Hot, hot, hot!

It's too hot! Too hot to write! Too hot to read! Too hot for everything!

I will post some flowers. These are called Chivatito. There are two kinds of plants,

orange and yellow and plain yellow.

A Relaxing Weather Forcast

Sasha is relaxing in this wonderful heat. I'm not complaining. I love summer. The rest of the week's forcast...

Tue Nov 25
Cloudy with sunny breaks
High 37°C(98°F) Low 30°C(86°F)
Wed Nov 26
Sunny
High 36°C(96°F) Low 29°C(84°F)

Thu Nov 27
Sunny
High 37°C(98°F) Low 30°C(86°F)

Fri Nov 28
Sunny
High 38°C(100°F) Low 30°C(86°F)

Wanna come visit????

Bathtime!

It is going to rain soon. I was busy at school and with our missionaries all day in meetings.

A storm is coming so I have to get off anyway. I don't want to risk burning the computer a second time.

We have a special 15 year old birthday blessing ceremony at church in three hours.

These are cute pictures of BATHTIME.

Now look at clean feet and tan lines from the sandals. It has been around 100º the past couple of days.

Okay...gotta go...I hear thunder!

Beautiful during the day, beautiful at night

Orchids out back!

2008 School Year Program

Last night was our end of the year school program at Colegio Privado Adonai. We had beautiful weather and there were about 500 in the crowd. My favorite part was when the third graders presented a choreography of a beautiful song about Paraguay. "Paraguay, a blessed land, Paraguay, land of God." They wore their Paraguay sports shirts and held up flags. It was so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. The first graders in the second picture sang "Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord" in English. Teacher Monica taught them this song. The pre-schoolers had a short play about Christ's birth and then the Kinder- gardeners had a play about the Gift of Grace. We had to set tape borders around the stage so parents wouldn't push the limits taking pictures during the program.

After the program the guys were putting everything away. Oscar and I were visiting with the teachers and parents when out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edson with a microphone singing...lalaaaaaalaala lala la laaaaaaaaaa. I ran to take his picture. He looked so cute! He had no audience, none of the chairs were still set up, everyone was leaving but he was singing his heart out on stage...just like he saw everyone else perform minutes before.

Holiday Preparations

For so many years, I had a friend, IRENE, who loved to cook. She grew up in one of the worst neighborhoods of the city. She didn't have an easy life, but several years ago, she became a child of God. A few years later, her husband also became a Christian. She helped her daughter-in-law, Blanca, with the school's snack bar and was always ready to serve. Her mom was diabetic and because of complications had her leg amputated. Irene waited on her mother like a nurse, changing her, bathing her, feeding her and doing as much as she could for her mom, and for everyone.

Many years she would plan my Christmas dinner. She'd ask me for the ingredients and prepare amazing meat recipes or side dishes and desserts, just because she loved to cook, loved to serve, and loved us. She always had time for our family and always cooked fabulous lunches...and invited us during a rough day at school.

She didn't have nice platters, a microwave, or a fancy workplace for cooking, but she served out of love and from her heart. She loved to cook. She loved new recipes. She loved to fancy meals. Many times she cooked over hot coals. Many times we ate under the lemon trees because it was too hot in the kitchen. Some times we even had to share plates or glasses so everyone could sit around the table.

My heart is breaking as I reminisce. This year she is not with us. This year she won't plan my Christmas dinner. This year we won't sing Christmas Carols in her mom's bedroom. This year...

We will always be grateful for her love and service. She taught me so much! Every Wednesday I bake double and send a plateful of chipas, cookies, cakes or whatever to her husband, Marcos. He said that I shouldn't bother, but how could I NOT do this after Irene so lovingly served us so many years.

This year, my holiday preparations will be recipes of love, service, and time for others.

Chipa

I am off to bake some cheesy chipa!

I'm not going to bake it in the traditional oven you see in the backround of the first picture. That takes too much work (but it does taste better). Paraguayan ladies will fill the brick oven up with wood and sticks and get a huge, hot fire going. After the fire dies down a bit they brush the coals out of the oven (with fresh, green weeds tied on to a broom stick) and put the chipas in usually on banana leaves. I think I will spray my trays and cook them in the oven. I will sweat enough while doing it the american way.

Some of you (relatives) in the north are enjoying the snow and we are enjoying 32ºC.

Silence

You may be wondering about my silence. Many times I have thought of writing in the past two weeks, but we are carrying a very heavy load. I have spent most of my days and nights taking my burdens to the Lord.
We are going through financial struggles at school. We are trying to rearrange contracts, salaries, etc. in order to make pay cuts, but still be legal. I know you all know about the economic crisis hitting hard everywhere. Most of the teachers have accepted the new policies admitting that Adonai is a very peaceful place to work at and that they haven't found this comfortable-teaching atmosphere in other private schools and NEVER in public schools. So, that has been encouraging, even though there is still a lot of stress on our part. We are depending on the Lord's strengths and riches to pass over this big mountain.
We also have financial cuts at home and felt that we needed to take the kids out of the american school they had been going to for 3 years. It has been stressful for them AND us. They seem relieved. We had been pressuring them, maybe too much. There was very little leisure time or time to just take a nap. We appreciate the cultural, and spiritual experiences that the kids had at ACA, but because of our finances and the distance of this school, we have decided to go a different route next year.
All this is complicating their schooling for next year since Paraguay schools have a different schooling schedule. We are finishing up the paperwork for their transfers. They are also taking final exams in the Paraguayan system to see what level they are in...in Spanish.
Sometimes I want to disappear and cry until it's all over and yet, I have to encourage my kids to keep on going. All the while I have to lend an encouraging word to the principal who is going through a family struggle, to a sister (in Christ) carrying the burden of a broken marriage, to a teacher dealing with an emotional load, to a mother whose child is very sick, etc. etc.
When you see I am silent for a while...say a prayer!

