I didn’t expect the big blue boat that we lived on for a week to feel anything like home even as the trip came to a close, and yet as we pulled up to her dock, I felt my heart break a little. It wasn’t even the boat itself that I would miss, it was the group of volunteers and boat crew that I had grown to love. Joining the Connection Pointe team as a 19 year old not knowing anyone seemed so intimidating, but somehow we became one big odd looking family.

The first evening on the boat was incredibly beautiful, tall pillow clouds with a rosy glow were the backdrop to little boats motoring by. I was so excited to see dolphins, some grey and some with a pink underbelly.

Each day we would begin with singing in Portuguese and hearing a devotion. There is something special about the unity of voices worshipping the Lord in another language.

Serving the people in villages was so humbling, I barely knew any Portuguese so I’d speak in one word sentences. I wished so badly that I would have tried to learn more before, each person’s eyes had a story to tell and I just wish I could’ve heard it. I remember there was this one man in particular, he had the kindest eyes. He knew how badly I was pronouncing my words and yet he was so patient with me and smiled. It was not until later that I noticed his left arm was deformed, somehow around his elbow, his bones had been crushed and his arm kind of swung around. It mazes me that someone who had been through so much, didn’t seem to hold a grudge at the world, that kind of contentment and kindness could only come from Christ.

Each village would gift us something before we left, whether that be coconuts or oranges. One village even prepared a whole breakfast for us in the pouring rain, they came from all directions, with umbrellas, on bikes, on foot. It was incredibly generous; they were offering us so much of what they owned and could provide and were so proud.

One day I got to be the dentist’s assistant to Eliza, and I’ve never admired someone more. She was so good with the children, so good at what she did, and so patient with me. Not to mention she seemed to always be smiling, it was such a genuine reflection of her love for Christ. And then I got to help her fix people’s smiles so that they could do the same. I absolutely loved being in the dentist’s office.

How cool is it that I got to suction and use the blue light on patients?

As Sunday rolled around, we held our own mini church service. We sat next to a Brazilian and swapped communion and then prayed over one another. There were so many raw emoticons and tears were shed from multiple people that day. Even though our team and the staff were divided by language, we were united by our love for Christ (Tyler’s devotion).

This trip has been an eye-opening, incredible experience, one that cannot be replicated anywhere else. There’s no touristy feel, I just get to see how the same people as you and me, with the same desires and needs, get to live on the other side of the world and use the means they were given and the environment around them. I felt so privileged to be there. Experiencing the joy of those with less material means than what I’m used to was a constant reminder of the satisfaction that only the Lord provides.

I loved every second, from laughing with the boat crew, petting Oakley the resident golden retriever, sleeping in hammocks on the top deck, a spontaneous boat ride across the river, to delicious juice and new fruits, exploring a small village by foot, swimming in the river, and one of my favorites, seeing 9 monkeys in total. Although I was told that seeing monkeys would be almost impossible, I sat patiently on the rooftop deck and stared into the jungle for hours at a time. Little movements or dark splotches would catch my eye and there would be a little monkey hanging in the trees. I saw a total of three diferente species, even one with a little baby clinging to its chest.

I could go on and on about how cool this trip was and how I have felt, it has influenced me spiritually, but there’s only so much I can say. It has to be experienced.