We arrived in Brazil late on Tuesday, August 12, made our way to our hostel, and got to sleep a bit after midnight. The city of Manaus was quiet as we rode from the airport, passing the futbol stadium where World Cup games were played just a few weeks ago.

This morning, the city was alive and active. After breakfast, we walked around town with shopkeepers opening their stalls, uniformed children making their way to school, and commuters going to work on city buses.

Now, taking a break from the afternoon heat, we are resting before venturing out again to find food for dinner.

A very good day.

Tomorrow, we depart for our Amazon tour. www.antonio-jungletours.com.

I have written about our family’s departure from the church we served and the town we loved in recent posts.  Many friends gave us cards and special notes as we were leaving, and one friend wrote a beautiful poem about our time together.  

We treasure these notes and cards because they remind us of the ties we share and the good wishes that accompany us on our journey.

One of many cards shared with us.

One friend’s note gave specific examples of what our relationship had meant, and this friend then blessed us in our departure, saying, “Go without reservation.”

What a gift to be blessed by someone in this way.

On August 12, we depart for South America as we commence our family sabbatical.  Our journey will take us first to Manaus, Brazil, where we will explore the Amazon.  Then, it’s on to Machu Picchu in Peru and Buenos Aires, Argentina.  We will settle for a month while house-sitting in Cape Town, South Africa, before exploring Zambia and Botswana.

We expect to see many new things, to encounter many wonderful people, to taste new foods, to encounter difficult challenges, and to learn about history and culture in places of the world we have only read about.  

Most of all, I am looking forward to the growth and learning that will happen internally — for me and for our family.

I believe that travelling to new places where the language and customs are unfamiliar to us will force us to rely on the goodness of others and draw on creativity and resourcefulness that will force us to grow and develop in new ways.

After months of planning, the adventure begins on August 12.  And now, thanks to a dear friend’s reminder, we will go without reservation.