Ellen in Paraguay

It’s hot here already, always above 25 Celsius even at 5 in the morning, which was to be expected. What surprises me is the unusual aridity. I can’t even remember the last time we had a good tropical rain. When we sang a song in church last Wednesday about God sending rain, or when I read Psalm 63 “God you are my God, I thirst for you, my body faints for you in a dry and thirsty land where there is not water” I am forced to think in especially literal terms. Oscar and Dan and I went to one of the biggest waterfalls in the world this past weekend, Iguazu “big water” in Guarani, and it was overwhelmingly disappointing (included is a picture of Dan and I showing our disenchantment). I imagine it would have been very impressive if I had not already seen pictures of other years when it rose over the level of the bridges. We also visited the church in Hernandarias close by, and the community water tank was completely dry. Thankfully the people I stayed with had a well. When I asked what they will do when their well runs out, they replied “we’ll wait.”

I am feeling a little dry right now too. I only have a month and a half of teaching left, but I am starting to get a little tired and I think my classes are getting boring (like my blogs, right?) I just got secure in my language skills and interaction with the culture, and now have to think about going back home and going through it all in reverse. But I suppose instead of worrying about it too much, I will borrow the attitude of my faith-full friend from Hernandarias and just “wait.” For inspiration, I have been reading a lot of Psalms (131 I have calmed and quieted myself like a weaned child with its mother” and 146 “the Lord protects foreigners”), and I am also reading Desiring God by John Piper for the second time, in Spanish. Finally, I am listening to a CD of songs and sermons from Western camp that Ben shared with me. It’s practically like I’m sitting there in the tabernacle or at the campfire watching the sunset.

This Friday is our school Olympics day, which I am really looking forward to, except that now they are forecasting rain. I really want to write something fascinating about Paraguay, and I hope all of you keep reading. By the way, the construction is fabulously along on its way. Until next week….

# posted by Ellen @ 8:14 PM