Ellen in Paraguay

Yesterday I was looking at some of the pictures and video clips that the Canadian girls took, and while watching a video clip traditional Paraguayan dancer with a bottle on her head, I suddenly remembered that I live in a very interesting foreign country. It was fun to play tourist a bit with the guests, to show off my newly-found translating abilities and try to find my way around town on a bus (I only got us lost one time). On the holiday we went to a fellow teacher’s house in the country and I learned how to cut and peal sugar cane. The most memorable part of that day for me was listening to her brother and cousin, who are professional musicians, serenade us in the church that was built by her family. It definitely was an experience inhabiting my somewhat small house with four other girls and their suitcases, but the Tim Horton’s coffee and the joy they brought me made up for any inconveniences there might have been. They also brought a whole bunch of very useful items for our library and English teaching department, which gets me excited to keep on teaching for the last 10 or so weeks left of school. I also just want to say that to anyone who thinks I talk a lot, I recognize that now as a gift from God, perhaps endowed upon me specifically to survive the last two weeks of my life. When we went to a meal at someone’s house, which we did for six days in a row, I had to do the talking for every person that was at the table, in addition to adding my own comments, which are numerous. But not today, I only have one more thing to say, which is that we are starting the construction for the new school building this week! It is a miracle that we actually met our goal of being able to start in August and I am so happy. It might be slow-going at first, but hopefully there will be at least two or three usable classrooms before the next school year starts in February. If you would like to contribute to the project, you can send money to the Apostolic Christian Foundation, 1135 Sholey Rd, Richmond, VA 23231, marked for the Paraguay School Building. I know I wrote this before, but someone asked for it again, and so I thought I may as well remind everyone. Then we´ll get it done even faster!

Hi, I have no time to write my blog because I am too busy being with my North American visitors. This morning we were talking about the things they learned in Paraguay, and I hope they don’t mind if I write some of those things here in my own words. Kathy Sulja said she admired the unity of the church people here. J.C. learned that sometimes it’s important to give up some of your “rights” and just be humble. Although she has never considered teaching as a possible career before, Elysha has realized that it could be where God is leading her (maybe teaching in Paraguay!). The other tall Kathy talked about depending on God’s power and not her own plans (probably because things are so unpredictable here sometimes). Bianca noted the strong presence of God’s spirit at our prayer meeting on Wednesday night. I think out of everyone, Jason has been the most affected by his time in Paraguay. He has thought lot about the possibility of returning and he almost cried when my fourth-grade class in the morning sang a farewell song to him. I keep thanking God that I have such wonderful guests who never complain about anything…well, until a little bit today when it suddenly turned cold again. We are all huddled in my house drinking tea as I write this today. I became quite sentimental washing the lunch dishes today. My house was so full and loud and I had to use every dish and spoon that was in the house. I guess then I’ll say I’ve experienced what a blessing it is to have company, even in my house where I only have 7 forks and we have to share glasses and use Rubbermaid bins as chairs. I do have to say though, that I am really glad that tomorrow is Saturday and we’re going to lunch at Karen’s house! It is sad as well, because the boys will be leaving. Before they leave though, we are going to prepare a bilingual Bible trivia game for church tomorrow night…I’m going to go do that right now!

“Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.”

Obviously that pun doesn’t work in Spanish, but it’s true that time really has flown by (osorry for not writing in my blog for so long). I can’t believe Jason and J.C., our two visitors from Virginia have already passed almost half of their stay here, and the four Canadian women are coming on Sunday. I have been having a good time dragging the boys around with me, to classes, to the top of Cerro Lambaré, to the place with the best empanadas, to the Hippie plaza and the place where all the Paraguayan political “heroes” are buried, and of course to my favourite stop, the supermarket. This week I made Jason dress up as a snowman with a real carrot nose, and I made J.C. teach the Barney clean-up song to the kindergarten class. I even made them do a bunch of my grading. In return for forcing them to walk long distances and embarrassing them in front of the students, I have shared a lot of my knowledge about Paraguayan culture and history. One day, just for the experience, I left Jason to drink tereré with some guys and fend on his own. I am really impressed with their language skills, and already thinking what a blessing it will be to have them help translate next week for the Canadians.

