I have an hour before we leave for the airport, so I decided to try & complete this blog post now as when I get back I have work and travel to Utah next week. While it is fresh in my mind I wanted to finish up. Yumi & I slept in until 8:40 -it was glorious! We went to breakfast at 9 am & for the first time I notices a “Panini maker” that they use to make toast – and they serve ham & cheese in addition to ALL the Brazilian fare that I did not eat. So, I decided to make a panini breakfast sandwich & mix it up a bit 😊 We saw the team who was still here for the day & who all fly out tonight. Different people were making plans for the day. Yumi headed out to go shopping with a group . I made my 2nd trip across the street to get some Coke Zero & get Yumi a Moster as she manages her travel tonight. I was happy to come back to the room, put on some music and catch up on my blog and begin packing.
I am on GOL Airlines for my return flight & go from PVH
to BSB (Brasilia where I have a 4 hour layover them from BSB to Orlando where I
have about 2 hours to get thru customs & catch my flight to LAX returning
there at 10 pm tomorrow night. GOL has a bad reputation in airflight, poor
reviews and are trying to file for Chapter 11 – not too encouraging. Last night
I was able to find my reservation & see that I have assigned seats but it
was too early to check in. Today I get to the same place & then they cannot
locate my reservation & I can’t check in. It is the same for the majority
of people flying on GOL…and I have tried multiple times today so I am counting
on it all being fine when I get to the airport. Several others are on my same
flight to BSB & 3 or 4 others are on my next flight to Orlando so I will be
nice to have company as I travel.
At 1 pm Sister Rosemary picked me up on her lunch break. She
works very close to the hotel & is in finance for car companies? After she got
me we picked up the sister missionaries & then drove about 20 min out of
town to a grocery store that she said had good prices. Sis. Gabriella & her 16 year old son met us there
& we ended up buying 200 1Liter boxes of milk so that each food basket will
get 4 liters. I asked if there was anything else & they said: “the children
love chocolate” so we ended up buying 50 containers of “chocolate” to go in the
milk – like Nestle Quik. The 16 year old was the muscle to load the car - we
took a few photos said our good byes. Sister Rosemary dropped me at the hotel –
we took a few more photos & hugs & then she was taking the sisters back
& going back to work. She text me later “Again sister please share our deep
gratitude for everything you and your wonderful friends are doing for the
families of Porto Velho -Rodonia -Brazil”. They plan to put all the baskets together this Saturday & deliver them over the next week :) I had an hour to finish packing
before we needed to meet in the lobby for our boat ride on the Rio Madre de
Dios – River of the Mother of God. The river was pretty brown & I am sad to
say there were exactly zero pink dolphins spotted. It was a nice lil cruise
though with music and a snack bar & visiting. The captain even let me drive
for at least 2 minutes – for a photo op at his insistence! There was a
beautiful sunset over the river as we docked.
After the cruise we went to a place called Barto for
hamburgers-they were actually quite good! And I visited with Carlos a plastic surgeon
who I have probably been on 4 or 5 South American missions with. He is a nice
man. We just got back to the hotel
-showered to be fresh & clean for our flights & are finishing
things up (like my blog) before we leave for the airport.
It was a lot of travel & I have just as much in front of
me but even with all the travel if asked I would do it all over again. The
ability to meet faithful members of the church & see them volunteer with the
same “Helping Hands” vests that we wear
at home helping our friends and neighbors was touching, the miracle of the 50
food baskets and the generosity of my friends is something I will never forget.
The sweet children and their families reminds me why I became a nurse & the
opportunity I am given to use my talents for good. My connecting with the 10 missionaries
in this zone reminded me there are AMAZING young people in the church willing
to serve & parent who have prepared them (I forgot to mention that the one
elder from Spain was a professional soccer player there & made a decision to
give that up & come on his mission)
He was great & would find me every day & say “Sister Nancy are you okay”.
Understanding the commitment of and feeling the love that these stake leaders have
for all people who are in their boundaries was touching & recognizing the environment
that they serve in is so challenging – reminded me how grateful I am for all who
serve in church callings. Meeting people
like Yumi I also know was also not happenstance…I was scheduled to be with a different
person but the debacle of the room assignment when I arrived turned out to be
something wonderful. Doug & my family support of these endeavors is so important
to my ability to make these trips & my team at work who know that these
trips fill my bucket & touch my core. So as the mission comes to an end I
am simply GRATEFUL for the uncountable blessings that have come my way over the
past 8 days. I am so blessed. Ready to head home first flight in 4 hours at 1:15 am. Praying the travel angels accompany me!
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