Visitors!

(Written Friday night before the crew came home...)
We have been blessed with US visitors! Rod, Melissa, Brian, and Renee Koch, and Joel Shurance and Erik Steidl came on the 18th to work on the new building project. Both groups started off their stay in Paraguay with problems in flights and lost luggage. One of the bags finally arrived and there is no news of the other one.
Our ladies group at church did an amazing job of cooking lunches for the workers and sharing a taste of Paraguay with the “Americanos”. Through hot, humid weather and sun burns they prepared the foundation, dug a sewer hole and painted the classrooms…THANKS TEAM! So much was accomplished in such a short time. We are expecting another team at the end of January.
For some it was the first, hot Christmas Eve they ever experienced. Brian and my kids (I think the dad’s, too) loved the firecrackers. At 12 o’clock midnight there is an exploding sound of “Christmas” here in Paraguay. The neat thing is that neighbors will go around house to house greeting each other and wishing them a Merry Christmas. Plates of food are shared with others and there seems to be an abundance of provisions, love, and happiness.
Tuesday, Christmas Day, was spent climbing up Cerro Yaguarón. The cool breeze was definitely on the top! Christmas day registered 85% humidity! We were tired, hot, and sweaty, but were grateful for God’s beautiful creation and the beauty of Paraguay’s countryside. I haven’t climbed it since 2004 when Liz and Joe Bocka were here. I am still VERY SORE from the climb. (I got lucky, Oscar carried Edson the whole way!) Ben, Vivi, Joel, Eric, and Jason came for the afternoon. As always…our family loved the time spent with visitors.
Thursday proved to be a good day to rest since it rained…more like, poured…all morning long. While we were waiting at school the drain pipes filled up and started flooding the classrooms. This doesn’t always happen. Thursday’s rain was just too much. The afternoon was spent sight seeing and buying souvenirs. Some people found some interesting things, a machete, a parrot, and…
Today they were all off to see the Iguazu Falls. I GOT to stay home this time. That is why I am trying to catch up on writing! It is a 4 hour drive there and back but I’m sure they will think it’s worth it. Edson is catching up on his sleep and Brandon is at home catching up on organizing his bedroom.
Tomorrow, Saturday, will be a half a day of work. Sunday, the Koch’s will take off, and Monday, Joel and Eric will be on their way. It seems like time went so fast! We were very busy, we stayed up late, we got up early, we cooked a lot, we all jumped into two cars every where we went. We have been having a wonderful time and have been BLESSED by their work and time. “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.” 1 Thessalonians 1: 2, 3.
The Paraguay Mission and Colegio Privado Adonai are grateful for this group.

Family "brag" letter...

Someone recently mentioned how she disliked Christmas family letters because they're only about Parents bragging about their kids. I told her that I actually liked them and like bragging about my kids, too. So, here's Our Family's Brag Letter.
P.S. I also sent it out as an email to some of you...

End of the Year Caballero News
So many things happened this past year. Here are some of the family's
highlights:
1. Edson got chicken pox at 8 months during Warm Beach Camp. (Now he
doesn't need the vaccination!) A couple more people from camp got lucky! We took him to the doctor this week and he mentioned that he preferred that the child gets the disease instead of getting vaccinated! He is fascinated with cell phones and his first word is most definitely "hola" after seeing so many people hold stuff up to their ear and say "hola". Well, one day he tried holding up his cell phone to his ear, but this time it wasn't a cell phone (remote control, calculator, walkie-talkie, brush, what ever looks that size and has buttons) it was a sucker! Yes, we had a sticky, sticky mess! He turned one on November 15th and started walking 15 days later.
2. Gabriel played the guitar for his Praise and Worship team at school
this past year. They went through many struggles, but he is also getting many experiences. They visited a science lab in the National University. He came home and said.mom, they had such nice equipment and such a sophisticated laboratory that I couldn't believe I was in Paraguay! He still loves drawing, soccer or any sports with a ball. He turned 13 on November 6th.
3. Brandon turned 15 this year and took a growth spurt in maturity. He
is as big as a man and has begun to think and act like a man. He's gone through many learning experiences and is starting to realize that it is really his Heavenly Father who is pulling him through. Brandon loves music, computers, and (which teen doesn't love) Play station! He's been picking up the bass guitar and working on some of his favorite songs.
4. We went to the states this past July and my kids impressed me with
their outgoingness. They found friends at each of the AC camps and brought back pictures, email addresses and stories of their adventures there. Their best memories were of the bike ride out to MidWest camp, dipping into the chocolate fountain, ordering "their own" pizza from Eastern camp, playing soccer, the Pavkov reunion (mostly the pool). The worst memories.Brandon's muscle pull, carrying luggage all across the country and trying to remember to pack it again, and Edson's chicken pox.
5. Oscar and I are kept busy with church and school work. This past
year I stayed at home with Edson and missed teaching! I loved being at home, but I missed the smiles and hugs from the students. Next year I want to ease back into some classes once a week while Oscar can stay with Edson at home.
Oscar continues with the prison ministry once a month, does a bible study every Tuesday at church, works at school from 7am till 3:30pm, does running around for others, and loves to take his "rest time" fixing up the yard.
6. We spent a wonderful year with an unforgettable missionary, Ellen
Sabo. She was a friend, a sister, a teacher and eager to serve the Lord through serving others. She was active at school and church and in our family. Her excitement will be remembered forever. We spent many family adventures together and we'll miss her BIGTIME!
We have been through pain, disappointment, loss of loved ones, and other trials, but we have also been blessed and have seen miracles. Yes, the Lord has been good to us.
All praise and thanks to our Savior! "Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and ever. AMEN. (Revelation 7:12)
Thanks for your prayers,
Oscar, Karen, Brandon, Gabriel, and Edson

Blogging, snail-mail, computers…cooking

I haven’t been doing snail-mail for a while. Here, in Paraguay, we have to go all the way into town to mail a letter or get cards out of our post office box. Oscar goes once or maybe twice a week, depending on his time or errands. Last year I wrote out about 15 Christmas cards and had them nicely in a pile for my mom to take back after her visit here…well, they still are not mailed and they are still sitting nicely at the bottom of a pile.
It’s just as much work for me to find time to write updates and blogs. When I am on the computer…no one is happy…all of a sudden they all NEEDED to use it or me…all at the same time. My kids are off school and are bored. I need to organize their time, too. Edson wanders around and around the house and we always have to keep an eye on him. Mini problems here and there in school or church need to be solved. So, when all this overwhelms me, I just go to the kitchen and cook! Cooking seems to be a distracting hobby that, of course, HAS TO BE DONE. Once again, I put off writing, and cooking seems to satisfy everyone.
I made a rule, the other day, that I get the computer when Edson sleeps! At least I have time to think and not run around checking where he might be. He is right on the other side of the wall from the computer room...sound asleep. At last, I have peace enough to write. Some very loud music is coming from downstairs. Sometimes a door bangs. Oscar is also taking a “SIESTA”. Everyone is full from lunch.
No Christmas cards this year, just blogging, updating, and Christmas cooking.

School news…

We finished another year at Colegio Privado Adonai, five years of struggles, five years of victories, five years of pain, five years of growth, five years of decisions, five years of faith. We thank God for His faithfulness! Without Him as our General Director and Supervisor, we could not have gotten this far!
Things that happened this year…we had two big fund raisers, Missions week and Folklore Day. We had a clothes and food drive for the neighboring AC church of Sajonia. We painted and cleaned the UAA, a sports center two blocks from school that loans us its grounds to us for retreats, Olympics, and practices. The middle school and high school kids went on two different outings. We received gifts from the Banco Central de Paraguay. Four computers were donated by friends from the states. The best student from 9th grade was baptized in November…the first of our students! Plans for 11th grade have been finalized and accepted by the “Ministerio de Educacion”. Plans for a new building were drawn up and started. Report cards were handed out; grades turned it to the “Ministerio de Educacion”. The teachers cleaned out their rooms. Good-bye 2007!
Things to look forward to…the 2008 school year calendar is printed out. New teachers are checking out books and writing up lessons. Vivi (Ben’s wife) will be our morning principal and vice-principal for the afternoon classes. We get to wear JEANS next year instead of a uniform…even the teachers! One of our (lady) teachers will also be working in the area of counselling (especially for girls) along with our pastor. We will have clubs…sports, English, art, music and poetry. (Should I include that I MIGHT take on some classes…I just need to figure out what to do with Edson.)
The construction project is underway. We bought cement, bricks and other materials and will be picking up the first crew today (from Ohio and New York). We are excited to see things in progress and are grateful that the Lord is answering our prayers.
So…we are counting on you! Please pray for us, visit us, write to us, or COME HELP US!
Love,
Oscar and Karen

Family favorites!

