Preparations

The last few days have been all about preparing... preparing to preach today (combining the things I have been doing on this sabbatical with Matt. 7:1-12). In trying to cover too much I found myself having to leave some things out, then second-guessing the things I didn’t say. It will probably get posted sometime this week here. I’ve also been preparing for my next trip... Thursday I fly to Venezuela. I’m visiting Rick Yoneoka, a student-leader in the Tufts fellowship from 20 years ago who now is a US diplomat. This will be the 4th country I’ve visited him in... I’m a little nervous, because it closer to the equator than my sweat-glands like. The sun is strong enough that long sleeves and hats are encouraged, and Venezuelans generally don’t wear shorts either. I’ve had to top up my immunizations, and on the possibility I might be out in the jungle I have to start taking anti-malaria meds as well.
Why might I be in the jungle? Well, I would really like to see Angel Falls. It is something on my life-list (put there before seeing all the Vermeers in the world) and watching the movie Up which features it (though it is called “Paradise Falls”) reinforced that desire. The problem is that to see it from the ground requires flying in a small plane, than traveling in a canoe-like boat, than hiking. And August is the rainiest and cloudiest month of the year there, so you have no guarantees it can be seen. There is also nowhere to plug in my cpap machine in a hammock in the jungle. So there are some significant hurdles—but when will I be in Venezuela again?
   Here is a link to the preview of Up—the beginning shows their waterfall which is based on Angel Falls...When the video starts you will need to click on it to see the whole picture.  Then there is an actual video.  Without scale it is not as impressive--it is over 3,000 feet high!  (Niagara is only 167 feet). The clouds in the middle of the picture are real clouds, over a thousand feet in the air.