Paraguay Phase 2

Day 5
After another late night we were again given a later start to the day. It forced an extra amount of urgency to the days goings on and also noticeably condensed the meal schedule. After breakfast we worked on our docket of skits. That went until just past noon, at which time many in the group walked to the super market. The time between when they left and got back was utilized by those of us who didn’t go along to do various things around the compound. Right around the time they got back several of us got the itch to go exploring ourselves but we just missed the window to escape.
Lunch was a delicious and hearty beef stew that sustained me through the rest of the day.
A day that was invested in the local pastors church. After we walked to the church we divided into 3 groups, then we went through the nearby neighborhoods inviting the kids and families to the church. The area we were in, along with the kids in it, was like something you’d see in one of those adoption or sponsorship commercials. But we rounded up as many people as would come and did our own version of the pied piper to the church.
After each group had returned we ushered them into the church for our little program. I’d estimate that there were around 40 kids in and around the church, plus some of their parents so it got a little cozy! There was one young girl that stuck to me from all the rest. She was maybe three years old but from the time she saw me while doing the inviting she followed along and then back at the church she came right over to sit by me. She was just very sweet and beautiful, the only one I’ve seen yet that I wish I could take home.
The skits went off without any major hiccups and the kids were loving it. There are several different examples of Gospel truth in them, but they are meant as much to be funny as they are to be preachy. After the words and the laughs came the action to support them. Myself and the other guys mostly just played with the boys while a couple local men gave them haircuts.
The ladies on the other hand had their hands full. They were doing some serious work with the locals to improve their hygiene status. There was one group that focused on their nails, as a way to lift their spirits. The other two groups were focused on reducing the lice problem that many of them were found to have.
That went on for a few hours at which time myself, Josh and Michel went back to the mission to start dinner preparation. After a lot of the prep work happened it was remember that there was a church service that night. So the guys hustled to the house to change and the ladies finished the food. We ate and then made the 15 minute walk back to the church.
Even though most of it was in Spanish the worship time was great! The music was lively and somewhat familiar. At one point the majority of those present joined together to pray over the kids. The pastor gave a simple message, but filled with truth. From there we walked back to the compound, got a little bit of pertinent information and soon all retired to our various quarters for the night.
Day 6
What. A. Day!
It started out typically. Everything after the start was atypical from the rest of the trip to that point. It was finally time to get on the water and see remote place, along with whatever else could be seen in the water or on the shore from the boat. Our maiden voyage took us 2 hours away.
They’re called villages but where we ended up was a row of houses between a single road and the river. Not what I was imagining but I knew there would be the unexpected on this trip and that was just one example of it. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
After boarding the boat we went into our quiet times. The prescribed reading for the team is John but I was inclined to read about the rebuilding of Jerusalem as recounted in Nehemiah. It struck a perfect cord with me. So truly perfect that I can’t even take credit for the idea. Thank you Jesus!
In Nehemiah the goal of the people assembled in Jerusalem was to rebuild the walls of the city so that they could rebuild the rest of it. I was unfamiliar with Paraguay’s history, as are many that I’ve spoken with so based on that let me give a brief history. Around 150 years ago the ruler of Paraguay thought it would be wise to attack Brazil, Argentina & Uruguay. They suffered mass casualties which is still reverberating to this day. Part of the consequence of it is that the role of men in the society is almost non - existent. Another part of it is that it has left many of the people with a deep sense of hopelessness. So while we won’t be doing even the smallest of construction projects during this trip we are doing something greater - rebuilding the people. A smile, a high five, a hug and the simple games or hygiene procedures that are taking place is like the mud being laid down to secure a brick in the rebuild. That may not seem like much of an outcome but I consider it an honor to be involved in the work.
So now I had my theme for the trip. It didn’t hurt that reading the entire book of Nehemiah took up most of the boat ride either! What time there was between the final words of the book and arrival at our docking I spent enjoying the sights of the river, with my iPod serving up the soundtrack.
Once on shore we walked that dirt road, inviting all who could come while the meds checked those who wouldn’t be able to make the walk. Shortly after finishing that we played with the kids who made their way to the meeting place immediately, until lunch was ready. After eating lunch the work was started. The question I had in the lead up to the trip and through the first several days was how I would contribute during the apex of the trip.
I had already sampled the answer but was privy to the fact that I had sampled it until we worked the first village. I got to play the role of entertainer and not even to the level that American kids require so it made the experience all the sweeter. Simply tossing the football around and doing penalty kicks with them kept them occupied for hours while the predetermined work again took place. In the brief off times I walked around and took pictures of the goings on.
