TUESDAY, AUGUST 14
Good morning, my dear friends, relatives, and any others who might get this message.

Another challenging day is facing us. We appreciate the breakfasts that are served here, as it sort of charges the battery for the morning.

Today we are scheduled to go on a river boat to some village up or down the river. I’m not sure which!

Yesterday was a busy day, as you would expect. The medical team (including us hang-along-translators) went by bus to Santa Clara. That is a village relatively near the Iquitos Airport. However, the road we took upon departing from the paved highway was of dirt, mud, chuck-holes, and things like that.

Our church in Santa Clara is our largest one in this area, I am told. It is large, but very much unfinished. I imagine if they filled it with benches it would seat more than 500. It is facing the central park and only one block from the other large church where most people go.

What a beautiful surprise to have about 15 Pathfinders and their leader there to greet us when we got off the bus. They spent all morning helping in any way they could. What a beautiful sight, and when we left, they sang us a Thank-You song. Simply wonderful. Long live the Pathfinders!

There were three centers set up in the church sanctuary, moving benches around, etc. The ophthalmology group was there. “We” saw about 110 patients. Only four or five did not need glasses, or they were beyond hope for glasses to do any good. A few of these were Pathfinders, who I think maybe were “inspired” seeing some of their compadres wearing glasses! Others needed surgery for cataracts and “peridgeon” (sp???) which is quite prevalent with continued exposure to sunshine.

The dentist had his unit in a back building, and was kept busy also, as well as the other teams (working in the church).

Before I forget, Pepe keeps sending me good Google images of Iquitos. The most recent one has the Plaza de Armas labeled and very visible. Pepe, if you go up on the screen and to the right, you will see a building with a black roof. That is Hotel Marañon. We are only one block from Plaza de Armas.

The Clinic did send lunches, which we ate on the way home on the bus. We worked past 2:00, but still had ample time to have a nap in the air-conditioned room! What a blessing a few minutes of snoozing does to the system!

Our motor-car was here at 6:00 to take us to our church. I only counted 315 other coaches jossttlliiinngggggg along the highway, each one wanting to be first in line, along with a pile of motorcycles, and a few cars, trucks, and buses. Coming back there were only about 170 that we encountered.

Getting back to our church in Santa Clara. I understand that they have the largest membership of any of the churches in the area. That seems surprising to me. but that is what I was told.

All of the meeting sites have a huge banner with information about the meetings. I’d say the banners are usually about 15' x 20'. Really large, and attractive. They must have cost a few “soles” to make, but are good advertising for the meetings. The conference also has made attractive color fliers to distribute.

Since going on medical excursions, we have missed being in the morning devotionals and sharing sessions, so I am not up on how it is going with the other groups.

I understand that Pastor Wellesley Muir is holding meetings in our school auditorium. Two a day. Once for the students, and then in the evenings with the parents and visitors who come. I hope to get more information from him at breakfast this morning.

Camera has been behaving, except for batteries running down, and I can’t locate the package of new ones I brought down. It must be hiding somewhere. They do have stores here, however, and they have good ones available. I don’t think I’ll try to load pictures on a website. Will no doubt make some CDs when I get the collection together in the future.

Thanks for your continued prayers.
Harvey