I was talking about our family outing in another post. This time I’ll tell you about our meal since it has made a hit, with our family, our visitors, their family, and their relatives! I kind of invented the recipe (a gift I inherited from my mom who used to try out recipes on us before publishing them in the Trading Post. She would always write a story about us and then include a recipe. Hey, mom, you should blog your recipes!) after tasting this amazing dish.
Well, dinner was included in our deal. We were given the choices, Cerdo a la Mostaza (Pork with a mustard sauce), Pollo Grille (Grilled Chicken), or Lomito Relleno (Filled Beef Round). Oscar, Gaby and I picked the traditional Grilled Chicken and Brandon (as always) braved it with the new flavored pork dish. The meal was wonderful. Brandon kept commenting on his excellent choice until he could eat no more. The sauce was left over and he passed it over to me to try. I dipped my grilled chicken into the mustard sauce and it was the most amazing flavour! It was so good, both Oscar and I finished our grilled chicken dipping it in his mustard sauce.
Well, Tuesday night, Dan and Elias came over. They are our boy’s friends from baby days. Brandon wanted a SPECIAL meal for his SPECIAL friends (since according to him I only make popcorn for HIS friends). Well, I made “chicken breast a la mostaza” and they ate it in Pita breads. Once again it was a total hit for his friends. Marlene, Dan and Elias’ mom, came just before dinner, so I sent some home with her. She said they practically licked out the Tupperware…it was so good. Then she made a beef stirfry with mustard sauce for her nephew and their family the next night, who also commented on the wonderful flavor. So we have now tried it with Pork, Chicken, and Beef and it is still so good.
Here’s how I made it. I put the chicken in the slow cooker and cut it in strips. I added salt, pepper, onions, pepper and garlic and a squirt of mustard. Cook it for a couple of hours. I saved the juices after it was cooked, added some flour and water, about a ½ cup more mustard and milk (you could probably use sour cream for a better flavor.) I mixed it, and cooked it until it was a little bit thicker and added the chicken again. The kids were eating it out of the pan! It’s now…a family favorite!

Just keeping in touch...

History of the Jesuits

The picture is ours but the info is from Encarta...

The most famous work of the Jesuit missionaries in the New World, however, was the establishment in the order's South American provinces of reductions, or village communities of native peoples under the spiritual and temporal direction of the priests. The most successful were the reductions of Paraguay. In that country for almost 200 years the Jesuits governed a communal nation of Native Americans, founding 32 villages with a total population of about 160,000; they taught the Native Americans agriculture, mechanical arts, and commerce and trained a small army for defense of the settlements.© 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

A Two Day Family Trip...

Oscar’s nephew, Fernando, was graduating this past weekend and we went as a family to Encarnacion (280 km southeast near Misiones, Argentina) for his graduation. We took advantage of the family time and spent a wonderful weekend together. He graduated from a Bible School called “Parque de las Naciones”.
Gaby wanted to see the Jesuit Ruins. Brandon, Oscar and I went when Brandon was in sixth grade. Since other nephews and a niece wanted to go, Brandon and I gave up our seats. I stayed back at Parque de las Naciones with Edson and my sister in law.
Here are some pictures of the sight.

It smells like Christmas!

It’s December…well, things have been getting hotter, in Paraguay, anyway. People will say (funny) things like…ummmm, it smells like Christmas! How strange! I smell sweaty bodies mixed with an aroma of flowers, food, exhaust. WHAT smells like Christmas?
When we talk about Christmas smells, I imagine cinnamon, peppermint, chocolate, cookies baking in the oven, evergreens, etc. I think of pies or bread baking and can even “smell” that in my mind. I picture oranges and nuts in the bags we used to make for the Sunday school program and smell the different scents in my mind…THAT is what Christmas smells like to me. What about the crisp smell of new fallen snow or the smell of gloves or scarves that have been tucked away for a year? Smelling fireword, sitting by a fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate milk…ummm…that smells like Christmas!
Here in Paraguay the sign or smell of Christmas is the aroma of coconut flowers. People even bring one into their home carefully placing it under their Christmas tree or by their Nativity scene…ahh…the smell of Christmas! Little firecrackers and the smell of sulphur it leaves behind…that’s the smell of Christmas! Barbeques (asado), outdoor grilling, fruit salad…this is the smell of Christmas!
My senses are all mixed up! It doesn’t feel like Christmas…its 100º. It doesn’t look like Christmas…there are trees full in bloom and everything is ripe with colors. It doesn’t taste like Christmas…the flavors are all different! Chocolate even melts at room temperature. It doesn’t sound like Christmas…it’s too loud, full of firecrackers, different music. Sorry…it just DOESN’T smell like Christmas…

Those 1st steps!

Finally…our little slow poke started taking those first steps. Why do I say slow poke? Because comparing Edson to his brothers (I know, you should never do that, but…) he was slow at walking. He had been taking forced steps all along, but didn’t like it. He cried when we tried to MAKE him walk. We tried everything, but it always ended up in frustration, for all of us. So we just stopped trying and so did he!
Saturday, December 1, Vivi came running over and said…”Karen, did you see him walk? He is walking all by himself” Yeah, yeah, that’s what everyone says. Everyone else in the whole church saw Edson walk months ago…everyone but ME! So, it was hard to believe. Well, she went and got Edson to prove it. AND…YES, Edson stripped away his fears and started walking LONG strides not just little steps. Now it’s non-stop WALKING, climbing, and reaching for anything that he can get his hands on.
So, Brandon started walking at 10 months, Gabriel at 11 and Edson at 12 months,15 days. Edson seems to glow at his newly earned freedom. Even a couple falls now and then don’t seem to discourage him. He’s bruised and crying, but wiggles himself right back up. I wish we could all be like him! Sometimes when WE fall…we just don’t want to get back up!
Our prayer for little Edson…”The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand. Psalm 37:23 and 24.

No more school

No more school till February! The kids have been off for a week and have become totally bored! (Note Brandon’s new picture on the side.) They finished the first semester and have a two month break, probably because of the summer heat. I think that I am the one that will soon go crazy.
Yes, Things have been especially hot lately. We take a shower three times a day…three new outfits to change into and three new loads of wash to do. It is impossible to reuse the same shirt, shorts or underclothes. They could be wrung out…and it's just sweat! This humid heat has been especially hard on my teenagers. Edson is quite uncomfortable at night with just a diaper on…he gets heat rash to prove it.
To ease our hot, uncomfortable, sweaty bodies we set up our canvas pool. We enjoyed it the first day. The next day we had so much rain that the pool was full again…with rain water! The coolness of today’s weather doesn’t make the water attractive.
Keep tuned…there’re more blogs coming!

Backing up to Thanksgiving

Backing up a couple of weeks…wow…time flies. We had a great visit with Ben and Vivi, Jason, a friend of Jason’s from Georgetown (Pilar), and two of her friends from Paraguay (Katie and Maggie). We had turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet corn, stuffed squash and pies. It was so beautiful. (You can see a picture on Jason’s blog.)
I realized while I was cooking that this is not a meal that should be planned for our hot summer. I would be so nice and cozy up in your North American homes, but down here, I seemed to be the one baking! Everything turned out so nice. We were able to visit with these new friends and enjoy some English conversation.
We were grateful for FRIENDSHIP, for being able to SHARE together even though we didn’t really know each other. We were grateful for the ABUNDANCE of blessings the Lord showered on us. We were grateful for having a purpose to live for. We were grateful to be working here and accepted in a different culture.
And, as one of the girls kept saying…I am SO thankful…that means I can keep eating!

A Great Day!

Today is a great day! Which day isn’t? Here are some reasons…
Today is the last day of school for Brandon and Gabriel until February 4th. (It’s summer vacation in the middle of semesters!) Even though they have tests today, last night seemed to be a celebration. They stayed up goofing around till late. Last day to wake up at 4:45. (Oscar and I wake up to pray and get ready; we get the kids up at 5:30. Everyone’s off by 6:00.) Yeah, we can sleep in!
I woke up with Christmas on my mind and decided to decorate at 6 am before Edson woke up. I put lights up inside and outside and hung up my snowmen all over…hoping they won’t melt like the candles do every year. I was excited to show Edson this morning. His eyes were wide and ohh-ed and ahh-ed at the lights. It made me happy. His eyes look even bigger since last night we gave him a buzz and you can see more face than hair. He’s still a cutie!
This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Isaiah 54.13

It’s raining! The boys are off to school. Edson is down for a morning nap. We had a very busy weekend and my body says…sleep, sleep, sleep, but my spirit says…No take time with Me. Talk to Me. Read My Word. Well, I ignored my sleepy desires and went to the Lord in prayer and then picked up a book I’ve been reading in Spanish titled “Praying the Scriptures for your Children" by Jodie Berndt. I was encouraged with the verse in Isaiah 54.13…And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.
What a great Teacher/Tutor our kids have!

Edson's 1st Birthday!

