On Sunday after walking to church, we all got on our bus to make the five-hour trip to Tena. The road was winding through the mountains the entire way, so many of us used the time to sleep and enjoy the views. We arrived at El Establo de Tomas for the night and were able to enjoy a dinner prepared for us by the staff at the lodge. The lodge itself is very open and reminds me of camp. Since the bugs are not too bad here, the lobby, kitchen, and dining area are all outside under a roof. We all stayed in cabins and used a net over our beds to sleep. The Lupi River is right beside the lodge, so many of us enjoyed swimming in it, or at least putting our feet in for a little while after dinner.
Going from Quito, in the Andes, to Tena, in the jungle, we are being introduced to what is to come in the next week as we prepare to go to Zabalo. The elevation in Tena is much closer to that of Goshen, unlike Quito which was around 9,000 feet above sea level. We are all enjoying the biodiversity that we have seen thus far, and are excited to see what is to come in the near future.
By Abby Hochstetler