This weekend 40 Brazilians came to stay on the ranch for a retreat. If you knew what the ranch looks like you would know that there really isnt a specific place for 40 people to stay overnight, so people were packing like sardines in any building with a roof and furnished floors. After the intial shock of having so many people here (about 12 people are usually ever on the ranch, including us) it was actually a lot of fun.
So on Saturday after noon we were all given free time till the meeting that was supposed to happen later in that night, so the boys got a great idea, lets ask if any of our new Brazilian friends want to take a hike to the waterfall! The waterfall is one of my new favorite places in the world. Its about 600ft, so you cant even see the whole thing from the bottom but its completely surrounded by forest and only about a 15 minute hike off the driveway. In the end about 12 Brazilians decided to go.
Well it took us about 15 minutes just to get them all to the dirt path off the driveway to even start our hike. Most of our group were young women who had worn their nice clothes and sandals to take this hike. We had forgotten to tell them (or more like didnt know how to tell them) that this hike included some narrow paths, crossing the creek twice, and doing some minor rock climbing.
I was worried for a bit that one of these Brazilians was going to fall in the creek or in the mud and have a minor hissy fit that this was not what they had expected when these crazy Americans asked if she wanted to go on a fun, quick trip to the waterfall (It probably took us 45 minutes to actually get there). So we all stationed ourselves in various places along the path to prevent any major slipping to happen. But I was actually eating my words by the end. All of them were so cool about it. Many of them got their pants and shoes completely soaked and dirty and yet they were all laughing and having the best time.
When we got to the waterfall they were all so excited! They were taking pictures like crazy, my face hurt from smiling so much for pictures. Even a few got under the water and were completely soaked in their nice clothes and they all thought it was great! On the way back a few of them did actually fall, which I freaked about till I realized that they were all laying in the mud laughing to tears they thought it was so funny. I think it has been one of my favorite hikes so far.
God is good!