With mere minutes left to go before riding the river again, one of the men called out to me. That had already become a bit old hat for me during the days down south but after an initial reaction to keep walking, I stopped and let the man come over. There was a two language gap between me & this man but the Spanish translator could piece together enough to know that the man should speak with the pastor. It didn’t take long before the pastor was in full exhortation mode on this guy. Days later we found out some of the details of what was going on, to put it simply, the man wanted to change his life. I never would have thought that looking the way I do would be the instrument of someone’s repentance but God is that great.
After everyone and everything was gathered up we re boarded the boat. Rumor had it that we may be able to steer the boat so before long I went to check the validity of it. After getting into the wider part of the river Benidez let me take the helm for a photo which turned into 25 minutes which ended up being over an hours time at the wheel. It was another highlight in a day that had already had a few but as the sun sank low and night took it’s place it got to be more then just a gimmick. Being able to tell the difference between water and land in pitch dark took all my attention but the increasing weightiness of my arms made it all the tougher. We never sniffed any potential collisions but a few minutes before the dock I was able to give the seat back to someone who knew where they were going and how to finish the process.
There were still some formalities to finish the day but with a full heart and tired body I did them as quick as possible so as to crawl into my sleeping bag again. When the time came for it, I just hoped that tomorrow could hold a candle to the days activities but deep down I knew that my pinnacle had been reached. Which meant that I would have to be all the most intentional about the remaining days so as to not miss or waste any opportunities. But that was all hypothetical, albeit important, as I eventually drifted off into the dreamland.
Day 7
The question that I had as I fell asleep was the same question on my mind as I awoke. How does the best day of the trip, so far and possibly overall, get followed up?
That wasn’t the only thing to carry over from night to morning. After talking through the day I started to feel stomach ill and it persisted into the new day. It wasn’t anything that some Tums didn’t knock out but I’m starting to get a little tired of feeling less then 100.
As for the days schedule, we were told that the distance to the next village was only about 30 minutes by boat. In other words, going both ways would take less then half as long as it took just to go to the first village. That may have done just as much to calm my stomach as the tablets but enough about that.
The possibility of getting back before the sun went down and having several hours to see the town seems to have had a positive effect on everybody. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who feels at least a little caged up! But first we had to complete our purpose so we gathered our gear and boarded the boat again.
The place where we were let off the boat this time was much closer to the hosts house then it had been yesterday. After dropping all our stuff at the hosts we walked the road to five different houses nearby to invite the locals while others further down were invited by the tele. The one family that stuck out to me from this lot was that of a married couple who adopted a pair of twins that they were related to, who had been orphaned when their mother died giving birth. Another sad example of men not stepping up but in contrast the husband and wife did which will likely be best for those kids in the long run.
After getting back to the host house we set up the few things that needed to be and then began playing some games to draw the kids in who walked or biked past. Entertaining and interacting with the youths was a tiring and enjoyable but more then that, the thing I took away from today’s outing was a couple customs of the country that I partook in. The first being a custom of drinking fruit as opposed to eating it. The locals would take a fruit, in today’s case Grapefruit, peel the tough skin off, cut a cone out the top, pierce the insides and drink it. Partly due to the smaller number of people who came and partly due to the fact that I was hoping to experience some new things in this culture, when I was offered one I partook. The fruit itself was better then ours are but even if they had tasted the same, doing something in a different way was good. In a way, it was an insignificant representation of how these trips can matter a great deal.
Thus we spent a few hours there. Due to the lesser numbers, the meds were able to put in more time and attention on each person who showed. Whether it was to treat a specific need or to educate about self care they made the most of a situation that an outsider, just looking at it, may have considered a failure. It wasn’t and making sure it wasn’t was an important realization for me later.
For the second time in as many days, just before we left there was a surprise in store. Not nearly as exciting as a man coming to Jesus but it did allow me to check my “eat weird stuff box” on my mental to do list. Our own Most Interesting Man in the World walked over to a grill and after calling myself and a few of the others over showed us what had been on the menu, at some point in the recent past. It was cooked Capybara. For those who have never heard of that, it’s one of the worlds largest rodents. The thing had been WELL cooked and clearly eaten on but there was still some meat on those bones so when the offer was made to try some I didn’t hesitate…too much.
It tasted like burned pork so not the worst favor I’ve ever experienced but I didn’t expect to eat rodent so it was another twist on this adventure of mine.
A few minutes after that we departed for Antequera. Once back on shore the remainder of the day was used to do more prep for the overnight that we were going on next. But beyond that the day was free for us to explore the town and have some unscheduled fun, seemingly the first of the kind for the group. We walked by the river for a while then went to a store a few blocks away before returning to do some personal quiet times.
Each day has had it’s own flavor and this one was no different. From the beginning to the end it seemed like it was for our personal refreshing. God knows what we need and I’m glad for the day we had but in my personal inventory I wouldn’t have come to the conclusion that it was absolutely needed. Maybe that’s the best time for refreshing to happen, before it’s desperately needed! As a result of that I will thank God and do my best to turn my attention to what comes next!
