6/20/2010

Asunción, Paraguay

Woke up with a headache. My neck was on fire. Took medicine and tried to eat something. I miss my pillow and bed. Picky bones.

I tried like crazy to watch the Paraguay-Slovakia game, but it was hopeless. If I had felt better I might have done what Beth suggested and gone to a supermarket to watch it on a big screen with a bunch of other aficionados…But I resorted to listening to it on the radio. I was in the shower when I heard the firecrackers going off and I knew we had scored the first goal. And just before we headed out the door for the village, the second batch of explosions went off. WE WON!!! 2-0. Paraguay is celebrating in the streets! You might still be able to watch video of it on the ABC Color website.

It was raining as we drove to the Roque Alonso village. We passed several vehicles with people waving Paraguayan flags from them and yelling, celebrating…And the usual “vendedores” on the streets selling flags for mostly Paraguay, but also Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. I didn’t see any Mexican flags, but I know that Mexico’s team is being followed closely too.

We drove right into the village this time and parked at Tsemheyi’s and walked over to the church. We had arrived a bit late. They were still singing. Leanne sat on the left with Tsiweyenki up front and I sat in the middle row with Queteis [Juan, who as a young man lived with us while going to school]. The numbers were down, probably because of the rain and the game. Queteis handed me a songbook. I tried to follow. My reading of Maka is weak, especially with the more formal vocabulary. But I got the general meaning. Leanne recorded some of the singing and the lyrics. Be sure to check out the video. Then a men’s singing group got up and sang two songs. Leanne recorded one of the songs. The singing was so beautiful. Then Tsemheyi got up and spoke. He welcomed us and thanked us for coming. He told the people there to not be shy in talking to us, that we were here because we were like family. There was more to that effect, but I think that sums it up. Then he began to speak of the problems in the village; one in particular seemed to really concern him. He said that around 10 guys in the village were choosing to act more like “efu’s” [wekwefu’, I think is how he put it.]. He said in all his years he had never seen this. He said, when he has tried to talk to the parents, they have gotten angry with him. He went on to describe his frustration with leading the tribe; wanting to just withdraw, quit leading in the church, quit leading the soccer association for the Maka team. He said it all came to a head about three weeks ago. I think it was about the time he was physically doing very poorly. He said he quit coming to the church services. But he said that Sunday was his first time back. And it felt good to be there again…He then went to Acts and read a portion and talked about it. I could not follow everything he said regarding this. Then he asked if I had something I wanted to say…

Of course, I did, but I was nervous. Would I say it right? I had not had a good beginning to the day. I still felt rummy. I did not feel qualified, yet…I knew that was at least part of the reason I was there. As the video shows I joked with Tsemheyi about my initial phone call to him. I asked him to translate for me lest I sound like a Chulupi again. That got a good laugh. And he was wonderful. I am glad we did it that way. First, I shared how much I was thankful for being able to there again. Then I tried to play off what I had understood him to have said…The issue mentioned earlier along with the alcoholism…That these were issues not uncommon to life back home. We too face temptations and must make right decisions based upon the Scriptures. That life is not easy and we must not give up. It is kind of like getting scored on in a soccer game. Do you just quit, give up, or do you try harder to win. These struggles are like the goals scored on us…They are challenges which can be overcome with perseverance and the application of the Scriptures and the strength of the Holy Spirit. I shared that what they faced as a church/people hurt us. It hurt because they were like family. I nearly lost it at the end. I concluded with a reference back to something Tsemheyi had said. In a church or religious meeting of some sort the pastor/leader had prayed for nearly every group present, but had neglected to pray for the Maka. It had hurt him. I said that I was sending emails back Stateside and that I was asking people to pray for them. I reassured them that there were people praying all over the States. They seemed surprised by this, but very happy. Please continue to remember to pray.

When the meeting was over, we went over and sat in front of Tsiweyenki’s store. It was protected from the rain and the wind that was blowing a bit. There we tried to call you Dad just to greet you on our new cell phone. It didn’t work. Tsiweyenki gave Leanne several incredibly beautiful woven bags, the kind Leanne has wanted for a long time. They typically use them for shopping. I think we left for home around 1 or 2 p.m. My head was starting to hurt again.

We went home then and ate. Within an hour or so my head started to feel better. We took it easy the rest of the day, taking a siesta, going for a walk around the area as it started to get dark. We walked over to our old place where we lived back in the 80’s. It looks a lot better now. Mom and Dad’s old place looked much the same, nicely kept. We walked up around the mission and back down the street where my family had lived in the 70’s. We walked by the Methodist Church near there. They had the doors open and had a worship team leading the small congregation. It was special to hear the music. God is not American. He is working here too. The Spirit understands the minds and hearts of the people and seeks to guide, to comfort…He is not frustrated. He is winning! There is hope, victory in Him! Praise God!

See you tomorrow.

Jerry