Edson's 1st Birthday. We wish you could have been here. He had such a great time. He loves to be with people and this was just greatest thing for him...a bunch of people he loves just smiling at him and being with him.

He even got to eat some cake. We gave him a sucker which was later used as a cell phone when he said "oh ah" to someone. The sticky sucker stuck to his hair when he held it up to his ear.

The Other Day...

I have this interesting phrase I use all the time. Ellen often teases me about it, but it is so useful! It is timeless but not useless. “The other day”…could mean anything from yesterday to three years ago…but, really, it was just, “The other day”. I use this phrase in Spanish stories, English stories, Bible stories…everything. It just seems to be such a convenient phrase…you know…“The other day”.
Well, “The other day” (November 4th to be exact) we had a baptism at church. (I realized this then, but am just now writing about it.) It was the first time that one of our students from Colegio Privado Adonai was baptized. We have had parents or relatives of students baptized, but finally, one of the actual students, Natalia Rodriguez, a girl from 9th grade made that big step.
Natalia came the very first year of school in 2003. Right away she showed signs of being an excellent student. Her mother came to school often and we got to talking about family, financial struggles, religion, etc. Ña Teresa, the mom, insisted that even though she was bringing her kids to this school, they would not change their religion. We respected that. The family was going through some financial difficulties and the two kids were given scholarships. Through the following years the family went through some tough battles and we became closer friends as we talked through each situation.
The Holy Spirit actually did the talking to Ña Teresa and opened her eyes to the true meaning of the Word and Salvation. The Lord did miracles in her life and family. She was baptized last November and continues to be an amazing witness in the neighborhood.
Natalia was always a quiet girl, very obedient and a great student. Now that she has received Christ, we can see a beautiful change in her. She’s always so bubbly and ready to serve others. She’s been bringing another neighbor girl, Janeth, to church and is helping in Sunday School.
“The other day”…someone sent a scholarship for her to study in Colegio Privado Adonai and now she is serving God…and others. Isn’t that neat?

Viruses

Last week we had company and shared head aches, stomach aches, vomiting and the rest. I left Edson with Larrissa, Ellen and Nate and went to school for a meeting. I was happy that I could leave him with people I trust…at home…and in his own surroundings. I went, I took my time, I came home. Larissa met me at the door and said, Karen, I think something’s wrong. He has been vomiting and has had diarreah all morning…and it’s really bad.
Oh no! My world shattered. My baby was sick. I had company. I had other responsibilities that could not be put on hold. What would I do?
The whole rest of the day…and the next, Edson didn’t want food, or medicine or milk. He would turn his head away or shake his head “NO”. He was offered his favorite foods and would look away with disgust. The comforting bottle seemed more of a torture.
I started to get worried and cried out, “Father, heal him!”
The doctor warned us that it was extremely contagious virus going around and lasts, in some cases, up to 10 days. Oscar and Nate started feeling the same.
Yesterday, I was fixing Edson some spaghetti, his FAVORITE meal. A couple of minutes before, he was going…MmmmmMmmmm…letting me know he was hungry. I sat down to feed him and before I got food on the spoon he already had his mouth opened like a little bird and was going…AhhhhAhhhh. He was HUNGRY!
The Lord took my thoughts back to us, spiritually. When we are sick, spiritually, we don’t want God’s word, we turn our heads away from prayer, and we turn away the comfort of the Lord’s presence in our lives. We are sick, but we don’t want medicine.
Edson was sick for two days, but sometimes our spiritual sickness turns into weeks, months or years until we cry out…Father, heal me! Only then is our food really yummy. We want more! More of the Father. More of his comforting presence. More of his healing word.

American Football

The other day we were at the kids’ school picnic. As soon as we got there the kids took off to the soccer field. Oscar and I made our way there while meeting other parents, talking with the teachers and showing off Edson. (Last year when we went, Edson was 3 days old!)
We got to the field and saw the kids playing American Football. I laughed with another mom as I saw our kids tackling, with NO PROTECTION. They were just running at each other head on. It looked nothing like the football I saw growing up. I looked at the frustrated teachers sighing and shrugging their shoulders as their Junior High and High School group tried so hard to learn American Football. It was hot and sweaty, but it seemed as if only the teachers were ready to give up. You see, these guys grew up playing soccer. Football is an ALL NEW sport for them. Brandon came home with three scrapes; big and sore ones, but they were out to learn the game and win.
Gaby dreamed of getting a Football for his birthday so we started the search in a factory outlet sports store in Luque…no football! We weren’t going to give up so we went to four more places and realized that there may be NO FOOTBALLS in all of Paraguay. We gave up the search that day and Oscar continued on his own another day. I remembered seeing racks of footballs at Kmart, Wal-Mart, and every other American store I went into last summer, but none in Paraguay.
Finally, Oscar found the one and only one at Unicentro. It was sooooo old that they also gave it to him with a 30% discount. It had a neat feature of lighting up at night, but was so old that the batteries didn’t work. Anyway, it was a FOOTBALL!
Yes, the running and tackling still continue in the back yard, and better yet, there is a group of American/Canadian players who know the game…maybe our coaches at school won’t be so frustrated next football season.

Blessings

Let’s talk about blessings!
Today we (not actually us, but representatives of Colegio Privado Adonai) were invited to participate in a special meeting in Banco Central de Paraguay. The best students from every grade went with the principals with free transportation to the bank and a long table full of snacks. Every couple of years they renew all of their desks, computers, cabinets, etc. A kindergarten girl’s mother from school told us about this project and asked us to consider writing to the authorities and ask for things for our school since all of it was going to be donated to schools around the city…those interested. Oscar and our administrator went and were actually able to see all the things available and pick out what our school needed. We did that about two months ago and we were chosen along with six other schools to receive these donations. It’s one more blessing!
There are several work teams brewing; one from Canada, one from Colorado, and one from Ontario. Hopefully, God will provide funds also to get those two rooms done that we needs so badly. The foundation is done and we are waiting for more funds to continue the construction. Ben’s brother Joel and Eric Steidl are coming in December, also…more blessings to count on.
More wonderful news…we have a baptism planned for Sunday. We are excited to receive these new believers. It’s just as moving to hear their stories and how the Lord has worked miracles in their lives. We are blessed with a full church.
We are blessed with family, health, a house, a beautiful yard, cold-ice water on hot days, fans, (air conditioning in our bedroom), boys, school, work, etc.
We are blessed with salvation and eternal life. We are blessed to have a loving Father. We are blessed with forgiveness and peace. Yes, we are blessed!

Haircuts

Edson got his first real haircut this week. I say…this week…because every day I was cutting a little more off until finally Oscar cut it really short last night. His haircut took about a week to finish completely. He still looks as cute as ever! His big brown eyes are just trying to figure everything out. We had to give him the beard trimmer to keep him occupied, but he still tried to grab for the scissors several times.
My other boys are terrified of the scissors. They don’t even want to talk about haircuts even though they can’t see through their long bangs. Their Canadian friend, Peter, had long, brown curls. I think my boys were a little envious. Ellen cut them neatly off on Saturday…too short according to Peter. My kids couldn’t believe he would do such a thing...you know...cut off that beautiful hair! Oscar has been threatening to take them to the barber’s and they come pleading with me to wait a couple of days. They do well at distracting their dad and the days turn into weeks…to their advantage. Long hair is “cool”.
I have long hair, now and it’s definitely not cool, it’s HOT! The weather is hot. It’s humid! Who wants sticky hair on your neck and forehead? I want to pull it up (or shave it). Why do young guys LOVE long hair while women want it short?
Martha, enjoy the moments you have now…you and Stephen see “eye to eye” on hair lengths, but…in a couple of years…

Hello...Hola...oh-ah...as Edson would say it.

Fun Things in Life...

1. Watching little Edson reach for something on tippy toes.
2. Bringing home a 30/30 in a difficult subject at school.
3. Feeling good about yourself in a certain outfit.
4. Family dinners and stories.
5. Memories.
6. God's creation and the beautiful spring colors in Paraguay.
7. The baby's giggle while playing "hide and go seek".
8. Christmas preparations.
9. Feeling smaller (and weaker) than your two teenage sons.
10. Having computers (and blogs) to keep us together.

More Adventures!

