Juan Mendoza was a small man, barely petite Catherine's height when he stood up tall. He weighed a little under 60 kilos - about 130 lbs. He had close cropped straight black hair. His skin was dark brown, smooth, nearly hairless and he had essentially no facial hair. Because of his features, everyone called him "Indiano" a derogatory nickname given to the indigenous people who lived out in the jungle. He had been educated in the mission as a child to the 3rd grade and had received the equivalent of an eigth grade education in the Brazilian Military.
He was a faithful church man, a hard worker, friendly and likable with a good sense of humor, and was a master of the jungle.
While Juan looked out of place in the towns, the jungle was his natural habitat. "Indiano" was an expert out here. He put the people in the villages at ease because he was one of them, spoke their languages, and knew their customs. He would help hunt, fish, build things, and farm with the men. They readily accepted that he was a farmer who had met "his wife," the doctor, while he was in the military and that she was serving as a doctor in a Catholic mission. All men had to serve in the military - so that was normal. They all laughed about his nickname "Indiano" - that's what every one of them were called too when they went to the town to buy or sell. She suddenly found herself readily accepted in the villages rather than being viewed with hostility and suspicion as an "Anglo" outsider. This made her work considerably easier.
Juan travelled considerably faster than she had in the jungle. He knew how to find paths, navigate, and get places - so they weren't constantly lost or falling into bushes, mud holes, and water like Catherine had always been. He also knew how to find food and ingredients - he was an excellent hunter and fisherman and he climbed trees like Tarzan for fruit, nuts, medical ingredients, and animals.