Clinic Day in an Amazon River Village

View from village hall, now serving as a clinic for today. Typical thatched roof home across the village green in the background.

"Yesterday we went up the Amazon River to a village called Canaan. Going up the river means going south. Today we will be going north, or as they say 'down the river. ' It took us a 2 hour boat ride from Iquitos to Canaan. Once we arrived at the village we had to hike in a short distance. At Canaan we saw 201 patients. We have three doctors and seven nurses on our team. Many meds were given out to most patients, a lot of antibiotics and vitamins, shampoo, nail clippers, toys, and eye glasses.

I went in one of the homes. Pretty primitive to say the least. The cook stove was located on the side of the porch. It consisted of bricks stacked about 4 high on two sides. Then a couple of pieces of rebar laid across the bricks....not exactly temperature controlled. They hang their laundry on fences after they have washed them in a creek. They take a bath in the Amazon river which is the color of chocolate milk. Some of the kids had shoes, but most of them walk around bare footed.

We have a couple of translators with us. Hand gestures still work fairly well. The kids gather around in masses because we hand out toys. However, they will look at you and not take things until you nod your head. The temperature is sweltering to say the least. You all need to appreciate how good you have it!!! Have a great day, gotta go off to the jungle again today.

Sam & Carol Miller

Life on the River

A scene from the boat ride going up and down the streets of the Belen neighborhood in Iquitos; These houses appear to be floating on water, but are actually built on stilts 10-15 feet high. In low water season people use the lower level for outdoor living like a covered lanai.

"The humidity is very high here; about 15 seconds out of the hotel and your clothes are soaking wet. The rainy season has just ended here and a lot of huts that are normally on dry ground are floating on logs.We took a primitive boat ride on a river today, when I say primitive.... I mean a wood slat to sit on, and trust me is was not a very secure feeling. Of course, there was a bucket to bail out any water that we took on. Oh, and the motor was teeny tiny...I couldn't believe that these people think these boats are fabulous.

The food is very different. We only drink bottled water. We do not drink anything with ice because of contamination. They grow over 2,800 different types of potatoes here in Peru. Let's just say that we eat only at certain places that we are told the food is safe. I have washed my hands quite a bit more often here. A person can buy all types of food from street corner vendors. I would not advise eating any of it, due to the flies and other critters swarming all over it."

Sam & Carol Miller


In "low water season" the stilt houses look quite different as a previous Porter group tours the same street in Belen.

Getting Acquainted with Iquitos

Belen Market - Iquitos, Peru

"Flew from Denver to Atlanta and then Atlanta to Lima, Peru on Friday.
Sabbath we toured Lima and saw lots of sites, churches, and catacombs.
Late Sabbath afternoon we flew from Lima to Iquitos.

This morning some of us went to the Belen Market. The smell was terrible with all the dead fish, piranhas, dead gutted turtles, turtle eggs, monkeys, birds.....you name it....they sell it. The have over 8,000 people selling everything. One of the locals hired by Centura Health took us to the market, but because it is so dangerous, we had two police escorting us through the narrow isles...

Tomorrow I go with the Village Team. We have 2 doctors and several nurses on this excursion. We see patients with medical needs, give out vitamins, school supplies, nail clippers, flip flops, ink pens, and all sorts of fun stuff. You all need to realize how blessed you are to live in the USA. These people are so poor that, when a person dies, they sell all of their clothes and shoes to anyone willing to buy them. There are tons of orphaned children that sleep on the river banks."

Sam & Carol Miller