This past weekend Oscar and I went to Ciudad del Este for a baptism, a outdoor evangelistic campaign, and to get to know Rosa’s relatives that live there. It was a very HOT afternoon, but we saw storm clouds on the horizon. I would be cool soon after the rain. We saw Oscar’s sister. She looked wonderful! I have never seen her sober. Since May she has not had a single drink! She looks young and beautiful. Around Mother’s Day she prayed a prayer of faith and healing and she (and we) believes that THE LORD has healed her battered, alcoholic life. It was good to see her.
The rain came very strong at 8 in the morning, the exact time that the baptism service started. There were such strong winds and hard rains that the water poured through the closed windows! The lights went out right after the singing. Ciudad del Este is the worst place to be when it rains. Why? The red, mucky dirt turns into oily, red mud that sticks to your shoes and clothes. Our car almost got stuck in the church’s driveway. All the way home we saw signs, billboards, on the ground, trees broken and even uprooted. It was a wonderful adventure.
Oh, did I mention that we only took Edson (and Rosa, a lady from church). Brandon and Gaby stayed home with Ellen, Jason, Peter, Larissa, and with instructions to eat at Ben and Vivi’s for Sunday lunch. We left Oscar’s cell phone with Jason just in case they had any problems. Thankfully, there were no emergency calls.
As we were leaving Ciudad del Este, I decided to call Brandon and see how everyone was doing. I really started missing them. Little did I know, they were in the middle of another adventure! I called Brandon and asked if it stormed there like in Ciudad del Este. He said, “Yeah…blah, blah, blah…everything’s okay.” He was at the Cerro Lambaré with Peter, Ricardo, Nestor, etc. He climbed up the hill with the guys instead of taking the walkway with Jason and the other girls. Gaby stayed at Ben and Vivi’s. (As we were talking, I heard Ellen talking VERY LOUD in the background.) He assured me that he was fine so we hung up. But, for some silly reason, I called Brandon back about two minutes later and he said, “MOM, THEY JUST ROBBED ELLEN AND JASON!” I got a little more info out of him and hung up, praising God that he was safe along with the rest. (You can read the whole story on Ellen or Jason’s blog. The link is on the side.)
We later found out that Brandon took the cell phone from home even though Jason was in charge of it for the weekend. I wanted to get mad, but had he not done that, It would have been stolen! They guy asked Jason for his cell phone...and he didn't have one (Brandon had it) The cell phone came in handy by calling 911, Pastor Pedro, and the police since Brandon went up a different route. WOW!
I thank God for the constant protection He gives his children. I pray that these Adventures of a Lifetime will be molding Brandon’s tender life and bringing him, over and over again, to the throne of grace.
I thank God for the adventures. I thank Him for the lessons. I thank Him for life!

Signs of Spring...

Signs of Spring...

Adventures!

I guess most people know by now that on Saturdays and Sundays we EAT at 12:00 noon…to the dot…no exceptions!
Well, this past Saturday we had visitors, Ellen, Peter and Larissa Sabo, and Jason Steidl. My boys had just come home from an all week school camp, had no homework and were ready for an ADVENTURE with these older and wiser visitors.
Brandon wanted to show Peter the river so they sat around waiting for a while for Ellen and Larissa to come, but they never did. So, the boys went anyway. Brandon’s last instructions were…Mom, tell Ellen that we will be in the same place we always go. Fine!
Ellen and Larissa came and I gave them the message. They took off right away.
I was fixing stroganoff. Everything was perfect and timed well. It was 12:10, they guys weren’t back so Oscar and I stalled for time drinking the wonderful social drink…terere. It was 12:20. I fed Edson. It was 12:30 and still no kids back from the river. I wasn’t really worried about my kids because 4 people over 22 were with them. Well, Oscar and I became very hungry and started preparing our plates when Ellen came running in the house…all by herself!
Karen…you won’t BELIEVE what is happening. I’m soooo sorry we’re not back for lunch, I KNOW we are supposed to eat at noon, but Peter, Larissa and Brandon are out in a boat and they are caught in the current!!!! They CAN’T get back and there are about 25 fishermen on the shore laughing at them. Jason, Ellen and Gaby did get back to shore. Ellen jumped out of the boat, ran through knee high water, and came home to tell me.
I started laughing and she said…Aren’t you mad, or worried? And I calmly said…Not really (even though I did realize that there was a little bit of danger) I said…They are all in the same boat (ha ha) they are all in the same problem. I doubted that Peter or Larissa would leave Brandon stranded in the middle of the Paraguay River. She got washed up and we sat down to eat.
About 1:00 pm they all came home with their stories. Here are some of the details (that I think I understood), but not in order.
Gaby was in the boat with Peter and Larissa.
Their boat was leaking and water was pouring in. Gaby was trying to scoop the water out with a little box of worms that he found at the back of the boat…but at the same time…save the worms for future fishing. Larissa grabbed for the little box and started scooping harder, telling Gaby that they weren’t going fishing anymore and to forget the worms.
They wanted to go around the island, but the current was too strong.
Brandon and Gaby traded boats. Peter needed more muscle in rowing against the current. Brandon and Peter got two meters ahead and when they rested for a second, went three meters back. All the while the boat was sinking.
The fishermen were enjoying the show!
Finally a motorboat went by and Peter shouted for help…no help came. A little boy and an old man came by to save the day, towing them in.
Larissa, happy to set foot on land, stepped in knee-high black mud, screaming and trying to get to harder ground. As she took each step, mud would be flying through the air. Larissa and Peter assured the fisherman that they were just tourist…as if they couldn’t tell! Brandon and Gaby assured ME that because of the embarrassment, they were never going back.
For Brandon and Gaby, I know this was the ADVENTURE of their lifetime. All for just a $2.00 boat ride!
…I still am laughing as I write this, remembering those ADVENTUROUS days back at the lake on that rickety raft, the huge spider, falling in, running through muck to get to the shore, ripping frogs apart for bait and using homemade fishing poles with safety pins, etc.
Thanks, God, for taking care of us in ALL our ADVENTURES!

The Lord God Almighty is his name

Last night I had an amazing time of peace and quiet!
Brandon and Gabriel were in preparation for their school camp and slept at 7:30, believe it or not. Oscar was at church for one more service. Edson was quietly playing with anything he could find on the kitchen floor, and I sat down to “rest” and read the scriptures.
When I have one of these “free” moments, I like to just leaf through and remember key verses that I marked years ago. Sometimes remembering the situation I was going through and sometimes wondering how I ever came across that verse.
Anyway, I found Amos 4:13 marked…He who forms the mountains, creates the wind and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness and treads the high places of the earth – the Lord God Almighty is his name…I spent the next few minutes in awe of this Almighty who is also my Father and Friend.
This is a recent picture of Oscar and Dan Munther at the Iguazu Falls.

Grandpa

For some reason, being so far away, when I hear about someone dying, it just doesn't seem real. It seems as if next time I go to the states, he/she will be there to greet me and spend some time together. The memories live on...so...the people must! Memories of Grandpa and Grandma seem as fresh to me as yesterday. I have a picture of them and Aunt Janet on the refrigerator at home. I know they are no longer with us, but the happy moments I spent with them are the happy memories that make them alive in my heart. I am thankful for the beautiful examples they gave me. When he was in Paraguay he told everyone that I was the eighth generation in his family who was a believer. We can be just as proud of being God's children as he was. I am thankful that he could visit us so many times (once with Uncle Al, once with Dean Yovichin, once with George Bodjanac, and once with the Marang's). He was always so supportive of Paraguay Missions. We will miss his funny stories! By the way...sisters...I never remember the knuckle finger getting me!

July 4th, 2007

Grandpa and Edson! Edson looks like he wants that cane pretty bad.

The longer you wait, the harder it gets!

I started an exercise program! Finally, after years of indecision, I am forced to work on those muscles! It hasn’t been easy, it’s actually a pain…it’s a 24/7 plan. It includes constant movement; stretching, weightlifting, waist trimmers, knee bends, steps, etc. While I am cooking I have to do leg lifts to close and hold tight the cupboards that Edson wants so desperately to open, all the while I am balancing on one leg trying to cut onions in an even way. Edson’s bedroom is upstairs so we do the steps while lifting weights (him) many, many, many times a day…up – down, up – down. I do the waist and knee bends while picking up the toys from the floor that come out of no where. You have to do that one about 50 times a day until your knees hurt real bad! More waist trimmers come from sweeping and mopping the floor continually so the crawler won’t get at the crumbs or leftovers on the floor. Then, there’s the back breakers (I don’t think that’s actually what you call it, but they are real killers!). It’s when you have to stretch your back leg muscles, buttocks, and your whole spine to lift your kid into or out of the car seats and stroller, pick him up off the floor to be changed, put him in his high chair, etc. Oh, and, the night time quickies where you dart out of bed, run across the house thinking you heard something and find only the sleeping cutie.
The list of exercises goes on and on…
All I can say is…start early, girls, the longer you wait, the harder it gets!

Thanks for praying!

Both Friday night and Saturday night it finally rained and drizzled. At least the smoky city is some what cleared, but there is still a lot of pollution. The weather cooled to sweater weather for two days. The plants already look a little greener.
Thanks for your prayers!

Brandon's birthday

Kathy, Bianca, Brandon, Kathy, Elysha

Edson and Bianca

Kathy and Gaby

WARDEN MESSAGE

This morning's Warden Message from the US Emabassy...

