memorial that none of us will ever forget.  

Oh yeah, on our return trip home we make another stop in La Paz where I see a cancer specialist and he tells me I'm doing really good -- YEAH!  Until next time.....

Love the Hughes Family

The Hughes Get Bolivian Residency... FINALLY!

I know it’s been awhile since our friends and family have heard from us --- SORRY ABOUT THAT! The last 6 weeks have been a bit hectic with us trying to get residency. I don’t know if you remember,..... but one week after we arrived in Bolivia (last October), all of the laws changed for allowing people to apply for residency. The result? What usually would have been a 30-day process has taken us almost 5 months.  But as of last week we finally got our one-year residency and can legally stay in Bolivia now until March 2016 -- YEAH!

We're just trying to take one day at at time -- letting Jehovah's will guide us -- and enjoying the time we've been given to experience Bolivia. There’s been a lot of activity going on here, and the ministry is keeping everyone busy. Little by little we’re getting situated, and everyone has Bible Studies (except me). I’m still trying but it’s harder because of the language barrier. It’s easy for me to get good return visits, but then to actually study the Bible has been more of a challenge. I enjoyed reading the article this week in our Ministry School about the couple that went to serve in Taiwan. I read that whole article right before coming to Bolivia, and read it again this week.  It reminded me of other challenges people go through in trying to learn a new langugage and to be patient with yourself and just do what you can -- and how even just giving out a tract helps.

The preaching here is really wonderful in that it’s very easy to talk to people.  A typical field service morning is we walk for 15 to 20 minutes to meet with the group, then walk for 2 or 3 hours (sometimes up and down steep hills). I usually average 6-8 good return visits.  While you do find some people that don’t listen or don't want the literature -- it’s rare for that to happen. Below are some pictures of our territory in Tarija!

The ministry here is really nice but also very physical. There are pros and cons to that. It defintely helps you get in shape and stay active, but at the same time there isn't alot of room for having a nice and relaxing service day. You know that no matter how you're feeling, to go out in the ministry is going to require a certain amount of physical exertion. It can be really hot some days, and the sun is pretty intense (you have to use an umbrella to protect you). So, there are days when I wake up and have to mentally push myself to go out, knowing it's going to be physically draining.

The congregation has made us feel very welcome, and while we only have two Elders for 110 publishers (one of them is single and cute ladies -- OK, I'LL STOP!), and I know they're stretched really thin, they've gone out of their way to take an interest in us and to let us know they're glad we came. The weather is nice here, but our winter begins in May and we have been told it can get pretty cold.  But to Bolivians once the temperature gets below 75 degrees they think it’s freezing.  It’s so funny to see them when it gets chilly -- you would think it was 20 degrees outside. I guess it’s all what you’re used to. You defintely have the feeling you've stepped back in time here. Bolivia has an Old World feel to it, with alot of customs and traditions and a rich culture that is very charming.

Here is another video of some Bolivian traditional folk dancing...

There’s been a lot happening here (like everywhere in Jehovah’s organization).  In Bolivia there’s been a big focus on getting the kingdom halls set-up with Internet. The Bolivian Bethel is very modern with the latest in technical equipment, including huge flat screens for the Convention.  But, a lot of the congregations in Bolivia still didn’t have internet.  But that is quickly changing and it’s really exciting to see Jehovah’s focus on helping the friends here take advantage of the new tools on JW.org. Internet here can be expensive, and so there are still alot of brothers and sisters that aren't able to access JW.org as much as they would like to. With more and more congregations now adding high-speed internet, the friends are now able to access and download alot more spiritual tools. It’s really cool!

As part of this change the Bolivia Bethel Branch had a special Zone Meeting in February.  It was really nice for us because we had to miss the special meeting in the US.  All of the congregations were invited to attend via broadcast, and was what really special is that two of the talks were given in English by a member of the Bethel Branch in Korea, and a member of the Governing Body (Goeffrey Jackson – he’s my favorite). The talks were given in English but then translated into Spanish. We also had our Circuit Assembly in February (this is our second one in Bolivia). Even though I still don’t understand most of what’s going on, it was really encouraging to go and visit with the brothers and sisters. It’s also a time to see and visit with a lot of the Need Greaters here. There are actually quite a lot of Need Greaters that have come to Tarija, but you don’t see them very much because everyone is in different areas (some as far as 3 hours away), but at the Circuit Assembly we all get to visit and make new friends.

