The zoo and jungle all in one week

This didn't quite go as planned this week.

I was supposed to be picked up at 4:30 on monday morning to head to the jungle to volunteer there for the week, but the company didn't show up to pick me up. I ended up calling my volunteer coordinator at 9:00 am and they arranged for me to go to the jungle on the wednesday to friday instead.

I decided to volunteer on the tuesday at the zoo in the university. I met Ricardo tuesday morning and he took me to the zoo. When I was there I got to help feed the birds, monkeys, pigs, ostrich, deer and coatis some bread to tide them over until their food was ready for them. Then I cleaned out the deer pen of deer poop and old hay. After that I helped prepare the food for the non carnivorus birds and animals. I then helped catch the deer so that they could be given some medicines. After that I helped feed the animals and birds their  fruits and vegetables. Free time was now mine and I spent some time looking around at the different birds and animals. I had never seen before a lot of the animals and birds that were there. That was kind of cool!

Breakfast is served

 Me helping in the deer pen

 An ocelot

 A spectacle bear

 An Andean Condor

 A toucan

The animals cages were quite small to some of the zoos that I have been to. Apparently, the zoo will be moving in a month or two to a new location which is quite a bit bigger than this one. That will be good for the animals as long as their cage size increases and the habitat found in the cages is close to that which would be found in the wild.

Wednesday morning I was picked up at 4:30 and began my journey to the jungle. I went in a tourist bus which was a 15 -20 passenger van. It was very comfortable and the scenery was amazing. Part of the way was on gravel roads and some were under construction - as in just being built. The roads were very narrow and seemed to hang from the side of the mountains.

The introduction to the eco jungle where I was staying was a steel cable with a platform or basket suspended from it. This was used to cross the river. You climbed on board and then someone pulled the rope from the other side. If there was no one to pull you pulled yourself from on the platform.

 

The eating/recreation area was a building on stilts with walls approximately 3 1/2 feet tall and a metal roof. There were about 7 tables of various sizes which we put together so that we could all eat at the same table. Gloria was in charge of the kitchen and she is a real sweetheart. She is 52 yrs old and has 6 children. She is in charge of making lunch and supper for the volunteers and any paying guests that happen to be there. She lives in the next town, which is a 15 minute walk away.

Gloria in her kitchen

The sleeping area

One of the bedrooms

Me and my friend Chico

I got aquainted with the other volunteers and the two resident monkeys on my first day. On the second day I walked a couple of the trails with Ashley, a volunteer who had been there for 3 weeks. We saw some grey wooley monkeys on one of the trails. I showered in the waterfall and then after lunch went into town and helped teach the school kids numbers in spanish and english. As there is no electricity out there evenings are very short and bedtime comes quite early.

One of the wooley monkeys we saw

An afternoon shower

The next day I helped make some recycle bins out of bamboo. After lunch I took a shower again at the waterfall and then went to the bird blind to view the national bird of Peru. It is called Gallito de las Rocas or Cock of the Rocks. It has a vibrant red head and it's neck is kind of funny looking which in turn makes it's head kind of funny looking. I took some photos but as the birds were in the trees and a bit far away the photos don't do them justice.

Chico taking a nap on my lap 

A giant frog we saw one night.

One of the bamboo recycle bins we made

The bus ride back to Cusco was on a regular peruvian bus and I think people pay more for a seat. Some people were sitting in the aisle and up near the bus driver. The bus ride home took 10 hours. We were stopped for about 25 min in the jungle as a car up ahead had some problem and the road was not wide enough to pass. We also were stopped by 3 separate police road blocks - I think they were looking for people taking too much coca leaves with them.

Back home at 6:30 saturday morning and boy did my bed here ever feel good. It was good to go and see but it was good to be home here in Cusco as well.

This weekend will find me laying low and taking it a bit easy. I have nothing much planned aside from going to church on either saturday night or sunday morning. I am really looking forward to that as I have been doing so many tours on weekends that I haven't had the opportunity to go.

Please pray for the Advent season. That people who have not had the opportunity to really get to know God through His son Jesus Christ may come to know Him in a very and personal way.

For families all over the world, that God gives us the tools to help form and forge stronger families. That people come to realize that every part of the family is a vital part, whether it is the father, mother, children, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. All parts are vital to the foundation of the family.

Even though I am in Peru, God has placed Cambodia and child trafficking for the sex trade on my heart. Please pray for God's guidance in my life with regards to this. That I find clear direction in how He wants to use me with regards to this issue.