Winter Vacation Shenanigans

July has been CRAZY and BUSY, but it has been full of more blessings than I could EVER imagine! Let me tell you...God shows up in BIG WAYS when you least expect it! :) Allow me to explain some of the ways He has done so this month.

Cassidy and I have been working overtime in the translation department, as we have translated prayers, testimonies, medical vocabulary, and everyday communication for several different U.S. teams that have come to Paraguay for either one or two-week mission trips. We most recently worked alongside a team with members from churches in both New York and Pennsylvania. The first week they were here, we were invited to go on about a 9-hour tour of Asunción and the surrounding areas. We visited a town famous for its yarn, another town famous for its pottery, and most of the important buildings/monuments downtown. Cassidy and I had already been to many of the places either by ourselves or with someone else, such as Sue. It was nice to hear the history behind everything though, which we hadn't received before. Our tour guide was Paraguayan but speaks nearly-fluent English. He was great to have around whenever we had questions, but honestly, he did such a nice job explaining everything that we weren't left with many questions at the end of the day. The primary activity we did with the NY/PA team was run a medical clinic Monday-Thursday, 8-5. A doctor from the one church in New York flew down and joined their team the second week they were here. One person checked the patients in, a nurse on the team did routine measures, such as blood pressure, pulse, and gluten tests. Cassidy primarily helped with translation there in the nurse's station. Jeff, the doctor, saw the patients after this location. The patients then journeyed to the prayer room where Joe, Joan, and I prayed with them for the health, occupation, studies, etc. of them and their families. I know that Joe and Joan were chosen for a special purpose from the team to be in this room at the clinic. There was something very powerful about their prayers and their presence, especially Joan's hugs that she distributed to each and every patient! They took turns praying in English, and I translated everything to Spanish. Needless to say, my oral Spanish has improved by LEAPS AND BOUNDS after this practice!!! Joy (the wife of pastor Robert at the church by the school) ran the pharmacy where all the patients came after praying with us. A couple pharmacists on the team helped her out. There was a coloring station for the children while they waited to see the doctor. There were people associated with the school, as well as community members, who came to the clinic. In total, we saw right around 200 patients throughout the four-day clinic...SUCCESS! God works in big ways, as I said!

It was difficult saying goodbye to this special team of people, as they came to Paraguay (many for the second, third, or fourth time) with big hearts ready to serve and be served. Thanks to the VERY generous $110 (per person) donation of the team/an individual on the team, Cassidy and my winter vacation to Argentina was nearly free! We were totally shocked when a couple of them approached us with large bills saying how much they appreciated everything we did for their team that week regarding translation. They were so grateful because they wouldn't have been able to communicate with the Paraguayans at all if we wouldn't have been here. They told us to use the money however we'ed like in Argentina. WOW! Again, God shows up in big ways, Amen?!

Cassidy and I had an interesting border experience when trying to exit Paraguay and enter Argentina. Let me start from the beginning. We took a bus from our neighborhood to the Asunción bus terminal in order to buy our tickets for the longer bus ride to Formosa. We were hoping to catch the 11:30 a.m. bus, but by the time we arrived, that bus was sold out. We went with a different company and bought tickets for the 3:30 bus that afternoon (which meant finding something entertaining to do in a bus terminal for four hours). We got on the bus and rode for about an hour to the border, where we would exit the bus, stand in a long line, and get our passports stamped. The problem is that we sat at the border and didn't budge for three hours. In fact, we watched an entire movie as a bus before we crossed over. I'm still not sure what the holdup was. That wasn't the last of our issues. The customs agents pulled Cassidy and I and asked us lots of questions about our stay in Paraguay for a year. We didn't have any problems before, but I think they were extra suspicious because we were on our final day of our 90-day Visa. We wouldn't normally cut it that close, but we couldn't leave the country any earlier since we had responsibilities back here in Paraguay the week before. Our bus was about to leave without us because we were the last people from our bus still in line. We finally made it to our place of rest in Formosa around midnight instead of 7:00 or 8:00 p.m.

