Un Desafío/ A Challenge (I hope that's the right Spanish word!)

Yesterday I went with Tim, an English teacher at the school and another missionary, into downtown Asuncion. He goes most Thursdays and I'm trying to learn as much as I can, so he graciously allowed me to tag along. We went to a couple of artisan stores and I bought some gorgeous cards, hit up the post office for some stamps, and he showed me some historic buildings around town. It's tragic because most of the old buildings were destroyed over the years as the city was torn apart through wars. But the ones that are left are beautiful. We went to Plaza Independencia, which is along the river and close to where their declaration of independence was signed.

The picture to the left is the President's Palace. He doesn't live there, but that is where he works. behind it is his landing pad (ha!) and a view of the river. Below you'll see a picture of the very modern and shiny Legislative building. It's a pretty impressive building and stands out among the typically rundown buildings throughout Asuncion. The thing that really got to me, though, was you see both of these beautiful buildings, and you walk through the plaza- all within a few blocks- but then 150 feet behind it all is a shanty town (see last picture). Literally. An entire town, with hundreds of "homes" made from tin and wood, trash scattererd everywhere and people's clothes hanging on lines to dry. And behind that is the river. I was amazed! It was probably one of the most bizarre setups I've ever seen. But what made me pause even more is that this has apparently been this way for quite some time, and this is the view that the President, Legislature, and staff have when they look out their windows- poverty-stricken Paraguayans struggling to make it, 150 feet away from designer suits, plush offices and air conditioning. I don't know how I could sit there and just do nothing. Do they simply close their blinds? Immune to the "typicality" of this style of living? I'm sure there are good-hearted people who help out when they can, but I honestly wasn't sure what to think.

But then I felt convicted. How many times do I pass a homeless person on the street and think, "well, I'm sure that was their choice. They'll probably just use any money for alcohol". What horrible stereotypes we've attached to certain groups of people, and with those stereotypes comes a lack of compassion. And even more everyday, I'll see someone who might be having a rough day or struggling with something, but somehow I have better things to do, or I just can't take the time to see how they are. One thing I HATE is when people come up and ask how you are, but don't really want an answer. Sorry, I know I'm kind of running off on a tangent now...

But ok, challenge for the week: invest in someone. Whether it's helping a little old lady with her groceries or donating money to a battered women's shelter or calling a friend who's having a rough time and buying them dinner. Take that money you were going to use on music or computer upgrade and use it for something that can benefit people's lives, not just our own wants. I know I can definitely use a kick in the pants over that, I do that all the time...

Too often we sit back and do nothing. Find a passion for people- do something!

La gente. (The People)

Like any good, obedient, and oh-so-holy missionary, my focus in Paraguay is on the people. :)Getting to know their culture and customs, learning about their lives, and building relationships. It's a process, to be sure. Right now I'm still learning about culture, customs, and, on a shallow level, of their lives here. One custom I've learned is that no one knocks on doors here... they clap. Yes, clap. I thought it very strange, but I've already gotten used to it. My theory is that all the houses have fences and gates, so you can't really knock on doors- thus, the clapping. I think I might bring it back to states... start a sensation. :)

Last Tuesday Carol, another missionary who I work with at the school, was telling me and Aubrie, an exchange student from George Fox U. helping at the school, about Sentimientos (anyone who knows what this is here, sorry- I probably spelled that wrong, or got the wrong word!). If you look at the picture next to this, its the best I could do from the car! This is a big piece of dirt property, where a bunch of power lines run through. It also happens to be home to apparently hundreds of people. They literally find any material that would work to make a shelter- tin, wood, plastic, aluminum- and build their home their. No locks, not really any doors, definitely no A/C... and someone needs to be there all the time or everything they own risks getting stolen, and at times people come in and simply steal their home as well. This place is probably 10 or 15 minutes from me, in my neighborhood. Alcoholism is also a big problem there. It's looking at places like this that make me question so much. Why do people have to live this way? Can't God snap his fingers and help them? How can I sit here in my apartment with all my clean clothes and computer and iPod and still think I need more? How can other people? How can I even be of help to these people? I don't have answers and I don't really expect them for most things, but it is difficult at times to reconcile the idea of our loving God with the people beaten by poverty and a useless government, as it is in so many places. But at the same time, I hold out hope that something, somehow will touch the lives of these people, even in the smallest of ways.

