I like to fly in Helocopters

The Mercy left yesterday. I am totally bummed but at the same time so exhausted that I keep getting sick. Saying that I have been burning both ends of the candle doesn't hold a candle to the wild and crazy two weeks it has been (I was trying to fit as many cliches as I could in one sentence). Aside from attending church both Sundays, which was awesome, and having AT LEAST seven members over for dinner every single night but one, the highlight had to have been being the Commodores photographer when she went out to visit the medcap. We of course went by helicopter because it would have taken days to get there by car, the roads are that bad. This is what I look like when I am all gettuped and ready to go

For some reason I wear the exact same outfit on every remote photo shoot. It has lots of pockets and I don't care if it gets ruined, but doesn't look super ghetto. (I learned how to dress for them after I lost one of my favorite ballet slippers to a mud slide and ruined a brand new top) The commodore joked with me that I was lucky to fly with her because they would go out of their way to show her the most beautiful parts of the island. And they weren't kidding. We saw the most amazing waterfalls and rice terraces. I have actually gotten pretty used to flying around in helicopters, although I do not call them Helo's yet like everyone else. It drives me nuts when people use trendy terms like "Cali" or "anthro" I dunno just a personal pet peeve, plus I don't think I have earned my stripes enough to use that term. But on this trip we made several mid air stops. We would just hoover there (I know thats the point of helicopters) but there is something totally unnerving about being completely suspended in the air. I just kept waiting for us to DROP and was very gratefully when we started moving again. I have so many cool pictures I want to share but could only get up a few. This was the "crazy" guy in the village. He walked around talking into the whipper beater and holding up his calculator and yelling. When I asked him in Tetun if I could take his picture he looked at me and said "oh yes thank you" in perfect English. Maybe he is only crazy in his own language?

After watching several rather gorey procedures we went on a nature hike to see a beautiful river.

I felt like I was in big Cottonwood Canyon again! The water is this amazing color and they said it is because it has silk in it from the silk worms in the trees above the river. How cool is that?

Then the Commodore and I played soccer with the local kids until I thought I was going to puke. Note to self, to loose pesky baby weight simply play soccer for a half hour every day.

(That little guy in the front was totally ticked because I carried his friend around on my shoulders for half the game and then I had to leave before he got a turn, felt pretty bad about that whole situation)

I really wish I could get some more pics up of the children getting onto the helicopter going to the ship for treatment and the LINES and LINES of people waiting to be seen. They also had a bunch of dentists and it was amazing to see how totally organized they were. These volunteers are so amazing and I am so proud to be a member of our church who played a HUGE role in all of this.