I HAVE LEARNED MANY THINGS ABOUT MYSELF ON THIS MEDICAL MISSION TRIP TO BRAZIL. I FEEL THAT I HAVE RECEIVED SO MUCH MORE THAN I HAVE GIVEN. ON THE BUS RIDE TO MANAUS, SOME OF US LEARNED OUR FIRST PORTUGUESE WORD, HEDE, PRONOUNCED ``HEDGY``WHICH MEANS HAMMOCK. EARL ASSIGNED ME WITH THE TASK OF WRITING THE JOURNAL. AT THE AIRPORT, ASHLEY WATKINS HAD GIVEN ME A JOURNAL THAT WAS A GIFT FROM CHRIS WATKINS AND IT WAS PERFECT FOR THE JOB! NOW AT THE END OF OUR JOURNEY IM READING BACK THROUGH MY JOURNAL AND I REALIZE JUST HOW PERSONAL IT BECAME. WHAT STARTED OUT AS DOCUMENTATION OF A SPECIFIC TIMELINE, QUICKLY TURNED INTO PAPER THERAPY. THROUGH HARD WORK AND SERVING OTHERS, I FOUND THIS TRIP TO BE PEACEFUL AND HEALING. I HAVE SPOKEN TO OTHER MEMBERS OF THE TEAM WHO FEEL THE SAME WAY. I AM SO INCREDIBLY BLESSED AND ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY.  

        NOW SOME OF THE FACTS. WE PROVIDED MEDICAL CARE TO 9 VILLAGES. 448 PEOPLE RECEIVED TREATMENT. WE BROUGHT 9 SUITCASES FULL OF GIFTBAGS. OUR TEAM WAS FULL OF AMAZING PEOPLE WHO WORKED WELL TOGETHER.

PERSONAL HIGHLIGHTS. 1) WORKING AS A DENTAL ASSISTANT FOR DR. GESER SILVA, A BRILLIANT MIND WITH A GENTLE LOVING SOUL WHO PROVIDED MUCH NEEDED DENTAL CARE. 2) HEARING EARL YELL OUT ANY FORM OF RANEKA SUCH AS ANIKA, VERONICA, WAUNIKA, ERICA ETC. 3) HUGS FROM CHILDREN IN THE VILLAGE. REGARDLESS OF THE LANGUAGE BARRIER, EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS LOVE, AFFECTION AND A HUG. 4) DANIELA SINGING AT DEVOTION 5) NIGHT TIME UNO CLUB. UNO IS UNIVERSAL. THE RULES ARE NOT.

TEAM MEMBERS. ASHLEY, MEGAN, RANEKA, RUSS, EARL, MARY, JUDY, MYSELF ( FROM OHIO) JIM FROM INDIANA, MIKE FROM FLORIDA

I WILL LET THE PHOTOS TELL THE STORY