Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Birthday to the Past

Photo flashbacks to the miracle filled years of when IAAI Instituto Adiventista Agro Industrial was started by my grandparents and a team of other dedicated people with a vision of providing education to the children from the interior areas of the Amazon.

Below is a clipping of when the govenor of the state awarded the SDA church with 25,000 acres of land for this agricultural school to be constructed!





In the height of their program, the school had 100 greenhouses among other productive industries where the students could earn their tuition, and gain an education in practical skills.
As a birthday gift, I met with my Grandma and traveled out to IAAI. It was a privilege to visit this special place and hear the miracle stories firsthand.

This is the Paraiba, the little river that runs through the jungle down behind the school.



The road down to the swimming hole in the Paraiba, where they used to trek down morning and evening to bathe, do laundry, and haul water up for cleaning, cooking, and drinking.

Exploring the old road that Papa blazed out to where the school was to be built through what was virgin jungle at that time. Now - half puddles - due to the rainy season.

Pe de Moleki - an typical Indian food made from Mandioc root and baked in banana leaves. A yummy treat!

The first house Papa constructed here on the land. There were thatch roofed shacks before, but this was the first wooden house - still in good condition after many years.


Rio Preto, the river through the little town several kilometers away.


Looking to the future - Inspired by the past - Content in the Present

3 comments:

  1. Caitlin, thanks for the generous posting of pictures! I love the one of the mud squishing between your toes. Such a delightful feeling!

    I think it's so neat that you have family ties in the place where you get to be an SM. How cool is that?

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  2. Wow! I was right there, literally, in some of those old photos! How I'd love to walk those memory lanes with you! The sounds, smells, flavors, happy days, good friends ... all of it comes alive agian! And yes, I can feel the sandy Paraiba bottom under my feet and the cool rushing water on a hot day... Enjoy home!

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  3. That is so amazing, it must be even more so to be there.

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