This Warden Message is being sent to advise U.S. citizens traveling to and residing in Paraguay that President Nicanor Duarte Frutos has declared a nationwide state of emergency in response to the fires spreading through the departments of San Pedro, Canindeyu, Caaguazu and Amambay. The state of emergency is valid for sixty (60) days. Americans are advised to reconsider nonessential travel to areas threatened by the fires and to exercise due caution in all travels to affected areas.
The text of the decree establishing the state of emergency can be found, in Spanish, at the following website:
http://www.presidencia.gov.py/decretos/D10884.pdf

...still praying for rain!

Today’s front page news…

http://www.abc.com.py/ says: “They will bring a super plane from Russia”…The government decreed Paraguay in a state of National Emergency. In the last three weeks more than 1.235.526,91 acres of forests, crops, and pasture burned.
There is a picture on today’s front page of the fire in San Pedro.
You can go down the page to "fotonoticia" and there will be about 25 pictures of the flames.
Sorry, but it is all in Spanish.

P.S. to "God, send us rain"

The kids came home with a note today saying that school will be let out at 11:40 am. There's too much smoke in the city. Gaby says that coming home on the bus, it stings your eyes. Other schools have cancelled classes all together.
The sun is a deep orange at all times of the day, and you can even look at it without squinting.
News reports say that airplanes from other countries will be bringing water and equipment to put the fires out.
Thanks for your prayers!

God, Send us Rain

It doesn’t matter if you dust every day or every minute of the day, there is still sooooo much dust. It hasn’t rained for about 4 months. That’s bad since we supposedly just went through our winter, rainy season. The wind lifts the dust and dirt all the way up to my bed! I have to shake out the sheets before sleeping in them or I wake up looking as if I played in a sand pile (a little exaggeration allowed). Even if I mop the floors, an hour later, Edson’s little knees and feet are black.
There was a popular praise song on the radio about three years back, God, Send us Rain. It was one of my favorites to sing at church, but every time we sang it we would get this incredible, but unwanted rainstorm. This past week, I have heard the song on the radio EVERY SINGLE DAY!
It’s the prayer of “El Pueblo”…God Send Us Rain. The farmers are praying. They can’t plant their crops until it rains. They are battling forest/farm fires instead of weeds! Whole estates have been burned to the ground. Our own relatives battled the fires for 48 hours to save the animals. There are few mosquitos! Too hot and dry!
Oscar took the visitors to the Iguazu Falls the other day and said that it was worst he’s ever seen it…it just looks sooooo dry. (I remember when we went with some Canadians and it was soooooo full that they had blocked some pathways off to the public).
God, Send us Rain…the plants are dusty red and yellowing. There are water shortages during the day. The rivers are going down. Your beautiful creation is suffering. We saw the big clouds and heard the thunder, but just felt the hard, dusty wind blow over us. God, Send us Rain!

So, how’s it going?

So, how’s it going? You haven’t heard from me in a while, right? Well, that’s what happens when you don’t pay the telephone bill. You get your line cut off. We are still on dial-up here in San Antonio, Paraguay. Things are still done the - s l o w - way. We thought we were fine! We thought we paid the last one, but in our rush to get back into routine after our trip to the states and then visitors…we forgot last month’s bill. It’s still on top of the refrigerator along with the new expired one. As soon as I get the line back, I’ll post this so that you’ll know where we’ve been.

Lessons for (or from) Edson

We have been fighting over the steps for more than a week now. Edson loves steps! He does especially good going up, but coming down is a scary scene. We don’t have the wooden rails to block the steps. I guess I could have one made, but “why?” We have been putting bin or bags in front of the steps so that he sees mountains instead. Well, that also means that WE have to climb over the mountains, and it looks bad! It looks messy! It’s also dangerous for us big people!
Today I spent about an hour going up and down steps and trying to teach Edson to come down. He thoroughly enjoyed the quality time I was giving him and the exciting adventure of going up the stairs. Some times he would fall, but I was close enough to grab him and set him back up to go up or down. This went on for a while. We have tile floors so his legs and knees were taking quite a beating, but none the less he would not stop. A friend’s timely visit allowed us to rest for a while.
While I was wishing I was doing something else, other than crawl up and down the steps, the Lord turned my thoughts to myself. How many times do I try to get up “those steps”, and then fall or don’t know how to come down? Thankfully, he is beside me and I don’t fall too hard. Then I thought of a new Christian. When someone receives Christ, are WE there to help them crawl? Are we teaching them how far to go, when to stop, HOW to stop, and how to get back up after a fall? Are we encouraging them and leading them or putting up a blockade and saying “NO”, you can’t go there. No, you can’t do this!” If we put up that barricade, they won’t know how to go about the Christian life on their own and they could fall BIG TIME when that barrier is finally gone. But, if we walk the Christian life with them, taking time with them, helping them, guiding them, and teaching them; then they will be ready to take those big steps on their own.
I was so thankful for that lesson today. I am so amazed at how much like babies we really are. I am thankful that God is such a patient father! It helps me be more patient, with Edson and with my newborn Christian friends at church.

Edson STOP!

Last night I stayed home from Wednesday night church to help Gaby on a Geography test and other reports that were due today. We have had visitors for weeks and I wasn’t spending as much time with him as I had planned.
Everyone came home from school…drained! Brandon and Gaby begged me to take a nap before doing homework and the idea was appealing to all of us. So, late in the afternoon we all took a “siesta”. Amazingly the phone didn't even ring. Waking up was the hard part. No one, but Edson, woke up with energy and alertness. Oscar and Dan left for church and I had plans to work with Gaby on some study techniques. So we sat down to check math…well, Edson needed a snack. We started reviewing Geography…Edson wanted to go up the stairs. We got some information of the internet for a paper due…while Edson wanted to crawl down the steps. We went back to Geography…Edson messed his pants. Dinner time…Edson couldn’t wait and his howls let us all know that. We were going over the vocabulary when Edson started to grab the book and even eat it. Finally, Gaby screamed…Edson STOP! Poor Edson didn’t realize he was totally messing up our study night. I explained to Gaby that maybe tomorrow we shouldn’t sleep siesta, but work while Edson is sleeping. We would be able to get a lot more done and concentrate better.
Oscar got home…finally…and I mentioned that these were the hardest two and a half hours of my whole day! I kind of think that it would have been much more relaxing just going to church to “rest in the Lord” and not be frustrated and distracted every ten minutes.
To end the story well, I should say that we ALL got a great night’s rest and even Edson cooperated this time waking up at 6am. Gaby felt good about his test. Brandon got all of his stuff done. Dan “slept like a rock”, and Oscar felt so refreshed that he had to drag ME out of bed.
Well, now that I’m up and Edson is down for another short nap, the kids are off to school, Oscar and Dan went to the prison…I think I’ll get my work done, especially the work that needs the most concentration and detail…Then, I can just PLAY all day with Edson!

Happy Birthday, Brandon.

Brandon’s big day!
August 22, 1992, Brandon was born at 7:10 pm. He came as an early surprise since we were told his arrival would be September 7th. (Now, after the third I figured out that all of my kids come two weeks early!) Brandon was a very colicky, a difficult baby…my firstborn, of course! But, after reaching that 6 month milestone, the colicky, crying slowed down and his laughing personality came through. He was such a cutie! He could make anyone laugh. He was funny, silly, and his facial expressions were delightful. He loved life and everything to him was an adventure. He was happy, exciting, giving, loving, and always had a mysterious sparkle in his eye. His spontaneous laughter warmed our whole day!
The years went by…his adventurous spirit got him many unwanted bruises and even a broken ankle for the first day of school of 1st grade. Many times he won awards for being the most talkative in class. Remembering the early years and the attention he received for his cleverness he became an expert at telling stories…some true...most not true. We still laugh at the story when he insisted to some friends that he had a blue dog! He loved/loves to exaggerate!
The teen years came by. I didn’t know that even teens could be so colicky. We definitely had our power struggles. Doors were slammed, walls were kicked, and my heart was crushed. Where was that happy, funny, adventurous boy? Who was this “man” bigger than me?
One day the Lord put on my heart to share this with him. I told him how cute he was as a toddler. I mentioned his gift of giving, telling stories, his love for life. He was funny. He was loving. Jesus taught us to become as little children. Jesus wants him to be the person He created in him. The stories of his childhood made us all laugh and I encouraged him bring back that happiness that he once showed in early life, to become a child again. He should leave his bitterness and anger behind.
As we struggle to raise teens, I know our battles are not over, but I see the work of the Holy Spirit in Brandon. We have come a long way, through pain and victory, but we’re thankful we have a special guide.
Today he is 15. Pray that he will always hold the door opened to the Spirit’s leading. Pray that he will be moulded and shaped into that beautiful son God wants him to be. Pray for his happy, forgiving personality and that he could always use those gifts for God’s glory. Pray for his health, his studies, his decisions, and his future.
Happy Birthday, Brandon. WE LOVE YOU!

