Our Time with Annmarie

It's been a week since Annmarie left us. I am still feeling the wake of encouragement that she left behind. We had so much fun together and it couldn't have come at a better time. Michael was really busy with the short-term team that has been here and preparing for the church's anniversary celebration.
We had such an adventure in Pucallpa, visiting and staying with friends from language school, Todd & Stephanie Edgar and David Speyers. It was a huge blessing to see their ministry at the SAM Airbase - David as a pilot, Todd a mechanic, and Stephanie a teacher at the mission school in town. She had just finished school and was free to tour us around, take us to the zoo, some great resturants, and host us in her home. We thoroughly enjoyed life on Koshibo Cocha (the lake). It's about 30 minutes by car and (bumpy) dirt road to get to town. We also had the privilege of meeting women from the neighboring native tribe that lives across the lake - the Shipibo people. They were so kind to sing us a song of welcome in their language and return to show us all their handicrafts, mostly jewlery. Annmarie just loved the jungle! The Lord worked it out for her to visit, since she just graduated from New Tribes Bible Institute and is considering the mission field, potentially in a jungle setting. While we were there, we were spared from the normal inferno that it is - it was mostly cloudy during the day and it rained at night, so that made for comfortable temperatures.
We also had the incredible opportunity of going for a tour of Pucallpa by air, in the float plane! What a treat! Stephanie's Dad (she herself grew-up on the base) was our pilot. Noah really liked it. Taking off and landing in the water was a really thrill. He was only a little disappointed when he found out that this plane wasn't the one bringing us home to Daddy. (He really missed him!)
Our last night there, we walked to the dock and just enjoyed some sweet time chatting, catching a few shooting stars and marveling at God's creation as the reflection off the lake made for an endless sea of twinkling lights. Must say though, the mosquitoes there can bite you even through your clothes!
After all the fun we had, she assured me she'd be coming back, at least to visit, if not to live here as a missionary herself. (c: