Here's the story...

Okay! So, out of popular demand…I will write about this dead guy. I am changing his name to Juan just in case someone from the prison ever reads my blogs.
Juan became a Christian leader in jail. He was nicknamed “El Tigre” and had a growling, hungry-looking tiger tattooed on him from head to foot. He looked like a body builder-type and protected our kids like a body-guard. He became a wonderful friend of ours.
He was “free” in the Lord and the people; the guards, and the other “Christian” inmates loved him and trusted him 100%. He was actually so “changed” that they let him out to do errands, etc. even when his pavilion was not out for recess. On one of those days, he was out bringing his brother-in-law from the dungeon to the Christian pavilion and an “enemy” from another pavilion who was out on recess saw that Juan was “off guard” and stabbed him three times.
We met his six month pregnant wife at the hospital. Oscar went in to pray with him, but came out and mentioned…just to me (not the wife)...They are not caring for him like they should, but he could make it, anyway. Why should they care for him? He was a convict…a worthless piece of society…always causing problems. But, to us he was a brother and a friend. Minutes later they came to tell us he died…hummm…suspicious, quick death. Oscar was just in there with him!
The wife was taking it very hard and to worsen the situation, they had NO MONEY. They came from the extremely poor area of town. So, now the question…where do we bury this guy? The jail, the town, just disposes of these kinds of problems. If no one claims their bodies, they just pitch them. Juan’s wife had no money or any way to help. Juan’s family in the country also lived in a primitive lifestyle. So, we decided to help her out, especially because of her physical condition. Someone in our group said that their aunt would “loan” Juan her tomb until a burial site could be purchased and the casket moved legally. So, that’s what happened…a year and a half ago!
Well, now this lady wants her tomb spot again. So, Oscar and Christian started doing the paper work and found out that the hospital did not issue them a death certificate. So, this dead guy did not even die…yet…according to paperwork. We had to get our lawyer friend involved to start searching for any documents (from the jail, the hospital, the funeral home, etc.) and create a new death certificate…1 ½ years later!
Well, we finally bought a new piece of land for Juan’s proper burial, so Oscar has been going back and forth to the lawyer’s, the town hall, the first cemetery, and the new cemetery to get the legal permission to move this dead body and casket to its final resting place.
See, I knew you wouldn’t be able to believe all this! It’s totally crazy. Juan’s been singing praises and rejoicing with our Creator long ago and we’re still trying to find a place for him “to rest” here on earth.

Home with the boys

Spring is settling in with beautiful flowers, colors and smells. We can go outside barefoot and wear shorts now. People are out and about. There are more outdoor activities; barbecues, soccer, and get-togethers. We turn on fans for a cooler night’s sleep. It’s one of my favorite times of year…except for…allergies, colds, runny noses, fever, coughs, and asthma.
Well, today, I’m home with the boys! Gaby has been sick since Saturday and we took him in to the doctor on Monday night since we couldn’t get his fever down. He’s on antibiotics and missing two days of school! He is surely enjoying himself. I am just worried about all the make-up homework he’ll have to do. Edson has had a cold for about 3 weeks. We have been blessed to have such a healthy baby. Since he has never been sick, he absolutely hates taking medicine. Medicine time turns into a major battle. He loves drinking fresh herb teas, though. Oscar, my home-remedy, medicine man, makes the whole family herbal drinks for coughs, runny noses, etc. Oscar, who should also be home resting and nursing his own cold and cough, is running around after this and that for school, the prison ministry, and other errands. (I’m not going to even explain his job with the prison ministry this time. You wouldn’t believe it even if I wrote it up well. It has something to do with a dead guy, a cemetery, and paperwork.)
Anyway, usually we are praising God for our great health, and now we are praying for the Physician’s Hand to touch our family and our ailing bodies so we can enjoy the beauty of springtime.

One more thing about San Pedro...Children's Day

We went to San Pedro last weekend to help out in the new outreach.
The new outreach is in the next village over from Zolabarrieta, the first Apostolic Christian Church in Paraguay. As of now they are meeting in Vivi’s mom’s house. There are approximately 30 people who go there and are active in all the activities. They have a prayer meeting, children’s bible classes, Saturday night services and volley ball for the youth.
Emilia (Vivi’s sister from Asunción) went on Saturday to teach the bible lessons and help with the Children’s Day celebration. She taught the lesson in Guarani even though they memorize the bible verses and sing in Spanish. The ladies made a cute cake, chocolate milk, and lots of candies and cookies were passed out.
That night we had an outdoor movie theatre on the side of their house. It was pretty neat!

