Hello friends and family!
We are officially on our way home from Central America! We finished ministry on Tuesday which meant yesterday was our FUN DAY! After breakfast we headed on the bus to the rainforest, where we spent the day visiting the Ẽmbẽrä tribe, an indigenous tribe who still lives the tribe lifestyle here! When we got there, it was raining (surprise surprise). Some of us came prepared and others (myself included) simply embraced our fate: being completely drenched.
After loading into canoes, members of the tribe guided us through the rain down the river. It was such a serene experience! The sounds of the rainforest surrounding us and the breathtaking view made us feel like we were in a movie. They lead us to a spot where we got off, hiked about 10 minutes into the rainforest, and got to swim at a waterfall! We then took the canoes to their village and learned all about their tribe lifestyle! They fed us delicious fresh-caught tilapia and fruit. The tribe members are very crafty so we had a chance to buy some fun souvenirs, and then a bunch of us got temporary tattoos! We learned that many of the tribe members tattoo themselves for bug and sun protection! Before taking the canoes back, the tribe showed us one of their traditional dances and even invited us to dance with them at the end! We loved getting to see and learn about their culture. It was an incredible experience!
We finished the day with some souvenir shopping, dinner at the hotel, and an end-of-the-trip pizza/pool party with everyone! We are all so sad to end our time together. The bond that we created with the Palm Beach Atlantic and Westmont students is so special—and stronger than any of us expected!
I am so grateful for the opportunity to lead this team and so proud of them! I got to watch as each of them stepped outside of their comfort zones in their own unique ways, and it was beautiful to see God working through them. I know I can speak for all of us in saying we have grown so much from this ministry, and feel so much more confident to go home and spread the Gospel! I thank Jesus for all of the miracles He allowed us to be a part of over the past two weeks. It was truly a blessing!
With love and thanks,
Macie
So proud of my amazing daughter! Your hard work this year preparing your team has paid off! Can’t wait to hug you and hear about all of the amazing stories!!