I was not disappointed at all in my expectation that they would be shocked at the pandemonic state of my classes. In spite of some frustrations experienced by J.C., during which a fourth grade girl came up to me and said “I think J.C. is getting a little angry” (haha, I can write whatever I want about him, he doesn’t read my blog), the classes this week were pretty fun and I feel like the kids have gotten a lot of exposure to the language. I love when we sing for them, even if it is just “happy birthday” or a Sharon, Lois and Bram song…sometimes my voice is weak from speaking so much, but with all of us together we fill the room and it is so happy. Jason is fairly convinced that his job as a computer programmer is meaningless in comparison and they are figuring out how much money he needs to save up to be able to come and live here. Overall, I think the boys’ greatest victory with the kids here has been goaltending for soccer and handball games.

I know I don’t have a lot of time left here, but if anyone reads this and gets inspired to visit, we’d love to have you! (Karen and Oscar too. I know I have wrote this a million times before, but I just think they are such a great, hospitable family). I admit that before I didn’t have the highest view of short term mission trips, after all, wouldn’t it be more effective to give $1500 instead of buying a plane ticket? But I have already been encouraged by my visitors, and I know that after spending less than a week here, Paraguay has already made its mark on them. I’m trying to do the best I can for all you who aren’t able to come for yourselves to experience Paraguay through my eyes.

A man was well-known in his neighbourhood for his obsession with widlife. His house was full of paintings which he himself had created, as well as piles of books and magazines all on the topic of animals. He TV was constantly programmed to the nature channel.
One day this man decided to fix the sidewalk leading up to his house. He mixed the cement and carfeully filled between the boards he had laid. But when he returned an hour later to see how it was drying, he cuaght the neighbour's sog making paw prints in his fresh new sidewalk! He chased the dog away and then re-poured the concrete. He went inside, and came out later, only to find that the dog had stepped in the cement again. The man angrily fixed the marred cement and stomped inside. The next time he came out, the dog had of course messed up the work again. The man grabbed his shotgun and killed the dog in a fit of rage! The owner of the dog heard the shot and came out to see what had happened. He said, "I can't believe that you just killed my dog! I thought you were an animal lover!" "I do love animals!" replied the man, "It's just that I only like them in the abstract, not in the concrete!"
This was one of the funniest jokes I ever heard in a sermon, delivered by my cousin Ed. I honestly can't remember what the sermon was about, but this joke resonates in me. I think it might be because, like the man, I really do love looking at animals and learning about them, but I don't like having to touch them or take care of them, or put up with poop in the yard. Anyways, I got an email from my mom this week informing me that our family dog died. I cried a little bit for Toffee, after all, I had known this dog for almost half of my life, and she really was a fabulous pet. I can't imagine that we will ever find someone to replace her. If someone asked me "do you like dogs?" I would have to say that I loved Toffee and she was like a friend to me the times when I paid attention to her, such as while waiting for the school bus or going on walks, but I can't speak for all the rest of the dogs. I think it would be very hard to care about dogs in general if one lived in Paraguay. The stray dogs are especially pathetic, just moping around, looking for some trash to scrunge through, and they never bark at you or even turn their head. For that reason it is also a good place to get over your fear of dogs. people might think that from readint his that I have nothing exciting happening in my life to write about , bt it's not true. I actually have a lot, so much so that I feel stressed out, and so I write about dogs to be more relaxed. Last night the internet place I usually go to, two blocks away from my house got robbed just minutes before I passed by there with Rey and Emi. I admit I do feel a little less secure now, and i can see why some of the people are so paranoid if they hear stories like this happening all the time in their neighbourhood, people getting stabbed for their sneakers or cellphone. When Emi's cellphone got robbed last month, she didn't even bother reporting it to the police because apparently they can't/don't do anything. Yesterday morning a shipment of one million american dollars came into the asuncion ariport for some buisnessman here, and 5 men got away with it. It seems to me like the police really should have been able to aprehend the robbers, but I guess I am thinking very north americanish now. Just so everyone knows, it had to have been at least 23 degrees or so here today in the middle of winter. We had the fans going in the classroooms. Everyone is really hoping it will rain soon. I don't think it looks dry at all, but there is a saying in Guarani about how in August the cows always get really skinny for lack of rain.
The theme of this blog entry will be compassion. I don't have to love animals, but I want to feel compassion for them and help them live well. I feel very compassionate towards all the victims of the crimes that happen and there is no insurance and no one the provide justice. I also feel sorry for the poor paraguayan farmers and the skinny cows.