Day 8
Talk about flipping the script. After yesterday’s short ride came the longest of the 3, a possible 5 hours one way. Uff’da. Added to the extra time were several more people and quite a bit more gear. I for one wasn’t looking forward to the tight quarters that it was certain to be but once everything and everyone was aboard we made it work.
It took closer to three hours then five to get to the village and people seemed to instinctively coordinate to not get too much into each others personal space. Due to the earlier then anticipated arrival at the village the first thing we did was walk about. Of the three, this was the only one that matched what I think of a village as being. I tried to get what pictures I could of it but my camera powering issues finally happened at the most inopportune of time so it’s pretty limited. It never bothered me as much as I would have guessed and once I came to terms with it I was kind of glad because it was one less distraction.
The kids were more tentative then most of the others that we’ve encountered thus far but they still enjoyed kicking and throwing balls around. Doing some of the skits may have helped with that as well. I mean who knows if they’ve ever even seen a white person before, much less a group of 12 of them that don’t speak their language!
After playing and performing we had to break in order to set up all the tents before the sun vamoosed. It may be a Southern Hemisphere thing but I still haven’t adjusted to the light schedule. The sun rises at about the same time here as it does back home but sets a full four hours earlier, if not even earlier then that. It more then anything has continued to throw off my mental clock every day.
Last night was no exception, I could have gone to sleep at like 6 pm without any doubt but dinner kept me awake. Not the food itself but everyone coming back on the boat to eat meant I couldn't crawl into my sleeping bag for the night so I ate and then found some second energy. It also didn’t hurt that there was a fire going on the shore that I had take charge of maintaining.
We had found some seat worthy logs and arranged them in a half circle facing out over the river. It’s one of the better mental images that I’ve got from this trip. But the fire and the water weren’t the only things that night. Being as it was the fourth of July we were surprised with some fireworks - yet another reason to stay awake. It made for a special evening which eventually gave way to talk of many sorts of things. I wasn’t interested in engaging in the topics but instead spent the time wandering the immediate area, admiring & trying to figure out the constellations, and praying. So instead of 6 pm I finally bedded down on the boat around 10 while the others all self determined their need for sleep. I wasn’t sure how the boat would be for sleeping in but it was better then I would have guessed.
Day 9
The night of sleep on the boat was short but sufficient for the day’s activities. I was the first member of the team to wake up and get up but several of our local coworkers were up well before me. Because I didn’t know what time it was or how long people would sleep for I decided to go up by the fire area and see if anything was left burning.
I found a single hot coal which excited the boy scout side of me so I quickly gathered some dry bark, leaves, twigs and branches to get it started again. Within a few minutes the crackle of fire could be heard and not long after that several local children came to sit by the fire. Not being able to speak a word to each other yet having something as basic as fire in common was a strange dynamic.
And there I was for a length of time I’ll never know but until breakfast was served, even though I barely ate any of it. For today, there were some new things introduced because of all the extra hours. The most notable was a half hour skit that highlight many different stories from Genesis through Jesus. With the translation into Spanish and then into the native language everything takes longer so certain parts were excluded on the fly.
After that a few of us stayed up on the hill and talked or played volleyball. The rest of the team was down on the beach doing more hygiene work. It was a quick morning but not without purpose and benefit but then we departed for Antequera.
The return journey took all afternoon and it was nearly dark by the time we were docked. Everyone then lined up to completely empty the boat of it’s contents. Then once everything had gone up the chain and was sitting by the road in front of the mission we grabbed our various belongings and took them inside the fences or for the locals, took them back to their residence’s.
Even though it was dark by the time it was all done most of us decided to use the evening to again explore some other parts of the town. Word had it that there was an ice cream shop not far away so that was the first stop but we walked several blocks that we hadn’t yet seen. From the time we returned to the mission until the time that I slid into my sleeping bag, everything was intentionally low key.
I continued to reflect on the theme from Nehemiah of rebuilding. I don’t know how to apply it to life back home but if and when it’s a necessary theme for me back in the 58103 and beyond I’ll know it.
Day 10
On our last full day out we made some surprising in roads for the immediate future. First on the day’s agenda was another mini VBS for another neighborhood in town. It’s astounding how much they appreciate such basic hygiene practices or playing football with a defective ball. It’s really putting into perspective how different much of the world is from the cushy US. I’ve seen this level of poverty before yet it continues to sink in.
In the hours after we mostly hung around at the mission before having a unique opportunity. Between the guy’s house and the mission there is a surprisingly nice high school. Through our local contacts we were able to hold chapel there. We tuned some of the details of it to an older audience but I wasn’t sure how well it would go over. It turned out to have just as much reach to these teens as it has had with so many of the youngsters.