P.S. ...written by permission of the birthday boy!

All I NEED is just time!

I couldn’t sleep last night. You see…I just downloaded a program on my computer, it worked two days and the third day wasn’t reacting like the first day. I felt crushed! There was a popular song on Wow 2004 with a catchy tune of “I love you, but I hate you!” I really DON’T like that song, but it seemed to be exactly what I was feeling about this technical world.
The problem is…I NEED “Skype” to communicate with my brother…which means that I NEED a microphone or telephone connected to the computer. I NEED “Norton Antivirus” for email and internet...if I am making those kinds of calls, I NEED protection. I NEED a cell phone to communicate with Oscar where ever and when ever and do text messaging on the side. I NEED a regular phone to make and receive regular calls. I NEED an answering machine because we are gone so much. I NEED, I NEED, I NEED…
I am SO thankful that communicating with our Father isn’t as complicated. All I NEED is just time! Quiet time…away from this and that in our technical world. Time for a hot coffee on a cold morning like this morning. Time to meditate, thank and praise. Time to watch the sunrise. Time to feast on His Word.

Back Home

Back home means jumping into our hectic schedules not necessarily back to the computer like I wrote last time. Back home means having visitors, cooking extra, tutoring the kids or just making sure they ARE doing their homework even with the house full of exciting distractions, doing laundry, running to school, visiting the prison, teaching bible study, picking up the kids, prayer meeting, devotions, buying diapers, cleaning, taking out the garbage, getting to the meeting at school on time, taking Edson to a babysitters, going to the grocery store, counselling an extra hour with a friend…sorry to say, back home doesn’t mean back to the computer as I had hoped.
It’s good to wake up on your own bed. It’s good to open up your own refrigerator and know you can have anything in it. It’s good to look at your house, your back yard, your own family in your own little space and say…Lord, you have really blessed me! The birds sing praises in my own back yard! The orchids full in bloom show off their awesome beauty. I am happy here…this must be my “home”. Once I excitedly shared my home and my thoughts about Paraguay with my brother and (mistakenly) asked, don’t you LOVE it here? He answered, Not really, but I don’t have to LOVE it. I wasn’t called to live here…you were. I felt crushed, but realized that it was so true. I have to love it here, not him. (Now, he has to LOVE it in Indonesia!)
Back home…it’s our secure place. It’s a place to love and be loved. It’s a place to rest. Home is a place where we can cuddle up with God.
This is…"back home".

Back home, back to the computer!

Well, we are back home to COLD Paraguay! We left a beautiful summer climate to come home to blankets, heaters and hot chocolate. Cold, drizzly days mean hanging the clothes out to dry on the kitchen table under the fan all night.
I see how much my house “missed” us as we walk around fixing things; light bulbs, burned out shower heads, defrosting the freezer, cleaning the oven, etc. My computer even became dusty! Now we’re back into to the routine of things…school, quizzes, bible studies, visits and visitors. The first day we told Jason and JC of our 5 am schedule. They seemed shocked, but with slowed-down energy, crawl out of bed like the rest of us and are off to school.
I didn’t write much while we were in the states. I didn’t have time to just write or learn the tricks of someone else’s computer. I wanted to talk and share. Time with family and friends was precious. I needed those talks. I couldn’t waste a minute! We saw soooo many friends, cousins, aunts and uncles, etc. I was amazed at Grandpa’s cleverness even at 94 years old. His dog made him seem young again. Mom and dad were always ready to serve. I was encouraged through Tammy…she has a full house a thankful spirit. Aunt Kath taught me to praise God even through difficult circumstances. Laurel impressed me with her school project for helping Adonai. The women at Western Camp showed us so much love as we dealt with Chicken pox. Someone was always knocking at the door ready to take care of Edson. Sandy and Joyce worked with our “sick” family day and night…thanks! Annette handed us her beautiful work of art. Jim and Eleanor gave us a ride back to Portland. Larry and Marilyn gave up their time and home while Edson got better. Vida took time out to pick us up at the airport. Martha had our room ready at Eastern Camp and shared her family with us. Rod and Evelyn helped by taking us back to the airport. Dianne and Gabe worked with us even through their busy schedule. Liz patiently took the responsibility of my teens…many times. Joe was our personal, family doctor (and computer doctor). Lois promoted Colegio Privado Adonai without tiring selling Miracool bandanas (at Western and Midwest camps). So many more people gave us hugs and said prayers for us. Some gave us some spending money, some bought us a Caffe latte, cappuccino, frappuchino or what ever you call it. Some spent time with Edson in the nursery. Some made friends with Oscar. My older boys have lists of emails…friends they’ll remember for life!
I might not have mentioned your name, but I DO thank everyone who made our trip so special.
Our trip was wonderful!
On the way home (to Paraguay) our THEME SONG was "My God, he can move the mountains, My God is mighty to save, He is mighty to save"…as we thought about luggage, flights, immigrations, etc. We knew that ONLY GOD, could move those huge mountains during travel…and he did! We all got home safe and sound and our luggage with us. THANK YOU, LORD!
So, here we are, back home…back to a routine…back to the computer!

Empanadas

4th of July parties, family get togethers, cook outs and turkey burgers, cold pop and chocolate fountains, swimming pools, movies, video games...and of course shopping. Sounds like a good summer/winter (for the Paraguayans) break. While our kids are craving the chips and junk foods, my niece and nephew have been asking for chipa and empanadas. Good thing we brought up many kilos of mandioca flour! I made chipas on Wednesday and right out of the oven, before they were even cooled, they were GONE!
Yesterday we made turkey empanadas. Empanadas can be filled with anything. The normal empanada would be a meat empanada: ground beef, onions, peppers, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin (I use nutmeg instead), boiled eggs and olives. Our kids like pizza empanadas: pepperoni, ham, cheese, tomatoes, oregano, and salt. Sometimes we make scrambled egg and cheese empanadas or chicken empanadas. I like cabagge (sauteed cabbage, onions, peppers, and soy sauce)empanadas (something like egg rolls). Sometimes empanadas are fried and sometimes they are baked. There are many, many ways to eat this popular South American specialty...which actually means...something wrapped inside of bread.
We made baked turkey empanadas...here's the recipe for the dough.
2 Cups Flour
2 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
Mix all together. Knead well. Cut up into little balls. Roll out with a rolling pin. Fill the dough with desired filling and seal with a fork. Bake till golden brown.
Have fun.

Prayers, Please!

Sorry I haven't been able to write this week. We have been preparing for our trip, end of school, a wedding, etc. Things won't be back to normal until September...but, that's okay! We're a spontaneous family so we'll just have FUN.
Pray for us...We are taking of on MONDAY.

Happy Birthday...Happy Father’s Day!

Our family has been going through some sentimental highs and lows lately remembering the wonderful life our grandmother lived. We have been writing, “I remember when…Grandma did this…Grandma taught me…etc. She was a beautiful example of Christ to all of us. The sad thing is…we said a lot of this all too late, she didn’t get to hear it or read it!
Well, that got me thinking that maybe I should do this for my mom and dad since this week was mom’s birthday and it’s also Father’s Day on Sunday (here in Paraguay). That way they would be here to read it!
Let me start with MOM. My mom learned a lot from HER mom, I can tell because I just got a letter from Aunt Peg talking about the THREE NICE THINGS punishment, so that was from Grandma, huh?
What I LOVE about my mom is that she is so emotionally strong! She went through a lot when we were kids, but we never caught on to the stress she was going through. Dad was out of work for a LOOOONG time because of an accident. Only now do I fully understand what she went through. She had five kids to feed, bills to pay, and a husband on crutches. I remember she would go for long periods of time in her room…reading the Bible and praying. Mom…you taught me to be strong during the storm!
Mom and dad taught us to work in three gardens and sell the produce. Mom taught us to do little jobs; newspaper routes, babysitting, selling raspberries (rocks, and lemonade). She taught us how to be responsible. She wrote the recipe column for the local newspaper and WE got to be the judges of the recipes! She taught us the art of cooking. She sewed us clothes and gave us classes, making us take it all apart again and again until we got it right. She taught us perseverance
Mom is one of the happiest, hospitable ladies I know. She loves to have everyone over. She loves to party. She is always the happiest when she is sharing. Thanks, mom, for teaching me that valuable lesson of being generous.
Mom always supported my decisions even though she knew that it could take me far from her. Thanks, mom, for letting me go and having faith in me.
DAD, you taught me to be quiet even though I was getting the bad end of the deal. I saw YOU do it so often, but for you it comes so naturally. My dad has a special gift of not hearing the bad things said to him, he just turns around and loves that person just the same. Dad taught me to forgive. (I think Brandon got that trait from you.) Dad taught me to love the Word of God and preach it “in season and out of season”. Dad never misses the opportunity to witness, at work, on the airplane, in the supermarket, even in a different country!
Dad tried over and over again to teach us mechanics, but, sorry, I owe you that one. I never had enough patience to hear you. Dad’s our handyman he can fix almost anything.
I know this is soooo short, I could go on and on, and I will some day. I just wanted to share how Mom and Dad taught me and made my life so beautiful. I’m thankful for the parents God gave me! Happy Birthday...Happy Father’s Day!