Another highlight was that Connor came to visit us.  After a lot of prayer and consideration of us, he’s decided to move to Tarija.  The truth is we miss him. I feel sad that he has to leave Tiupani, but our life has been so crazy the last 2 years and now that we’ve all managed to somehow make it to Bolivia, we want to be together as a family.  Having Connor around makes us feel more like the old Hughes Family – AND IT’S NICE! There is a need (especially for brothers) all over Bolivia, and just 30 minutes from us is a group in the town of San Lorenzo. Right now there is a young couple serving there from Manchester, England and Connor has gotten to know them.  They have invited him to come and serve there. So, Connor arrives in Tarija on April 20^th. And while I know he’ll miss Tipuani, the guys still haven’t been able to find a clean place to rent, and every other day Connor is having to get critters out of the Kingdom Hall – like this bat!

So, while it’s a pretty jungle!

IT’S STILL A JUNGLE OUT THERE!

It was nice because while Connor was here, we also had some friends visit from Rurrenbaque (the Rain Forest).  Two of the sisters in this picture visited Tarija, along with a sister from Spain. They also came to our Circuit Assembly and so we got to visit with them and go out to dinner. Casia (the sister on the far left) is from Denmark and she came with the sister on the very right (Brigette). 

More news….. My parents arrive on April 25^th (unexpected surprise), and are planning on staying with me for about 3 months.  Our plan is to come back to Indy for a visit around mid-July (with my parents), and then if Jehovah wills it, head back to Bolivia the end of September. My parents use to be really adventuresome in their day (I guess that’s where I get it), but at 73 years old a lot of change can be hard. But, I think they’ll like it here and a lot of the English-speakers are excited they’re coming and want to meet them. The Bolivian family downstairs has even planned a "Welcome to Bolivia Party," for them. They're going to have everyone dress up in traditional Bolivian costumes and do alot of folk dancing. It will be a nice introduction to Bolivia.

I don't know if you remember, but when we first arrived last October we ran into a brother that used to go to our old congregation in Indianapolis (Jacob).  It was a really unexpected surprise.  He was only in Bolivia for a few weeks but we ran into him at the English convention in Cochabamba.  He was then able to arrange his chedule to spend some time with Connor. They got to go on a famous bike trail in the Andes mountains. It always amazes me that while Jehovah's organization is world-wide, you run into friends very unexpectedly that you didn't expect to see. 

Well, that's all the news -- not too much has been going on. We leave for Tipuani on March 28th for the Memorial.  The Kingdom Hall there needs some repairs and the friends need help inviting people to the Memorial.  They have a very huge territory and only 14 publishers. So, the girls and I along with a friend are going to go and help out the group there. We'll be in Tipuani for a week. It's funny because the girls got a call yesterday asking if they could be attendants and pass the emblems at the Memorial in Tipuani -- GUYS, THEY REALLY DO NEED BROTHERS HERE! So, I'll make sure to take lots of pictures and include our experience in the next blog. 

Well, it's time to wrap things up......and I thought I would end this blog with a special highlight from a recent meeting. One of the new features I've really enjoyed in the Ministry School is how two brothers now give certain talks on the school.  This week we had our talk given by two young brothers in our congregation. The brother on the left is Jordi and I can't rember the name of the other little guy on the right. Jordi is one of our Regular Pioneers whose parents moved here from Spain a few years ago. and he's one of the sweetest young brothers I've ever met. Our very first meeting Jordi made a point of coming up to us, giving us a big smile, shaking our hand, and welcoming us to the congregation.  Jordi is about 15 and I thought it was so sweet how he did this part with this little guy.

OK, it's almost th end. I thought you would enjoy some fun Hughes moments....... The family downstairs had these really cute kittens, and for a few crazy days we honestly thought about taking two of them. Then sanity returned, and we realized it wasn't very practical. But, some friends of ours from England did take one of the kittens and named him Alfred -- how very, very British. 

I hope all of our friends and family are doing well, we miss all of you and don't foregt about us. See you in July!