On a lighter note... I went with Christian and his wife, Angelica to the Interior Thursday. They are missionaries who have been here for 6 years- well, Angelica is Paraguayan, but they have been on the field for 6 years. The Interior is basically any part of Paraguay that is not along the border, where most of the population is concentrated. It's a whole different world out there! We stopped at a "lumber yard' on the way in (it took 3 1/2 hours to get to the village they work in). You can see in the picture why I loosely refer to it as a lumber yard... they do everything by hand, no safety anything. When it hasn't rained they can't cut the wood because they use that water to cool their equipment, and when it rains too much they can't cut because the logs are wet! It was fascinating.

Forgive me for not remembering the name of the village we went to but believe me when I tell you I loved it. The landscape on the way out was gorgeous. Only in the last 5 years or less has this town gotten electricity. The people all know each other and look out for one another. And they speak Guarani. Only some speak Spanish, and even then very poorly. Angelica is the director of a school there and has been for the last 2 years. They have made some incredible improvements to the facilities and to the education. Most people there have not been educated at all, or if they have it was to a low level.
Christian has been working on the Agri-missions building there. It's a great space, they have rooms where people can hold meetings, missions groups can come and stay, and a big kitchen. They have planted fruits and vegetables and sesame seeds and other things. They keep on trying new things to improve the lifestyles of the people. I wish I knew more! They are doing an awesome job out there.

Quick picture here, on the way back we saw an awesome thunderstorm ahead so we stopped to put the bags inside the car, and I snapped this photo. It was gorgeous! You could smell the rain from miles away. A welcome relief to the 100 degree heat. Anyway, I know this post is ridiculously long, as you should probably come to expect from me now. I ask that you keep praying for me, as I keep on learning more Spanish, finding my place in the school here, and building relationships with people around me. And if you want to mail me something, that would be ok too. :) My address is:
Escuela Metodista Nuevo Horizonte
Attn:Emily Milner
Chaco Boreal Num 9978 esq.
Ruiz Diaz de Guzman
Lambare - Paraguay

Bendiciones! (Blessings!)

Nuevos Amigos.