Edson especially liked the animals, the out doors, the freedom to get dirty, and finding sticks, blocks, and trucks to play with IN THE DIRT.
I took some pictures of the kids and the activities at Children's Day.

Brandon

Brandon’s Birthday…a beautiful day to remember! Brandon is 16 today! He is tall, cute, and friendly. We have gone through many struggles, failures, AND mountain-top victories together. It’s beautiful to see the image of Christ being formed in him as he makes decisions and matures into “what he wants to be” for the Lord.
A little bit about him: He loves soccer and is an excellent goalie! His hobby is listening to music! He is working with our Praise and Worship team. He has a desire to play the bass guitar and is practicing. He has been doing a baptism course since March and will be baptized in September.
Say a little prayer for him today and write to him if you have time.

Yummy cake!!!!

More on San Pedro

Friday, August 15th was Oscar’s brother’s birthday…José Asunción Caballero. I guess his middle name came after the famous day he was born on …Asunción Day. We went to spend the day with him and Oscar’s family.
Oscar’s mom’s health is failing and her constant worry about her kids, grandkids, the church, the crops, animals, etc. doesn’t help. She has aged considerably in the past year or two, but was well enough to enjoy some family time with the rest.
I took my camera to take pictures of the nieces. They posed as superstars beside my mother-in-law’s orchid.

Trip to San Pedro

Thanks so much for all the encouragement today. Yes, today was a LOT better! I even had time to write a blog about San Pedro. I also found a crockpot cookbook hidden in my bookcase. I sat Edson down with a couple of books and read through some interesting recipes. His health is getting better, but Oscar still has a sore throat and fever.

Well, back to San Pedro...We spent this past weekend in San Pedro. Friday the 15th was Asunción Day and it was also the presidential inauguration for President Lugo. So, since we had time, an extra free day, we went to San Pedro to encourage the people in the new outreach and spend Children’s Day with them (Saturday, August 16th).
The dirt road to San Pedro is history! Only our pictures and memories of that 43,50 mi stretch will live on. It used to take us two hours to get there on those dirt roads and if it rained we would be stuck…either in San Pedro or in the mud. Yes, many times we had to push our car out, once we had to call a tractor: burning tires, doing wheelies, skidding and sliding. Isn’t this every teenage kid’s dream? It’s adventure, yes, but not with little kids in the car, crying or wanting to go to the bathroom, or being jerked awake from the potholes.
But, it’s over. It’s done. Beautiful slick, black pavement covers that 44 mile stretch and we made it in 45 minutes!
Lugo is from San Pedro and went to party there on Saturday. Could that be the reason they hurried to get the road done?
More on San Pedro tomorrow!

Today's a New Day!

Well, it’s early enough to start up writing again. Edson will probably be sleeping for a while longer. If he’s not sleeping it is totally IMPOSSIBLE to write, think, or be inspired. The only thing I AM inspired to do while he is awake is clean up after him. He dumped his milk at breakfast, squirt his juice box juice all over the floor, hit my balanced spoon of soup all over his clothes and the floor, and pulled the tray of drying pans on his head. He hates the cough medicine he is taking and each time it is a major power struggle. Yesterday we had an unusually bad day.
It didn’t help that my plans were messed up for the day with an unexpected funeral. Oscar had been working with this family for years and wanted to spend the day with them. (Remember, the burial is almost always 24 hours after dying.) Tuesdays are my teaching days…I cancelled classes to stay with Edson who is struggling to get over a bad cold. My Tuesday routine was ruined and my programmed mind didn’t want to accept it. So, I started cleaning, picking loquats, and doing this and that to get my mind off of what I really wanted to be doing…and, as Oscar says… “making more work for myself”.
I made loquat cobbler and chipas and, I will confess, did not spend quality time with our little “chiquitito” and by the time the chipas were in the oven…he almost tried to get in too, just seeking for my attention.
Poor little guy, today will be different! Today's a new day. I will set my work, my interests, and my cooking aside to be goofy with an almost 2 year old.