THREE NICE THINGS

The other day childhood memories slapped me in the face! I was tired of Brandon’s and Gabriel’s attitudes, little fights, arguments, and putdowns. I was praying about how to handle this when it seems like wartime here at home. I remembered a torturous discipline my mom made us do…and yes…I applied it to our case!
At the dinner table, little words and hurtful phrases started being thrown back and forth. I was getting ready to “discipline”. After a few more…you’re this…you’re that…I said, “okay, Gaby, now you have to say THREE NICE THINGS ABOUT BRANDON! And Brandon, you have to think of THREE NICE THINGS to say about GABY when Gaby’s done!” All of a sudden there was complete silence…no one said a word. I asked Gaby to start and he said…Mom, I can’t. I asked Brandon to take over and he answered the same thing.
We decided to sit there till midnight or until each boy said three nice things about the other. It was torture! No one looked up. No one said a word. Oscar and I took advantage of the silence to lecture and teach about what was really going on. I giggled on the inside as I was remembering our own punishment as teens when I couldn’t find one nice thing in my sister. (Now, I could list a hundred.)
So, thanks to mom’s constant warnings…If you say one bad thing about a person, then you have to say three nice things about them...we eventually ended the evening on a happy note.
Sometimes it’s VERY hard. Think about it next time you say something bad about someone. Can YOU think of three nice things about them?

Teens and babies...

I was just reading my sisters’ blogs. One was sharing the victories of being a mom of teenagers leaving childhood behind and the other was enjoying the life of babies and toddlers and I laughed thinking, of course, that I also had it just as great!
I am a mom of teenagers plus a baby! That makes a GREAT combination. Teenagers love to be funny, strange, weird, silly, etc. and babies love to watch and be a part of that kind of stuff…in other words…babies love to give teenagers the attention they need. The teens are just as content to have their audience applaud…even if it’s just a six month old! The baby is basking in endless attention and the teens have their spectator. Only a baby loves to see and hear drumsticks being played on pillows in the living room for long periods of time. A baby won’t think that noise is tiresome; he’ll “coo” them on. Only a baby can laugh hilariously at a teen pretending he is a famous music star or soccer player. Only a teen can be silly enough to totally capture a baby’s short attention span for ten minutes. When the mom is already tired of the endless chores of taking care of babies, only the teens have the amount of energy and patience to take over and make the baby feel “king” again. And, the amazing thing is that the baby makes the teen feel like a “king”, also.
Well, to be totally honest, there are some drawbacks. What do you do when the teens want to do their teen thing at church till 10 pm on Friday nights? Well, the baby has to become a “teen” and stay. He struggles through finding a comfortable spot to sleep in and cries because he can’t find the warmth of his bed. At that moment, the teens are enjoying the company of their peers; they don’t want babies around. What do we do when the teens are studying for their finals and the baby can’t stop fussing…and mom has to help all three at once?
It’s like having a whole new family. Our teens are old enough to go on the city buses by themselves (no driver’s permit till 18 years here in Paraguay). They can go to sports at church in the afternoon. Our baby keeps us home…a siesta is MANDATORY!
Our family is a neat mix. I think we are all having fun.

What's going on

It’s been so long since I wrote! Last week was full of mother-in-law stuff. We took her to the doctor’s. We traded off and on with Oscar’s sister having her at our homes. And mostly, our days were centered around her. She has been having some health/heart problems with a very bad cold and cough complicating things. After two weeks of “rest”, she was anxious to be back at her farm and home and not even her newfound love with Edson could stop her. The doctor warned her of her health and that she should be careful to just take life easy and enjoy things…not organize and plan for others.
Our boys are finishing up school. They are trying to squeeze in a point or two where ever they can. They have been writing up book reports and research papers, finishing up workbooks, etc. Their final exams will be June 15th to the 20th. School Olympics proved to be rewarding since they both came home with many ribbons. Both of them are the fastest runners in their age groups. They have outstanding grades in P.E.!
There is a crisp, winter smell of burning wood in the air. Today it was 39F, one of the coldest mornings so far. This year winter hasn’t let up. We have been enjoying the warmth of the afternoon sun, but clothes still dry slowly outdoors in the cold breezes. We bundle up with two shirts and two sweaters and then on top of it, sometimes, a coat. Why do we exaggerate so much you may ask??? There is no heat IN the house, and at times, it is colder inside than outside.
This morning at 6:00 am we warmed up fast as we (Brandon, Gabriel, Ellen and I) pushed the gray car out the driveway to jumpstart it down the hill. The battery was close to dead, plus it was cold out. Half a block down the road the car started. That was a cosy kind of warmth to feel that early in the morning after running and pushing the car down the sloped road.
More tomorrow about our trip to Concepcion.

The Oldest and the Youngest

My mother-in-law is visiting us from San Pedro. She’s “resting” from her small farm and 4 granddaughters she has been taking care of. She’s 72, the oldest of the clan, and has health (heart) problems. Oscar and Dolores, his sister, are taking turns having her here in Asuncion for at least a month to see if this doesn’t help her slow down a bit and take care of herself and not her extended family of 11 kids, 38 grandkids and 11 + great-grandkids, plus, 100 or so chickens, several ducks, a set of geese, one cow, and many cats and dogs. She’s got a handful!
Well, here at home, she’s quite content with her youngest grandson…Edson. The youngest is sure enjoying the cuddling company. He never has to reach for anything. He has walked around and around the yard (being held, of course) looking at trees, lemons, leaves, bugs and birds all morning. He sat in the warm sun for an hour listening to Abuela Sergia pray in Guarani…and without complaining! He is squeezed, kissed, and loved by abuela, AND he sure knows how to give the appreciation back! He squeals with laughter, lovingly looks into her eyes, and happily gives attention back to abuela.
I just put Edson down for a 2 hour nap after lunch, 1pm to 3pm. This has been his usual routine lately so, I was surprised to see that he was up again at 1:45…in abuela’s arms! I said, “I didn’t hear him cry!” She said, “Yes, he was crying! That’s why I picked him up!” It seemed a little bit suspicious to me, but I let it go…abuela won’t be able to wake up my sleeping baby everyday!
I found two verses (even though there are so many), one to dedicate to the Oldest in the Caballero Family and one for the Youngest of the Caballero family:
Abuela: Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. Isaiah 46:4
Edson: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord…Jeremiah 29:11-14a.
We love you both!!

Mandioca

After a couple of weeks of “pre-packaged” fast foods in the States several years ago, Oscar complained to me that he wanted a REAL meal. Was he meaning the Americans do not eat REAL meals? He meant that he wants one made from scratch and with MANDIOCA! Well, we started out our search for mandioca, (yucca root) found in warm climate countries and eaten along with all meals. We were visiting Ohio! We made our rounds and finally found it in Wal-Mart in Mansfield. It was beautiful and Oscar’s mouth was already watering for it. The price seemed a little high at $2.99 a lb. That would be $2.99 x 6,000 gs.(Paraguayan money) – 17,940 x 2 (about 2 kilos per lb) = 35,880 gs. a kilo! It was outrageous! One mandioca root is 1 lb! We would need at least 4 roots for the whole family. We finally decided to buy it and packed about 8 lbs in our bag an equivalent of 4 kilos…4 x 35,880 = 143,520 gs.. All the while I was feeling so bad that we were spending so much on something SOOOOO CHEAP back home.
Well, Mandioca hit an all time LOW here in Paraguay this week. Today at the supermarket it was 370 gs a Kilo. That means it is 370 / 2 = 185 gs a lb. (185/ 5,000 gs.) which means that it was $0.04 a lb.!!!!! ( I think I did my math right on all this money exchange.) What I bought in the States several years ago would have only needed to be $0.16 but was a total of $23.92.
Anyway, we eat mandioca almost every day. The kids and Oscar just love it with every meal. Sometimes we fry it like French fries. Sometimes it is fried in little cubes and after it is golden brown you add an egg and scramble it together. My brother ate it with chimichurri. Gaby eats it with salt and lemon. Brandon pours on hot sauce and Ranch. It can be pureed and mixed with meat to make a fried patty. Some have used the pureed mandioca for a crunchy pizza crust, and it is used in many, many other ways.
Being so cheap, who wouldn’t use it in everything!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ELLEN!

