Yesterday Paul had his biweekly meeting with the savings group out in the community of La Merced de Neshuya, and Cael and I tagged along. This was the first time either of us had visited this community and we had a great time.
It takes approximately 1 hour to drive to this community and half of the trip is on the backroads crossing makeshift bridges made out of logs placed across the road. We passed small horsedrawn carts carrying produce (mostly palm oil trees and sugarcane), fields of produce which is the main source of income for the people living within this community, and several juice stands along the side of the road.
There were a few highlights, starting with our stop at one of the juice stands. I had a glass of the freshest and sweetest orange juice I have ever had. The price for three decent size glasses of this orange juice totaled a whopping $1. Upon arriving in the community we stopped to visit the pastor of the local church and were able to meet his wife, Marisol. She took to Cael right away and is pictured above holding him at her house. We were also warmly welcomed by the savings group who to date has saved over $500 and are already talking about restarting the group at the first of the year and including more people from within the community. This has been a true blessing and encouragement to our time here in Peru.
However, the real highlight of the evening was Cael. Because this community is so far away from downtown Pucallpa, it is very rural and there are not too many white people living there. So, to see a white person walking around is unusual and the only thing more unusual is a white baby. We were surrounded by several kids from the community wanting to look at Cael. Then on our way home, in true Peruvian fashion, we were asked to take someone back into town, which by the time we actually left ended up being a family of four and a tank of gas.
All in all we had a great time and plan on returning soon.

The Whereabouts of Cael

A few people have asked, after seeing our last blog entry, where Cael was during our tours? So we wanted to let you know we didn't just leave him at the side of the road while we were out having fun. :) Our friend, Oscar, who picks us up from the airport when we fly to Lima, has met both of our parents, is well known by other missionaries in Pucallpa, and runs his own tour agency here in Peru was with Cael the whole time . He loves kids and Cael was fond of him. We found Cael sound asleep on our return from the sand dunes. As they say here in Peru, he is a "hombre de confianza" (man of trust).
We are now back in Pucallpa readjusting to the heat. Paul's sisters have made the trip back to Indiana safely, but before they left we were able to show them some of the sights of Pucallpa.

Downtown Pucallpa Streets

The market where we find all of our produce and meat.

The Local Pucallpa Zoo

Blindsighted

Here we sit, breathing, alive...in Lima. The past two days has held some exhilarating and adrenaline producing adventures as we headed to Paracas, Nasca, and Ica. These are three cities located south of Lima on the coast of Peru. These cities are a desert climate with no rain, yet travel 100 km and you will reach a new climate.

In Paracas we took a boat tour of nearby islands that had several native birds, penguins, dolphins and sea lions. Taking the waves head-on, we flew airborne over several in a speed boat. :) It was a blast! Along with these islands was a huge candelabra etched in the rocks of an island off the coast created over 2000 years ago. It's still in tact because the sand has solidified as well as the wind blows from the other side of thet island. This is Paul, Megan and Cael sightseeing. The other is of Julie & Joanna wind-blown on the ride to the islands.

Next we traveled to Nasca to see the Nasca lines made by the Nasca people who were long before the Incans, created drawings in the sand desert that could only be viewed from a plane. There are several theories as to why these were created, but none for certain. This plane ride was terrifying. In a 6-passenger plane, we drove over a desert land and tilted (to a BIG degree) then flew around in circles over the drawing. The pilot happened to b Next, we went to Nasca - the group of peoplee talking on his cell phone for a few minutes as well as one time taking h is hands off the wheel. Talk a bout terrifying. However, here we are safe and sound. The Nasca Lines have recently been made popular by the new Indiana Jones movies. Although the movie doesn't depict Peru the way it really is (geographically, etc) , the Nasca Lines are very true. The first picture is of an alien (we like to think he looks like ET), and the last of Paul, Megan, Julie & Joanna about to board the plane.

Today we went to Ica for a Dune Buggy "tour"...or what we thought was going to be a tour. These "dunes" looked like sand mountains from the Middle East...they were HUGE. What we thought was a tour ended up being a 2-hour ride-of-your-life hold-on-to-your-seatbelt-for-dear-life adventure. Our crazy driver took us down 80 degree hills at speeds up to 40 mph! As well as driving crazily through the sand mountains, we had the opportunity to go sand boarding- which was a BLAST!!!! We took snowboards and slid on our bellies down HUGE slopes at incredible speeds! This is us at a stop to take pictures, and the other is of Megan sand-boarding down a hill.
So although we had such an incredible vacation, we are happy to be back lounging in Lima. Tomorrow Paul will go back for a check up. All is healthy here in the McCann household. Cael's cold only lasted one day. He, by the way, is the most "tranquille" baby ever. (That's what they call him over here). He did a magnificent job in the car today and is just a joy to be around!! We head to Pucallpa Thursday!

Surviving Lima

Aunt Julie in the doctor's office waitin' for Mom and Dad
Aunt Joanna and Cael in Lima at the restaurant.

Julie and I decided since many of you have not visited Lima, we might enlighten you on this wonderful piece of South America. :) First of all, Lima has no sunlight, it is only gray skies. Also, imagine walking into a room full of cigarette smoke - except replace cigarette smoke with car exhaust and multiply the intensity times 20. That's Lima. Also there are no road rules - well, the unspoken one is: the biggest car wins. Today went to the Plaza de Armas in Lima. We walked around downtown and then ate at a great restaurant and walked around an Incan Market. This is all of us in front of the President's Palace downtown and Julie & Megan in front of a bead shop in the market.


Health news update: Megan and Paul are clear of any sickness! The doctor inPucallpa was very wrong in her diagnoses and the doctor here in Lima thinks they both just ate something that caused the sickness. However, Cael is now experiencing his first cold - with a fever and a runny nose. That's Mom and Dad giving Cael Tylenol!

Aunt Julie & Joanna Arrive!

This is Joanna and I've decided Paul and Megan need a little help with updating their blog. Julie and I flew in early this morning to Lima to see baby Cael and help out with Paul and Megan. Recently, Paul and Megan have been very sick, and with the health care being not-so-outstanding in the jungle, there has been some misdiagnoses which has led them to get much better health care here in the capital, Lima. Paul has what we think is Typhoid, along with who knows what. Megan also has been feeling under-the-weather. But no fear, Aunt Julie and Joanna are down to save the day!!!