a Nazarene church we visited  in Formosa, Argentina

worship band at El Buen Pastor (The Good Shepherd) Nazarene church in Formosa

Silvana (one of the pastor's daughters), Cassidy, and I after the service

Mike, Cailyn (a missionary friend couple), Debora (another one of the pastor's daughters), Cassidy, and I

A missionary couple who is friends with Cassidy just so happened to be in town the same week speaking at the same Nazarene church that we usually attend in Formosa. They are mobilization coordinators for a program called Extreme Nazarenes and work with church planting throughout South America. They travel nearly every weekend, speaking at church all over. This means lots of long bus rides for them. Cassidy and I stayed with the pastor's family (the pastor and her three daughters) for a few nights, doing such things as walking to the coastline and eating ice cream in our free time. We really like the pastor's family and were able to get to know them better this time than our first time in Formosa. They are always so hospitable and humble. From Formosa, we journeyed to Buenos Aires for the rest of our vacation week. I know, right? One of my dream cities :) Because Mike and Cailyn (the missionaries) live in Buenos Aires and were traveling home after speaking in Formosa, they asked if we wanted to ride along and sight-see there. We of course said yes, even though it meant a 15-hour bus ride. It wouldn't be the last of our long bus rides that week.

river in downtown Buenos Aires (Río de la Plata)

by Río de la Plata (Silver River)

Cassidy and I along the river

We stayed at the Nazarene seminary in Pilear (a suburb of Buenos Aires), which is where Mike and Cailyn live. Cassidy and I had our own room with lots of bunk beds since there were no large groups there that week. It was a nice place with HEAT! We hadn't had indoor heating the entire winter. Our first day or so in the capital, we slept in and took it easy after riding all night the night before on the bus. We did go to the nearby mall with Mike and Cailyn to see where they go on a weekly shopping basis. The next day, we did all of our sightseeing downtown (about an hour away from Pilar). We visited the president's house (casa rosada), a neighborhood called La Boca (all colored buildings), Plaza de Mayo, the river (Río de la Plata), and the obelisk. You can see from the pictures that it was definitely a cold day...low to mid 40's. Being from Ohio, that normally wouldn't be too bad of a winter, but when the rest of the year is so hot here and that's what I've become accustomed to, 40's feel cold! I wore my gloves because my hands were freezing by the time we walked around the entire day.

the neighborhood La Boca

in La Boca next to one of the many colored walls

La Boca

the obelisk downtown

the president's house (casa rosada)

in front of the president's house

One of my favorite parts of our downtown sight-seeing day was eating Italian food for lunch (that's basically what Argentine food is) and riding a subway for the first time! We took the subway to get to the bus terminal so Cassidy and I could buy our tickets home for the following day. The experience was about what I expected...a fast-moving train-like machine. There are several different routes marked by different colors that travel throughout the city.

giant Argentina flag downtown

my first ever subway ride!

After spending two short (but sweet!) days in the "dream city, " we packed up and embarked on a 22-hr bus ride this time!!! Yippee!!! Let me tell you, it was the longest trip of my life. The bus showed up about an hour and a half late to start with, so the trip home was longer than expected. After sitting in the same seat for nearly an entire day, watching the same people sleep (and snore) beside me, using the same dirty bus bathroom as everyone else...I was SO happy to be back in our nice little house! I don't plan to ride a bus again any time soon :)

As I have reiterated throughout this blog post, GOD SHOWS UP IN BIG WAYS! I think that is evident by now, if it wasn't already. I can't wait to see what He has planned in the rest of 2014. I am trying to enjoy every moment because the final four months will fly by (the months already have been). Thanks for your continued prayers!

¡Dios te bendiga! :)

Ways you can be praying...
1) my health (I have been having lots of allergy problems with this climate.)
2) my English classes, my students, and their families
3) the horrible flooding in Argentina, Brazil, & Paraguay right now
4) my daily walk with Christ
5) the spiritual darkness in Paraguay
6) the youth of Paraguay
7) finances (especially for Cassidy, as she is currently raising funds for the rest of this year and next)

So Many Americans!