Love Tracy

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring, the Hughes Family is Snoring….

Well, rainy season has definitely started in Bolivia. When we first arrived in Tarija it was dry and things were a bit brown (and ugly).  Now, it rains almost every day and it’s really green and pretty.  Some days it rains a lot, and other days just for a few hours. When it does rain, it’s pretty intense, pouring sheets on everything and everybody.  We’re told rainy season will last until the end of March. But even with the rain, we still have lots and lots of sunshine and warm weather (which I love)!

Because it’s dry where we live, we don’t tend to have too much flooding in Tarija, but in the tropics it’s a different story.   On January 15^th, the girls and I had just got home from meeting when we get this message and video from Connor.  In the town of Tipuani where he now lives, it’s rained so much that the river has over-flowed and they are experiencing massive flooding.  They've closed the town and have asked everyone to come to the center of town so that they could put up sand bags to protect that area.  In the meantime, the Government of La Paz has sent supplies and aid to help.

MY FIRST REACTION – SAVE YOURSELF!  – I tell him to hop on any kind of transportation he can find and get out of there (boat, car -- I don’t care).  He calmly tells me that he can’t leave because of the older ones in the congregation that might need help, and how he can’t just think about himself, and leave the rest of the friends there to fend for themselves? OK, I know he’s right, but for 2 days I’m totally stressed out, worried that my son is going to be washed away in South America. Here is a link to a news article so you can read more about the flooding (it’s always something): 

http://www.larepublica.pe/14-01-2015/bolivia-mas-de-500-han-quedado-damnificadas-por-inundaciones

But, after 2 days it stops raining, the water recedes, and he’s OK – YEAH!!!! As of now, he is still living inside the Kingdom Hall because they can’t find a clean place to rent.  But even the Kingdom Hall needs a lot of work.  The friends in Tipuani have had a hard time there.  It’s an isolated little town, and like a lot of towns in Bolivia, when you become one of Jehovah’s Witnesses it can isolate you from your community and your relatives. And because it’s so isolated you can get discouraged.  They weren't having a regular Ministry School or meetings for field service.  Plus, they didn’t have any Elders or Ministerial Servants to take the lead.  So, the brothers’ first priority was to get the Ministry School back up and running again, get some set arrangements for going out in the ministry again, and now they can focus on repairs needed to the Kingdom Hall. 

But, Connor is really far away from his family.  So, this small cat has decided to adopt him and become his family.  WHETHER HE LIKES IT OR NOT! This little cat has found a way to get into the Kingdom Hall, and he crawls into bed with Connor (fleas and all) at night to keep him company.  It’s so weird that as a family we don’t really like cats, and yet those are the animals that keep attaching themselves to the Hughes Family.

                                                                                                                                                    LA PAZ

The following week (January 19^th), the girls left to meet Connor in La Paz.  This was the first time Priscilla had visited La Paz, and it’s now her favorite city in Bolivia.  Whereas most other cities have been built in a valley surrounded by mountains, La Paz is a city built on top of mountains, and sits 11,975 feet above sea level. It’s very common when you first arrive to get altitude sickness = getting dizzy, tired, nauseous, and if you’re not careful you can even pass out. I decide not to chance it this time because of my asthma (maybe in April I’ll visit).  

  

 The kids spent 2 days in La Paz and did a few tourist things like shopping, riding the sky tram which gives you a birds-eye view of La Paz , and eating some fast food at one of the two Burger Kings in the city.  Then, it was off to attend Connor’s Circuit Assembly in Rurrenabaque!

The rain has messed up a lot of the roads, so the kids decide to fly into Rurrenbaque.  They tell me the landing strip is just that – A STRIP OF LAND IN THE RAIN FOREST.  You get off the plane and then a bus  takes you to Rurrenbaque.  

This picture of the airport terminal helps you appreciate how rural the airport is!

And guess who the kids run into at the Circuit Assembly -- Madison from Indianapolis and his new wife! They are now living in the town of Chulamani, and it was a nice surprise for the girls to spend some time with their old friend. As a side point, the girls and I are hoping to visit Madison in April. 

Last October we met Casia, who lives in Rurrenbaque.  Casia is from Denmark and the kids got to spend some time with her during their visit. That is one of the really cool things about Bolivia, they kids meet really amazing young people who have come to Bolivia from all over the world to volunteer their time and energy in helping others. 