11 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. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD...Jeremiah 29:11-14a (NIV)

More Pictures

Spaghetti Face

Pictures of Gaby's Birthday

1. A new guitar.

2. Hot dogs (with corn, garlic, parsley and mayonaise...Brandon's choice or tomato, onion, peppers and mayonaise)

3. All you can eat - ice cream!

4. The group of 12, 13, and 14 year olds.

Hope

My friend, Mariela, just came back from Cuba. Five years ago she grabbed two bags, a bunch of courage and left, what was left, of her “home”. Her mother died when she was about 4 and she was raised by her dad and three older sisters. (One of her sisters is married to Oscar’s brother.) An older (18 year old) brother was killed by a car…about 15 years ago. Her older sister, who she called “mom”, became sick with cancer. Treatments in Argentina and a healing faith are keeping her alive right now. Then, her second sister came down with the same type of cancer. She had several operations in Argentina and she came back to her family in Paraguay. Here, they changed her medicine and her body or stomach is not receiving it. Trials hit hard on this family!
We went to see Mariela and her sister, yesterday. Mariela wasn’t there. She takes care of Amalia during the night shift. Amalia’s face and black, curly hair are still beautiful, but her body was just bones. She must weigh only about 60 lbs. She is 35 and has two little boys. She’s a nurse and worked 10 years at this same hospital…now she was the patient.
We read scripture together and prayed and tried to understand. We couldn’t make things any better. We couldn’t heal her or kiss her problem away. Day after day on this hospital bed, her only hope is God. She has a wonderful, positive attitude and even has a sense of humor. She ended up teaching ME the meaning of hope…Romans 15:13. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Saturday News

Today we woke up at 9 am! That is sooooo late! We were out late last night at Bañado. We were invited to show a movie called "scars". It was about abortion. It was very good, but very long. An excellent choice of movie for that area of town where 11 year olds go into prostitution for perfumes and deodorant. There are so many risky abortions done, there, and teenage, single mothers. Thirty-five to forty year old GRANDMOTHERS have daycares at their homes for their own grandkids. We didn't get home until almost 11 pm. Then, we had to eat dinner, yes, that late!
I still don't have Gaby's pictures downloaded...keep waiting, sorry.
Today I woke up with a call from my friend who went to Cuba for 5 years on a scholarship. She just got in to Paraguay yesterday and went straight to the hospital to be with her dying sister all night. I was excited to hear from her, but sad about her sister and what she came home to find.
I spent the rest of the afternoon, today, catching up on reading my favorite blogs, commenting, and playing around on the computer while the house is quiet and no one needs "mamá".
In a little bit we are off to church for youth activities. Tomorrow is a full day, too.

A Quick Post...

Before my computer was zapped, I wanted to post this. While I clean up and download pictures of Gaby's party, I will entertain you with this...

Dad and my aunts sometimes talk about the green house days. Dad is amazed at the plants here in Paraguay that grow all year long…and...outdoors! Mom had a plant, once, that she got as a gift. She had to peel the outside and cut it, then, just stick it into a flower pot. It grew and had beautiful leaves. I think I saw it's flower just once. Since then, I learned that here in Paraguay they call it Jazmin Mango. It grows humungous! There are white, peach, red and light yellow ones. Our peach-colored Jazmin Mango was almost destroyed in last week's storm. But, we cut the ends off and stuck the broken branches all around our house.
Another beautiful plant (flower) is the Passion Flower (by the way-Paraguay’s national flower). There are several different kinds of plants, leaves, flowers and fruit, but they are all equally beautiful and edible. People here in Paraguay even use this beautiful flower all chopped up in "terere" water. It is used as a natural sedative in teas. Dad often talked about it's beauty.
We found this one, a wild passion flower, in San Pedro.

Back to Blogging...

Hey all, I am back...I mean, the computer is back! Yea! I'll be back to blogging.
Today is Gaby's birthday. I cooked all morning. We invited lots of people! This will be interesting! We told Gaby that it is his LAST, BIG, birthday party. Anyway, we are grateful that we are able to have a party and share our blessing with others. Gaby is 14 today.
They are announcing bad storms again for today. Hopefully our outdoor activities won't be rained out.
I am still a little bit busy for tonight's activities. Can I send you pictures tomorrow???

Still at a Cyber...

We have word about our computer. It doesn't seem too bad of a fix, but it also won't be ready until next wednesday. Sooooo, we continue with the "computer fast". Which is actually really great, because I am reading three different books and love them all.
In Search of the Source by Neil Anderson
Shepherding Your Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp
The Five Love Languages of Teenagers by Gary Chapman (don't laugh, Ellen)
Plus, I have had a bad lower back for the past few days, so this rest from the computer has been good.
All day long I think of many things to write and wish I had my trusty little friend to take notes, but, I will wait.
We did clean up with the three trees that fell down. Edson is fine. Brandon and Gaby are huge! Oscar and I are running around for school activities, etc.
Oh...I did think of something I wanted to write.
The other day Brandon put on a CD to listen to. As we were listening, I was cooking in the kitchen and started singing some of the songs. He came over and looked at me very funny and said...Mom, do you know these songs? I said, Yes, of course, they are over 20 years old! He was listening to and old album of Petra. He said...Did you LIKE petra, then? I said, Yes and I also got in trouble for listening to it! It was ROCK MUSIC. That was bad!
Okay, I can deal with Petra, again. As long as he likes it, we'll keep listening to it and I will sing along! It's better than other stuff!