Iquitos, Nauta, & San Reyes!!!

We recently returned from a fabulous trip to Iquitos, Nauta, and San Reyes. Our first day in Iquitos we did apartment checks with mom. We also did some shopping and bought some neat jungle souvenirs. On our second day we drove to Nauta where we attended a baptism and a talent show put on by the branch. On Saturday we climbed aboard a boat and drove to the headwaters of the Amazon River, where two rivers join together to form the Amazon. There we saw beautiful pink and gray river dolphins! We then drove upriver to a small jungle village called San Reyes, where we visited members of the church and had a wonderful time playing with all the kids. That evening we visited members of the branch back in Nauta. On Sunday we attended church with the Nauta branch and were able to give out beautiful modest skirts to all the women in attendance. These skirts were donated by members of my mom's ward and my Aunt Marjorie's ward back in Utah. The women were so grateful for the lovely skirts!

Stephen in front of a beautiful LDS church in Iquitos.

Walking the streets of Iquitos on apartment checks.



A family we visited had a cute little monkey!

 

They also had a parrot!



Here we are at the baptism in Nauta.

Stephen got an awesome 7-foot blowgun.  The gun came from a native tribe two hours outside Iquitos.  Stephen is thrilled about his new toy!

This man makes these beautiful baskets by hand.

Beautiful bloodwood bowls and vases.  These lovely items are unique to Iquitos.

The talent show in Nauta.  One of the talents was a primary song sang by the primary children.

A fruit and meat market in Nauta.

Fish, anyone?

The missionaries ready to board the boat to go find members in San Reyes!

Boarding the boat with Mom and Dad Blunck.



These kids, along with many other people, ran down to our boat when we arrived to sell us goods and food.



We gave pictures of Christ to these darling children in San Reyes.  We also had lots of fun playing with all the kids.



Playing volleyball with the kids.

The kids gave us a tour of their village.  You can see what their homes look like on the left side.

Another picture of their homes.  The homes are up on stilts because the river floods.

 

Mom showing the kids pictures of Christ, prophets, and other pictures found in the Gospel Principles manual.

A lovely picture of the river from the boat on our way back to Nauta.

A village on the side of the river.



At a restaurant that evening in Nauta, a parrot made its way into the restaurant and climbed up Dad Blunck's chair.  It was hungry!

Later on we visited a family in the branch who have a cute pet monkey.

It sure loved Mom!

We visited the second counselor in the branch presidency and his family in their home.  The violin on the table is the work of his own hands.

This member of the branch is a talented artist.  He painted this lovely depiction of the tree of life and the iron rod.

The Nauta branch on Sunday.  Missionaries arrived in this jungle village only last October.  There are many members now and the people are so excited about the Gospel!  The senior missionary couple in this branch is amazing.

Beautiful women in beautiful skirts donated from members of the Relief Society in Utah.  Thank you to all who donated!

 

The Young Women in the branch wearing their new skirts.

All of the sisters in their new skirts!



Members and investigators in Nauta.



Before heading back to Lima, we visited an area of Iquitos called Belen.  The houses are all built way up on stilts because the area floods every year.  The people take boats and build bridges to get out to their homes.  It is a very poor part of town.

This area is not currently flooded.  When the area is not flooded, people use ladders to get up to their homes.