Embrace What Is...

We caught a taxi and went looking for the place you can pull the big boats out of the water. The taxi driver had never heard of it. After finally finding it, I am not surprised. The road wasn't exactly made for third world taxi vans.

So often we find ourselves in places we never expected--experiencing challenges we thought we would never face. But that doesn't make the road any less beautiful. In fact, letting go of expectations and being present in the reality of the moment with an open heart and mind often leads to the best adventures. 

We did find the boat lift (although a water taxi would have been the way to go since it was way out on a point) 

But here are a few things we saw along the way...

I find such beauty here...

Laura

Hope For A Sunken Island

Isla Carenero is a tiny island in Panama. Palm trees dot the sandy beaches and warm waters offers great fishing, snorkeling, and swimming year round. HOWEVER...and that is a big however. The island has a big problem. In 1991 an earthquake rocked the region causing the land to sink about 4 feet. Since then, standing water has become a breeding ground for Dengue fever carrying mosquitoes and trash has taken over a big part of the local village. Black water (raw sewage) is directly under many of the houses and the kids walk through it on their way to school. The bridges are literally underwater at high tide and the black water mixes the tidal water and covers the land.

So we are doing something about it.

We met with gov't officials and have made some amazing connections in the community. This weekend is clean up. We are really excited because the locals are taking responsibility for their own land. Even this week (before the official clean up date) we are seeing people picking up trash, planting flowers, painting porches and fences, fixing steps, and mowing grass that hasn't been mowed in forever.

The transformation is amazing.

To follow our journey and see pics and get updates, please go to www.povertyprojectinternational.com and see what we are doing. We do need donations to get some of the bigger projects done. But the real work has been done already...peoples hearts are changing...

Pickled Parrots

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled parrots.

I wanted to pickle a few parrots this morning.

They woke me up, squawking in the trees overhead as I was trying to sleep to the sound of the rain. There must have been a million of them. OK, well, maybe 50. But trust me, 50 parrots is enough. Now understand, I am so thankful and amazed to live on an island filled with these majestic green birds. They fly by twos from the hills down to the beach and back every day. 

But I thought parrots were supposed to talk. You know, say something meaningful. And I guess, just because I don't understand their native language, doesn't mean they aren't saying something meaningful. Now that I think about it, I guess maybe I should take the time to learn their language instead of expecting them to know mine. Isn't that what you are supposed to do when you live in a foreign country?