Between mission teams coming and going and a short but sweet visit from one of my dearest college friends Tanya, I have interacted with more Americans the past few weeks than I have since I left the States in January! It has felt strange using so much English on a daily basis, but at the same time, it is a bit of a break from the constant Spanish around me.

I have truly enjoyed getting to know everyone on the several different U.S. teams that have visited recently for either a week or two. We have worked with people from Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Texas. My oral Spanish skills have been put to good use, as we bilinguals have been interpreting on home visits and at school and church events. While the Dallas, TX team was here, we entered homes and prayed with the families of several of the students here at New Horizon. I interpreted three of those visits. This was a particularly emotional experience because a few of the families are part of the 300,000+ people who have had to relocate lately due to rapidly increasing flood waters. We placed hands on the sites of the new homes, and many tears were shed. This was an incredibly powerful moment for me! I also interpreted testimonies for a couple of the Texas team members at the Tuesday evening service at Fuente de Vida (the church across the street from the school). We formed small groups in order to share our stories with one another. Interpreting has been a difficult, yet very beneficial task for me, as I am looking to eventually get a Master's in translation/interpretation!

My friend Tanya was supposed to arrive in Asunción early morning Tuesday, July 1. However, she didn't actually step off the plane until early evening Wednesday, July 2. Needless to say, we missed out on about a day and a half of visit time. We nonetheless had a splendid time together!!! Now I just need some rest. Let me explain this complicated situation to you:
Colleen and John Eisenberg, Cassidy, and I arrived at the airport in time to meet her at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday. The flight was delayed until 10:10, then 11:30, then 12:30. Tanya was the only person on any flight that morning to not walk through the doors. We got really worried. To make a long story short, she ended up staying in a hotel in Buenos Aires that night, becoming well-acquainted with part of the city. The next morning, John, Colleen, and I returned to the airport for her flight that was supposed to get in at 8:30 again, only to hear that it had been delayed until 10:30. Tanya never got on that flight but rather put herself on the 4:30 flight that afternoon. She finally arrived around 5:30. So...after 60+ hours of travel from the time she left her house in Ohio Monday morning to when she arrived in Asunción Wednesday afternoon, we were FINALLY re-united after 15 months. We had last seen each other at college graduation. The smiles and hugs in the pictures say it all. :)

finally meeting up after 60+ hours of travel!

 together once again

One of the first places Cassidy, Tanya, and I went together was Café de Acá on the other side of town. Cassidy and I had been there once before with Christian and Angelica (other missionaries here in Paraguay). It is a cute and cozy location to enjoy breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert, or simply a cup of coffee or tea. I had eggs, toast, and some very rich chocolate!                     

brunch at Café de Acá

such a quaint café

best part of the meal - CHOCOLATE!

We had filled our bellies that morning with delicious food and drinks and were ready for some entertainment, That night, Tanya, Cassidy, and I went to school for an event called Noche Folklórica (Folklore Night), which was a presentation of native Paraguayan dances performed by the older students at New Horizon. A couple of the dances even contained guarani (the native Indian tongue). To begin the program, the national anthems of both Paraguay and the U.S. were sung, and all of the dances followed. Many students were selling food such as pizza, empanadas, and hot dogs in order to raise money for future class trips. I particularly enjoyed the seniors' dance in their white attire. It was special to see them all together on stage their final year at this school. After attending Folklore Night, I am wishing the U.S. had a traditional dance. Instead, we are such a melting pot of cultures that we aren't exactly sure what it means to be "American". I truly enjoy learning about other cultures and their customs!! Watching these dances made me really miss my weekly flamenco dancing class in Spain :)

