Learning how to use a machete

This past week has involved a lot of hard work but has been very rewarding. At the beginning of the week we started clearing out one hectaria of land for noni plants which are a medicinal herb. Clearing out jungle is anything but easy. The first day involved a lot of clearing of brush and vines with machetes. Then we brought out the ¨beast¨ the beloved name of our chainsaw and went to work on the larger logs. One of the big differences between clearing out jungle and forests in the US is the size of the trees as well as their weight. A regular sized log in the US is usually quite light even if it is a hard wood. In the jungle a seemingly small log can actually weigh around 50 lbs! Again the guys had fun laughing at my desperate attempts to try and heave one of the humongous logs onto my back. It is actually really difficult for a tall person to try and lever a log onto their back when they have to do a complete squat to get under it. Hopefully in a few weeks I will get the technique down.
After the first day my hands were blistered, torn from briars, and having a hard time gripping the machete. But I had a lot of fun working with the guys and learning Spanish at the same time. Later that evening I casually asked how long we would be clearing land. Edwin replied that we would be working in the jungle for a month. So I guess I really will get good at using a machete. The rest of the week was spent working away. We actually got a lot of progress made which was cool to see. At the end of each day I looked like I had transformed into a black footed indian because my face was red from sunburn and my feet were black from soot! But all the dirt really made me appreciate the shower at the end of the day.
I would now like to talk about the fine are of using a machete. Most of the guys down here have been using machetes since they were really little. So when they teach you how to use one it looks extremely easy. All that you do is swing it at an angle and the tree splits like a ripe watermelon. Unfortunately it is not so easy. But after about 6 hours chopping away at brush and trees I started to get the hang of it!
Another highlight of this week was going to Maisisea again for the weekend. I got to preach my third sermon which was on prayer. It was fun to see some of our friends from the previous weeks and talk with them. I definitely feel that my Spanish improved because David usually only speaks Spanish and the other person on the trip was Manuel so I had the pleasure of learning a lot. Thanks to all the people who sent me birthday wishes. It really made my day to hear from all of you! Continue to pray for our project and our mission in Peru!