Once we were through we spent between 30 & 60 minutes out on the courtyard. Some people talked, others arm wrestled or did some handball shots before a challenge was made to play the game between students and team members. It’s sort of like ultimate frisbee with a small basketball and the goal is to put it into the soccer net. And all the while many of the students were walking around with their phones and asking to take photos with basically everybody on the team. I thought it to myself and others expressed it as well; we felt like rock stars but it created a conflict within me since that’s not why we were there.
From there we walked back to the mission for dinner. I’ve never been a fan of chicken & rice soup when offered it back home but the mere fact that it looked like chicken noodle was enough for me to fill my bowl and leave nothing but air in the bowl once I was done.
Not long after that we all took another walk, this time to a park. Near the end of our chapel we extended an invitation to all the students to come get together that evening. With no guarantee that anyone would show up we went anyway. A few locals wandered over after we had been there for a while but it was mostly just us entertaining ourselves. A few of our local partners brought a speaker, mic & computer which they used to do Christian karaoke. I spent most of the time there just listening to them sing while trying to figure out if I knew the song and could sing along in English. Cross linguistic singing ain’t no joke, is the conclusion I came to after a couple songs! Beyond the walks back to the mission and house nothing much else went on today, save for a hinting at something possibly opening up for us to do tomorrow.
Day 11
Friday started with a slight variation to the routine. Unlike most of the preceding days, it started with quiet time at 7 then breakfast. The change because of a meeting with the high school’s leadership to start the day discussing a return to interact with the crew of morning students.
The students that we had engaged with before had been hyping it to the rest of the student body to the point that the faculty wanted to let us return. The problem was that it was the last day of their term and it was deemed to be unwise to wedge it into the schedule. But that’s where the surprise comes in.
The positivity that had been generated was enough where the team which will be coming down next month has been invited to have an assembly of their own. Speaking as an American where Christ is as stamped down as possible in the public square, to not only allow but to invite it in to a school was exciting news.
But the fact that it was taken out of the tentative schedule rearranged the plan. So shortly after we collected ourselves and headed to the far end of town. Today’s location was in a tree covered cul-de-sac, or at least that’s the closest example to it I can think of. We walked back out and went three different directions to do the round up. My group ended up without a translator, yeah not ideal, so we just let the locals who were with us do the inviting while we mostly just looked on.
There was one house in particular that stood out to me. From what I saw there were 4 different generations living on a single property with two buildings. Not counting the several animals that were there, I saw well over a dozen people there. It wasn’t the first multi-generational home that I saw but it was the most populous one.
Approximately a half hour later we were back at the grove with the rest of the team and three dozen or so of the areas residents. The kids started playing duck, duck, goose; soccer or football. It was a hot day and I was low on water so I tried to stay in the shade of the trees but couldn’t help but step out into the open, aka the sun, to toss it around.
It was a closer call then I would have liked to put myself in but I able to get back to the mission without any incident. After another lunch where I didn’t eat too much we all went back to the house to shower, pack, clean and rest before taking everything to the mission. Once there all that was left for us before the latest late night bus ride was dinner and goodbyes.
They made enough fried egg burgers for each of us to have three and followed them up with two 5 gallon pales of ice cream. The borderline gluttony was followed up with deep cleaning of the whole place then around 8 pm everyone there grabbed baggage and we walked to the bus stop. Once there we waited close to 45 minutes for the bus to show up. Several of those present were of the long goodbye variety so I’m not sure if they were satiated but they had plenty of time to bid adios. When the bus finally arrived we loaded and boarded. I don’t love these bus trips but the seats on each them have been more comfortable then any that I’ve experienced before which helps a lot!
The ride from Asuncion had been uneventful so I thought the return may be likewise, but not so fast.
Something like 3/4/5 hrs into the ride I awoke & realized that not only had the top level of the bus filled up, it had gone beyond it’s seating capacity. To complicate it, those who were left in the aisle had congregated closely to where several females were seated. The next thing I noticed was that those guys were inebriated. Milliseconds later I knew that my time sleeping on the bus was over. Every ounce of my focus then turned to watching their move and being ready for certain possibilities. The next morning we were told that they were speaking amongst themselves that the bearded guy was watching them closely. I have no doubt that they were referring to me and I’m glad they realized it. Any time they looked at me I would force myself to not even blink. It may seem extreme but if I could help it I wasn’t going to just let something happen. When it was through nothing had actually happened, though one of them did get a little too comfortable with where he was sitting and how he could behave. A sharp warning was all it took to cut that off.
We got back to the compound around 3 am. I’m hoping that was the last short night of the trip but am honestly not optimistic about it.