A lot of them are sent to these really remote little towns where life can be challenging. But, they do it and are some of the sweetest young adults you’ll ever meet (both Bolivians and non-Bolivians).  

BIG SURPRISE – IT’S RAINING AGAIN! IT NEVER STOPS…

After the Circuit Assembly, the kids head off to take a tour in the Rain Forest and go swimming with Fresh Water Dolphins. It’s weird because Bolivia is a land-locked country, but these dolphins can be found in the upper Madeira river basin.  The kids said it was really cool, but a bit nerve-racking because the dolphins are very curious.  So, they will swim up to you and lightly grab your foot to play.  But for the kids, especially when there were 3 or more together, it was a little scary having these big dolphins grab at you.  I don’t know if you can see them in this picture, but if you look closely you can see the top of a Dolphin’s head.

In this video, if you look closely, you can also see them pop up their heads a couple of times. 

The kids saw a lot of big alligators, and the tour guide told them they don’t have to worry because the dolphins keep them away from people – THE KIDS WERE HOPING THAT WAS TRUE!   They even saw lots of monkeys in the trees. I added this video of the monkeys but they move fast, and I’m hoping if you watch it full screen you can see them hopping around.  IGNORE THE GIRL’S CONVERSATION ABOUT THE BATHROOM & NO TOILET PAPER! 

Oh, the Hughes Kids – always finding ways to amuse themselves -- even in the Rain Forest.

SIDEPOINT: This is why I didn’t go, because there is no way I would have ever gotten in that water with those live critters. I’ve been worried for the last few days the kids got parasites in that water (commentary from Tracy)….

This weird looking thing is called a Capybara. It’s basically a rodent-like creature.  The kids say they are everywhere – SO WEIRD!

HERE ARE A FEW MORE PICS OF THE RAIN FOREST…..

The kids had a great time together and created another wonderful adventure/memory that they’ve been able to share. They said it was really beautiful and they had a lot of fun.  All four of us are hoping to have another adventure together in April.  Connor is planning on visiting us mid-April, and from there we’re planning to visit Lake Titicaca (famous landmark here). Then, the girls and I are planning on visiting some old friends in Irupana (where Aubri used to live).

  

Because of all the rain the roads have gotten worse, so trying to get home was harder. There have been a few llandslides, and some flooding.

ANYONE CARE FOR A SWIM?

But the girls said the inconvenience and challenges were well worth the trip. The girls were only gone a little over a week, but I was really happy to have them home.  While my week wasn’t near as exciting, I had a nice time going out to eat with some friends and field service.  I even had a friend of mine spend the night. That’s more my speed right now versus swimming with alligators!

So, all of the kids made it home safe and sound.  But, a day later Connor called to tell us that the Elder who went with him to Tipuani was injured – he’s in the hospital -- and won’t be returning for 3 weeks. So, Connor will have to handle things while he’s away = all parts on the Service Meeting, most of the talks on the Ministry School, the public talks, and Watchtower. Plus, the two Elders that serve in the congregation of Guanay (3 hours away) are Special Pioneers, and they had to travel to Bethel this week. So, it means that he’s also got to handle the Sunday meeting for them.  As he’s telling us what’s happened, a mouse runs across the floor of the Kingdom Hall/his bedroom, and there is a part of him that wants to hop on a plane and come live with us in Tarija.

Bolivia is one of those places where it’s nice to have a companion to laugh with, complain with, and just have a mental breakdown with.  The girls and I have each other, and so we’re able to help each other through the hard times.  Connor has had to adjust to a lot in a short period of time, and he’s had to take on a lot of responsibility that at times can be over-whelming.  Having a friend with him there really helped to not feel lonely. But, he’s taking things one day at a time. I know he’ll probably be irritated that I put this in the Blog. But, I’m his mom and I worry about him!

It’s my Blog and I can Do What I want To – Do What I want To – Do What I want To.  You would Blog to if it Happened To You!

Connor is planning on visiting us in April after the Memorial, and we’re looking forward to his visit.  

THAT’S ALL THE NEWS FOR NOW….

Love the Hughes Family