The Amazon River in Brazil

It's known for being the largest river in the world. The Nile comes close, but doesn't encompass as much spaces as the Amazon. Known for being the home to dangerous creatures like Piranha, (the flesh eating fish), giant, deadly snakes, and Pink Dolphins, (wait-, really?), the Amazon River is an adventure all by itself!!

Fun Facts:)

The Amazon River is made up of two rivers which join together near Manaus, Brazil, (northern Brazil) the Rio Negro, (the Black River), and the Solomon River.
Manaus is the largest city on the Amazon.
In the dry season, the water recedes more than 20ft!
The discharge of water is roughly 55 Million gallons, (209 Million Liters), per second!
The Amazon River is home to the worlds largest river dolphins, (yes, that is a thing), which can get up to 8 1/2 feet long. Their skin also changes color with age from grey to pink.
Anaconda, the World's largest snake species, lives in the Amazon.
The River has over 1,100 tributaries!
That's just a few of the amazing facts about the worlds largest river. But this is where my story starts: I actually lived on it!!

Life on the Amazon

While we traveled the river, I lived on a houseboat. Not the one in the picture above, that was a smaller transport boat to get us to a village. The water level of the Amazon had receded, and our large boat couldn't traverse the channels; so we took this little pint-sized wonder cruise:)

This is what our boat looked like. That right there was home for nearly 10 days from Manaus to Canuma, (a small, riverside city). We traveled day and night with a small crew on the river through alligator and piranha infested waters; though, they said as long as you didn't bother them, they wouldn't bother you. I wasn't too eager to test that theory.

The People

Anywhere you would go from the river, there was a floating dock and a long staircase to reach the city level, such was the case in Canuma, (which is pronounced the same as Panama, but with a "C").

Our purpose in Brazil was to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and we did so through a number of different ways. But my favorite was children's ministries. I don't know why, but kids love me! We would get them together for an activity and also share with them about the love of God!

I'm not 100% sure, but I think what those papers say in Portuguese, (the national language of Brazil), is "Salvation is of the Lord". We we're teaching the kids about Jonah and the Whale and what will happen if we don't listen and obey God.

I've said before that my heart is in Uganda, Africa and the work I do there. But my heart is also in Brazil with these precious, amazing... I can't even. I just wanna go back right NOW!

The Wildlife

You've already seen the dolphin, now here's some of the other animals we encountered.

That is a baby sloth. People say sloths are slow and they make fun of them in cartoons, but its all true. This thing had claws that could rip you to shreds, but it moved in slow motion. It also looks cuddly, but its fur is rough and prickly like pins. Its a cute little thing, but not at all what you expect.

Yes, alligators! This one was caught by our Brazilian guide, Jesus, (I'm not even kidding, that is his name), he dives off the front of a boat and catches them! Almost everyone on our team got to hold one!

Leaving...

It was a fun trip and we did a lot of good. We brought aid to people, but more than that, we brought the gospel that changed their lives forever. And the most amazing thing is that this trip changed my life forever. I want to return but this year it may not be possible. Until next time, Manaus. Leave the lights on for me.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my adventures! If you did, drop me a comment and let me know. Upvote, Resteem, all that jazz:)

--Stay classy