Dear Family!
Nuedi!! I'm going to do my best to sum up the last couple days for
you, but I'm not sure that it can all be put into words :) So on
Saturday we got up super early and loaded everything up into a little
truck that would take us on a trek through the rarely traveled path to
the islands. We were up really late packing things up, so Hermana
Dawson took advantage of the time to sleep. I considered sleeping as
well, but my innate curiosity got the best of me. I was fascinated as
we drove through the untamed mountains of Panama. Mountains and
mountains of jungle that has been seemingly untouched by man. It was a
breath-taking that will forever be painted in my mind. After a few
hours of driving we arrived to one of the tiny ports where we had to
find a boat to take us to the island of Carti Tupile. After a short
boat ride we arrived. I immediately fell in love with the island. With
the help of a few inhabitants and lots of little boys we took our bags
to the other end of the island (a 2 minute walk) to the chapel where
we live. The chapel is built on stilts above the ocean because there
wasn't enough room on the island, so as I look down I see the clear
water :) We constantly hear the ocean and feel the breeze. It even
gets pretty cold at night in our hammocs sometimes . . . that's right,
I sleep in a hammoc :)
As we arrived to the chapel all of the little boys that were playing
ran up and gave us hugs, then they just stared at me. They called me
Hermana Yer Dailege (which means ''pretty'' in Kuna) Each missionary
in San Blas gets a Kuna name. I've now been given two: Yer Dailege and
Bunabippi, which means hermanita (because I am the youngest sister
missionary to ever serve on the Blas islands) I'm not sure which one
will stick, but I'm happy with both of them :)
Needless to say, I am currently living in a very different world. The
Kuna culture is unlike anything that I've ever seen before, but I love
it. I love listening to them speak (I'm working on learning) and I
love visiting them in there homes. It is a very simple way to live,
but I love it. Last night while we were visiting a sister in her home
I was playing with her little kids when an odd little animal crawled
out of the ground. The little boy told me that we can't touch those
animals because if we touch them our angel goes away. Obviously they
think in a different way, and I love it!
This morning we taught our seminary class where a total of 6 youth
attended. I really enjoyed teaching it. We have to work to adjust our
teaching methods to the mindset of the Kunas. I can see a great desire
to learn in some of them, they've just never had anybody willing to
really teach them. There is a 17 year old here named Sergio who is
incredible. He is preparing to serve a mission and frequently comes to
church, seminary, and our mission prep classes by himself.
There is also a member named Lily who is very special. She is the only
endowed member on the island. We love spending time with her. Her
mother is a teeny-tiny woman who we call ''Grandmother Willow''. She
only speaks Kuna, but she loves the missionaries so much. Every time
that we leave her hut she buries her face in her head dress (part of
the traditional Kuna attire).
Well family, I hope that I've done this incredible experience some
justice with my measely words. Many more adventures to come :) An
bemar sabe! (I love you all)
Go Forward With Faith!
Hermana Falslev :)
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