Today is my friend’s special day. It’s Ellen’s birthday! I’ve only known her since October of last year and it seems as if she could be my sister. She came as a short term missionary and has truly won over the hearts of ALL Paraguayans; young and old, rich and poor, etc. She came without knowing a word in Spanish, and now we can’t get her to stop talking! I told her that I was going to write about her today so here it goes…
Ellen is FRIENDLY. She cares about everyone and is just plain loving. It doesn’t matter WHO you are…an impatient teen, a disobedient student, an “interested” youth, all the neighborhood girls, or whoever. She always writes little notes to tell us how much she appreciates us. She always has time to show you she cares and wants to love you with Christ’s love. John 13:34-35, 1 Peter 3:8-9
Ellen is OPTIMISTIC. Everything seems so fun when you’re with her. Even when things go bad, it’s too cold, the rain ruins our plans, she’s far from a telephone to communicate back home, or steps on Arnold’s dog mess, she’s so happy. She always looks at the good in everything. Psalm 16:11
Ellen is ACTIVE. She never stops playing with the little kids. Even though she is tired, she will stay up an extra hour to play games with my boys. She gets out her recipes to bake cinnamon rolls some Saturdays for our treat. She loves to go grocery shopping…walking there and back, of course. She goes for walks with the neighbor lady, runs at the track with other young kids, and goes bike riding with our kids some times. It seems as if she is NEVER tired. Hebrews 10:24
Ellen loves to SERVE. She will set up chairs at church. She will carry people’s loads of groceries. She will help sweep where ever. She jumps at the chance to serve water at the table. She washes my dishes…with joy! She seems happiest when she’s serving others. Mark 9:41, Galatians 6:10.
I was thinking of a verse that I could dedicate to her and I found so many! (1 Timothy 4:12-14, Romans 12:6-8,1 Peter 4:10) My prayer is that she will continue to love and serve as I have seen her do here in Paraguay WHEREVER the Lord leads her after November 2007. When you leave, Ellen, you will leave an empty space in our hearts. WE LOVE YOU!!!

Mother’s Day – Oscar’s Birthday

May 15th is OUR day. It’s MY day because of Mother’s Day. It’s OSCAR’S day because it’s his birthday. Strange enough, here in Paraguay, it’s even a holiday! We always have a hard time deciding WHO gets to be congratulated first, Oscar or me. Yesterday was a wonderful break from school and routine…a good, family day.
I wonder sometimes why there is so much fuss in Paraguay over Mother’s Day. People even let off fireworks at midnight…Monday night! Parties started on the 14th already. Our neighbors had music going until 3 am in the morning. Some say that women have a great impact in Paraguayan history, family life, farming, etc. While the men were at war, the women stayed home to handle the crops, animals and many, many children. (Oscar’s mom had 14). During one war the women and children even went to battle. Women…mothers…are very highly esteemed. Last year my neighbors had some “MARIACHIS” come to sing to their mother at dawn. Towards the end of the day, yesterday, I was surprised to be considered a 2nd mother, and was given a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
Oscar likes to joke that he is his mom’s best Mother’s Day present and that his birthday is so important that they made a holiday out of it. Well, of course, we started celebrating his birthday on Monday, also, and today, Wednesday, at a school meeting we continued with the party. Tonight after church there are refreshments planned to celebrate his 40th birthday. Yesterday I made three cakes to take to the different places we were celebrating.
According to Oscar’s birth certificate, passport and other legal documents, he is 41. He was “born” on May 15, 1966. According to the rest of the family he is 40 this year and was born on May 15, 1967. His brother, José was born August 15, 1965, which means that if he was born in 1966 his brother would have been exactly nine months old…but the mother claims that there is a 1 year 9 months difference meaning that Oscar had to be born in 1967.
Anyway, it was a beautiful, warm day that was lots of fun.
Last night there was a TERRIBLE thunderstorm and half of our house is with out electricity. Today, wintry, cold weather is settling in and it’s raining.

Mimo, please!

Edson’s become “mimoso”. In Spanish I guess that means something like wanting to be held, cuddled, hugged and kissed, etc. He wakes up every 20 minutes with a little whimper (sometimes more than that) and when he’s held, of course, he goes back to sleep. Oscar says he’s spoiled, but any attentive mother would not agree. Her baby is NEVER spoiled!
Well, that is MY opinion with all three of my kids. I would NEVER THINK of spoiling them. If they are crying or whimpering there must be a reason…he has a fever, he just got his shot, a mosquito bit him, his diaper needs changed, and his socks are too tight, whatever! But my best excuse is always…he’s getting a new tooth!
Well, this time it’s TRUE! He has two new teeth popping out and he’s uncomfortable. It’s cold outside (and inside for that matter). He needs warm hugs. He needs to be rocked in the rocking chair. He needs to be cuddled with warm blankets. He’s crying out “mimo, please”.
He’s at that stage where things are different. He can eat now…squash, potatoes, and bananas. He can rock back and forth on all fours and sometimes even slide around or flip back and forth to get where he wants to. He laughs, screams, and coos all day long. But…oh…that tooth! It’s hard to grow up. Think about Brandon, 14 years old and 5 inches taller than myself…even though we are “mimoso” many times. I could NEVER get him to fit in my lap on the rocking chair!
My baby’s not spoiled! But, I think I’ll have to go and hold him for a while and rock him back to sleep…it’s all because of his tooth!

Cooking in the country

This is how the car looked after the ride home yesterday through the mud roads in San Pedro. I tried to upload this yesterday and my connection wasn't good. So, this picture goes with yesterday's story.

Today's chapter is about my cooking experience. My grandpa loves going to the country when he comes. I think he remembers when they used to do everything by scratch. No...already prepared packages to buy in the store!

Anyway, well Oscar took his mom and Dolores to the doctor’s and I stayed home with 6 little cousins/grandkids to cook for. Remember, this is San Pedro…it is the country! Cooking styles are very different than the city. The oldest girl, Deborah, 17, killed 2 chickens. (I wasn’t about to do that!) She knew how to grab them (Edson thoroughly enjoyed the chicken hunt as the girls ran around trying to grab the squawking things), kill them and take the feathers off the chicken, but never cut one up…that was my job. Usually we get the “nice” plump ones at the supermarket with no innards inside. This one had all the guts still in it, it was still warm, and it was very skinny. Its corn breakfast was still in the neck! I started cleaning, cutting and washing each piece, trying not to think that it was a little bit gross. The animals (cats and dogs) were waiting for any little waste we would throw to them as we cleaned the chickens. We quickly prepared Vori-vori – polenta ball, chicken soup…OVER COALS! Working over the hot fire and blowing to keep the flame going was challenging since the charcoal wasn’t real good and kept burning out. That worried me a bit because a farm chicken has to be boiled a lot longer or the meat will be tough. Our meal had to be done by 11:45 since the girls go to school in the afternoon session. Thankfully I had MANY babysitters who took care of holding Edson and we soon got our soup boiling.
The next step was to make Vori-vori…little polenta balls. Since I came from the city I expected to have the polenta already ground. In the country…you have to make your own! The girls were experts at that, also and already had the corn seed boiling over a campfire and were soon grinding and sifting it. The polenta is mixed with farmer’s cheese, an egg, and some of the broth. After mixing it well, little balls are formed and set aside. When the soup is almost done, you add the balls, boil an extra 5 minutes and it is done…it was 11:45! We made it.
After lunch the cool air was settling in and I smelled like a burning log since I was working over fires all day long, I decided to leave the cleaning up to the girls and took off to clean myself up and sleep a siesta.

Oscar's Mom, Ña Sergia

We just went through a spontaneous and tiresome weekend trip to San Pedro. For about two weeks we have been receiving calls from Oscar’s brothers and sisters that his mom is not well. We were planning a trip in about two weeks, but Sunday’s calls were insistent and after placing Brandon and Gabriel at their favorite friends’ house, we took off with Edson and picked up Oscar’s sister on the way. The 250 mile trip went smooth until the last 30 miles of the trip. It was around midnight and the dirt road to San Pedro was TERRIBLE. Our speedometer was on 20 m/h for a whole hour as we dodged big holes in the road. The pavement is to be finished in 13 months, but unfortunately we didn’t see any preparations for the new road.
We arrived at 1am and found my mother-in-law very sick with fever, a bad cough, high blood pressure and cholesterol AND refusing to go to the doctor. Oscar’s sister was insisting on bringing her back to Asuncion, but she wouldn’t hear of it. Finally, it was decided that she would see a doctor in the morning in San Pedro and Dolores, Oscar’s sister, would stay with her for a week in order to make sure she was taking her medicine. She was a little bit better Monday afternoon with just a pretty bad cough.
Around lunch time on Monday there was a change of weather and the southern winds forced us to bundle up. The rest of the afternoon and all throughout the night it was windy and rainy. This morning it was 50 F and very windy. We hurried to prepare our “mate” (Yerba tea leaves in a little cup with a sippy straw called a bombilla) and take off for Asuncion. We got back five hours later and with a VERY DIRTY CAR!
Tomorrow I’ll tell you about cooking our meal!

God's Promise!

God's promise! Right outside our window!