"You are stopping in Colombia? What kind of trip is that?" Well, our brief visit to Cartagena was one of the highlights for us on the entire trip. With the help of the Edwards we had planned a birding trip there. (Ann, Laura, Emily, and self). We were met by Southern Baptist missionary Bryan.... (not sure if I should mention whole names). He was a great guy. We were taken to the Botanical Gardens, several miles inland from Cartagena. There, monkeys roamed the tall trees with total freedom. Iguanas lay silently and still on tree limbs. Frogs, lizards, birds of all kinds made the trip like a jungle visit for us. Bryan then loaded us in his truck and we traveled to a small village where nearby we had lunch at a local restaurant. Ate outdoors. We were the ONLY tourists! Bryan knew many of the people. I could not tell you what I ate but it was good. He then took us to a nearby village where he parked his truck and we walked the dirt streets and saw children playing, while a friendly pig went wherever he/she pleased. Bryan introduced us to a family. They had a girl Emily's age or about. Smiles lighted their beautiful faces. We could not communicate. (Where do you go after "buenas dias and como esta usted?) Bryan was speaking to them about us. He and his family have served there for almost twenty years. He showed us the front porch where they met for "house church". Most the homes had no front porch. They were mostly made from mud and had dirt floors. There were no window coverings or doors we could see.
They were delightful folks and really loved their Missionary Bryan. We then began the journey back to our ship. If you are not there by the proper time they sail away and you arrange your own transportation to catch up. I did not want to paddle from Cartagena to the Panama Canal!
We stopped at a local grocery and bought coffee for Robert and candy for Dolores. I paid with a credit card. It was several thousand something or other.. Bryan assured me the charge was okay. That evening the elegant five-star restaurant on board wasn't quite as appealing. I had come back to a setting not normal for Ann and I. We had also left one not normal for us. It is good to know "He's got the whole world in His Hands". Those were poor people by our standards. They were rich indeed by the introduction of Christ into their lives. Adios.