lots of great entertainment in one evening

singing the national anthem before Noche Folklorica at school

dear friends enjoying the evening

Cassidy, Tanya, and I traveled all morning and afternoon the next day with a few young adults from Fuente de Vida. We visited many locations, most of which I had previously visited with either John & Colleen, Sue, or Cassidy. We first went to Mercado 4, a giant outdoor market with all the food, clothing, and miscellaneous items you could ever ask for! We all ate lunch at McDonald's. How American, huh?! Later that afternoon. we went to the la costanera (the coastline), Independence House (currently closed for construction), Panteón de los Heroes (Heroes Cemetery), the bus terminal, and a palace. Tanya was able to buy some native Paraguayan items such as pottery and bracelets. It was an absolutely gorgeous day to enjoy the nice cool breeze coming off the Atlantic coastline. The area obviously isn't as attractive during the winter,  but I thought it would be worse with all the current flooding.

a glimpse of the current flooding situation

That's Argentina across the water.

such a great day to sightsee!

enjoying the coastline on a nice, warm winter day

I thought I had seen flooding, but then I came to Paraguay and realized what the word "flooding" truly means! Poverty is so widespread in this country as it is, and when you add the destruction from the recent floods, people who had basically nothing to begin with now literally have nothing. As I said earlier, more than 300,000 people have had to re-locate to higher ground. You can see from the pictures I took that there are houses literally floating across the water. All that is visible are the roof tops. Please pray for everyone affected by this situation, as many do not know when/where they will receive their next meal. I can't imagine living a life as such, but God cares for everyone and has a grand plan for each life that He creates. There is good that comes from every situation, though we can't always see it at the present moment.

All that water used to be houses.

such a sad situation!

School is going well. Not much has changed there. This is the final week of classes before our two-week winter break! YIPPEE!!! I am more than ready for some time without students. Cassidy and I plan to return to Formosa, Argentina by bus (as we did during Holy Week) on the 18th of July. I'm not sure how long we'll stay into the second week of our break, but we must be out for at least thirty hours to renew our visas once again. We would like to spend the entire two-week break in Argentina, but we have to remain in Lambaré for the first week in order to interpret for the U.S. team at the medical clinic that they are leading.
The weather is rather chilly, except for the few hot days we had this week that felt like summer again. I generally wear three or four layers to bed and use two or three blankets. Without heat in the house, the bedroom is freezing, especially at night! Just imagine sitting out at a cold, damp football game for a few hours. That's what Paraguay winter is like. It is nearly impossible to get warm, no matter where you are. Though outside temperatures here aren't nearly as cold as they are in Ohio during the winter (there's also no snow), I look forward to being able to turn up the thermostat and build a fire in the fireplace when I get home in December since I can't do that here :)
The other day, the school staff put on a baby shower for the three teachers who are currently pregnant: Raquel, Jennyfer, and Margarita. All three women happen to be having baby boys, so it wasn't too difficult to decorate the hall - all blue! :) We played some fun games, ate some fabulous snacks, and laughed so hard we cried. Two of the women received dressers, and the other received a stroller.

Calendario escolar julio (school assembly for the month of July) was this past week, and it was a fun one! The second grade class hosted it, and it focused on U.S. Independence Day. How many nations would sing the Star Spangled Banner and perform popular U.S. dances other than Paraguay?! It was a nice tribute! Our host sister Tali even participated in the country dance and did a wonderful job :)

I will conclude by saying, "GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME. ALL THE TIME GOD IS GOOD."

Until next time, ¡Dios te bendiga mucho! Thank you all so much for your continued support through love and  prayer! You are greatly appreciated!

Ways you can be praying...
1) my health (I continue to get sick OFTEN.)
2) my host family and roommate (Cassidy has decided to stay in Paraguay another year but is still trying to raise funds for the rest of this year and now next year.)
3) my English classes
4) my students and their families
5) my daily walk with Christ
6) the young people of Paraguay
7) the spiritual bondage in Paraguay
8) the flood victims!
9) my future plans, post-Paraguay (I will elaborate in my next blog post!) :)