Igniting a Passion

 So much has occurred since I last wrote that I don't know where to begin! All I can say is that God rocks! :) Since that time, I have (among other things) traveled to another country, attended a quinceanera celebration, suffered through the stomach flu, finally met the director of New Horizon, and toured some new sections of Lambaré!

Alex, Cassidy, and I had another American night where we attempted to make mozzarella sticks.  They turned out very strange, and we ended up throwing most of them away.  We did, however, enjoy a movie, despite our cooking failure! :)  I really enjoy spending time with these two friends, and I am going to miss Alex so incredibly much when he leaves in about four weeks! :(  He has become like a little brother to Cassidy and me...but more so an excellent friend in Christ.  I am excited to see what God has in store for him when he returns to the States and begins college in August.

Alex, Cassidy, and I attempting to make mozzerella sticks

Sue Givens, the director of New Horizon, returned to Paraguay at the end of April.  She was in the States for about six months in order to care for her ill mother.  Her return has been a blessing to all of us!  I have enjoyed getting to know this wonderful, knowledgeable woman who has such a passion for God and His people.  She has already taken Alex, Cassidy, and I out for ice cream and pizza, and yesterday she drove Cassidy and me around Lambaré to see some areas we hadn’t seen in the four months we’ve been here. I experienced firsthand the spiritual darkness that exists in this nation. We drove through a poor neighborhood with shacks (most having nothing but dirt floors) and also had a chance to see some of the public schools.  I realized how blessed I am to teach at New Horizon, a small Christian school.  The most eye-opening part of the trip was passing through the Red Light District and seeing the motels used for prostitution, as well as visiting Cerro Lambaré, a large hill/lookout area over the city of Asunción.  This hill is pictured below.  

Cerro Lambaré

Cerro Lambaré

The above statue may look ordinary to you, but there is an awful lot of history behind it. Each side contains two figures, each representing different types of bondage that the country is under, whether that be spiritually, agriculturally, sexually, etc.  There is a statue of a man beneath the larger monument.  The Paraguayans seem to believe that the statue is of Chief Lambaré, but in reality he doesn't have many of the features of a Paraguayan Indian.  If you look closely at his loin cloth, you can see that the symbols are Satanic.  The monument itself is also shaped in a star, representing Satanism.  Rumor has it that there is a Satanic temple beneath the monument.  It is true that there used to be animal and human sacrifices at the site, but thankfully that activity has faded out.  It is sad that the average Paraguayan doesn't know the meaning behind this lookout point. He believes it is just another location, when in reality there is so much spiritual warfare going on!  My call from God to either stay here or return for awhile in the future was really reinforced after this experience.  Please be in prayer for the nation of Paraguay and its people, as the Devil is really at work. Also pray for us as we serve in such a spiritually dark country. I am thankful I know who wins the final battle, but we must constantly be on the watch, as the Devil prowls around like a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8).

Finally united!
Sue, Cassidy, Alex, and I

Cassidy, Sue, and I

 I finally met her! :)

an above-the-ground grave...really different!

I had seen an above-the-ground cemetery in Cuba before, but for some reason the one that Sue took us through here in Lambaré felt different to me... and a bit creepier!  It feels almost as if the cemetery is its own neighborhood because as you walk down the street, there are graves surrounding you on both sides. Nearly all of the caskets are inside small buildings, like the one above. The buildings contain the family name to make the bodies easier to locate. However, there is no rhyme or reason to the placement of the buildings, making it difficult to maneuver your way through the grounds. Some of the wooden caskets are visible through the windows if there are only metal bars at the entrance.  Sue told us that a few caskets have small openings over the head area...creepy to think that you can stare directly at the box where the body is lying! :/

Teaching the letter "E" by singing "Elmo the Elephant"

I love these children!

elks and elephant

what cuties!

This never gets old!

Teaching the letter "A" by singing "Apple Annie"

my little alligators

Teaching pre-school and kindergarten with Colleen continues to be one of my favorite things about living in Paraguay.  We use alligator puppets and astronaut helmets to aid in our teaching of the letter "A."  The song is called "Apple Annie," and the kids love it!  We also sing "Elmo the Elephant" to teach the letter "E", and we use elephant and elk puppets.  The kids absolutely love coming to the front of the classroom to wear the head pieces and sing in front of their peers.  It's hard to get them to sit down after being up front. Teaching these little ones definitely requires a lot of energy, but it's sure worth it! :)  Every time I see their faces, I can't help but smile knowing that I am doing exactly what God has called me to do here in Paraguay...and that is minister to these students.

First grade continues to be my problem area, but the situation has improved by leaps and bounds since I first arrived.  I still have a few girls who like to cause problems n the morning class and a group of boys who push my buttons in the afternoon class, but I think overall they are getting used to having me around as their English teacher for the school year.  They know that if they act up, they will end up with the principal.  Sue brought Peeps marshmallows back with her to distribute to my classes, and they absolutely loved them!  It has been nice to have so many days off school lately for holidays, but at the same time it is difficult to make my lessons flow with so many breaks in between class sessions.  I feel like I'm behind schedule because I haven't seen my students much lately.  I continue to pray for these kids and their families, as well as strength for me to make it through each class, knowing that I can't do much on my own strength but everything with the Lord.

the capital city of Asunción

The Paraguay River

I truly enjoy watching what God is doing in and through me in Paraguay! After seeing everything He has accomplished in just four months, I get excited thinking about the potential for the final seven months!. There is still plenty of time left to leave an impact...but more importantly, to be impacted!  I am here to, not only make a difference in the lives of others, but also to be changed by the local people.  I am excited to share in my next post what more God is doing in my life and in the lives of others!

Until next time, God bless! :)

Ways you can be praying...
1) my health
2) my host family and roommate
3) my students and their families
4) my walk with God
5) the young people of Paraguay
6) the spiritual darkness in Paraguay