My first weekend in Paraguay is over! And it went pretty well, actually. I was a little nervous about what I was going to do, but another missionary couple, Carol and Donald, called and offerend to take me around Saturday and then I could stay the night at their house and go to church with them Sunday. I, of course, accepted. They are a really fun couple in their mid 30s and have the most adorable 4 year old daughter, Cora. She is a talker for sure. :) I'll try to get pictures soon and put some up. We spent Saturday driving around and we found some lotion for me, one of the things I forgot to bring with me. Then we went to a rural church they have been attending. The church had an emapanda dinner and we watched A Walk In The Clouds with Keanu Reeves! Happy Valentines Day to me! Haha! :) I'm pretty sure Christy used to love that movie and we watched it all the time, but that was years ago. Anyway, that was actually a lot of fun and I met some sweet people.
Sunday I went with them to a different church, they have been swapping between 2 churches. The pastor introduced me and I stood at the front while everyone prayed for me. I love the way people pray here. It doesnt have to be flowery or pretty, and honestly, most times you have no idea what anyone is saying because everyone prays aloud at the same time! Its fantastic! Its like their prayers just wrap around you. They all stretch out their hands towards you, much like in the states, but then they all start praying at the same time. And it starts out normal sounding, semi quiet, but then it builds until in the middle of it some of the people are practically shouting, then it slowly gets quieter until somehow they all know exactly when to stop and everyone says "Amen". I love it.
After church we got some lunch, which was also strange because all of the grocery stores have food courts in them. Not just the malls. The grocery stores. So bizarre to me, but they arent too bad, its just a bunch of buffet-style Paraguayan food that you load on your plate, then you pay by the weight, not the type of food you buy. They actually weigh your plate when you check out. :) Oh, and I've taken up hot sauce on my Milanesa (Martin, you would be proud... although it is kind of wussy hot sauce, I like the flavor!) Then we went and I got a watch, which I never thought important before the loss of my cellphone, and a digital alarm clock, which I never thought would be hard to find but it was.... and I went to a grocery store that gets an american shipment in once a year and they just got it in! I bought peanut butter! And ziploc bags! And REAL salad dressing! Praise God. ;) Seriously though, they dont make that stuff here.
I went to church with another missionary that teaches English at the school, Tim, last night. He spoke because their pastor was doing something else. I met a teacher at the school, Margarita, who is the leader of a woman's group in Lambare, where the school is, and I'm going to try to start going to that!
School started this morning! We had devotions at 7:15 and the kids got here at 7:30am. I'm starting to meet more people and already am understanding Spanish a little better. Still working on the speaking though. But its so strange, because I've started thinking in Spanglish in my head. Most thoughts are in English, but then some will be in Spanish. It's so weird! But I'm counting that as a positive step in speaking fluent Spanish. :) The people who work here are just now starting to get organized, so I didn't have much to do today, but apparently there is a ton of stuff to do, they just have to find it or something. So I'm waiting patiently, content to use the internet in one of the offices instead!
No good update on the internet in my apartment. I finally got the password, and it tells me I'm connected, but then something, for some reason, still won't let me connect to the internet. If there are any computer wizards out there who have a clue, help me out!!!! Perla, one of the secretaries, is supposed to be trying to find someone who can help but she's pretty busy. Although I think I found a friend in her! She's 19 and hilarious and puts up with my lousy spanish. And she lives around the corner from me. So yay for friends!
Anyway, I think this post is long enough..... One of my biggest prayers as I got here was that God would give me a passion for this country and the people and I think that He has been. I'm starting to look forward to what He has in store for me while I'm here! Keep on praying!

Hasta.

Estoy aqui.

Well, I´m here! For those who haven´t already heard, the first adventure began when I missed my flight from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Asuncion, Paraguay... thankfully I FINALLY found a Delta representative who could help me, so he got me on the next flight an hour later. Yay! When I was flying over Asuncion I noticed that everything is either very green or orangey-brown... trees and grass or dirt roads, basically. It is a big city, with your basic modern conveniences- malls, restaraunts, grocery stores. If you´ve been to any Latin American city it´s very similar. Children crowd your car begging for money or selling things, dogs roam everywhere. But thats just in the heart of the city. You get about 5 miles outside the center and its people living in poverty for miles and miles. I have cows that like to walk around outside my apartment, grazing in the street. :)
The school is called Nuevo Horizonte, or New Horizons. It is well organized and everyone is incredibly friendly. I did teachery things today like make bulletin boards and cut foam letters... so strange for me, Steve! School starts Monday and it looks like for now I´ll be helping with the English class, they got very excited when they found out I can sing because neither of the English teachers can and dont want to subject the kids to their voices but they love it. I´ll also be working with the children to send letters to their sponsors. Every child is sponsored, mostly people in the states, since the parents cant afford an education. Right now it goes up to 8th grade, but they´re adding a grade every year so this is the first year for that grade.
Its already been a difficult transition, living alone, no one speaks English and my Spanish leaves much to be desired. But I can sense, even now, that it´s going to be life changing. It definitely won´t be easy, but it will be worth it in the long run.
My apartment doesn´t have internet yet, Im waiting on a password that no one seems to know, but when it does I´ll be updating this thing pretty regularly. Right now I´m relying on the internet cafe around the corner... In the meantime I´m asking for prayers! That I will make friends here, learn the language quickly, learn my way around, stay safe, and ward off the homesickness. Oh, and double prayers for internet access in my apartment, por favor. :)
Muchisimas gracias!