This little guy has been hanging out on the power line by our house. From the upstairs balcony, we can almost reach out and touch him. It was just impossible to get the red-eye out of this photo!

Owls are very common to spot here, but usually on fence posts as you drive by them at night. We hope this guy sticks around, as he seems to like eating our bugs and creepy crawlies. Isn't he just TOO CUTE?!

Today is my little brother's birthday. He's the one in the middle, in case you didn't guess. He's still the little brother although he outgrew me eons ago. I AM the older one, but that gets less and less cool every year! My brother was named for our dad, so instead of calling him Junior or Little Phil as was the trend at the time, my parents used our dad's old nickname which comes from his middle name, Dean. So I've only known him as Dino. All his Army buddies call him by his last name and I think most adults call him by his actual first name, but he's still my little brother, and "Dino" he will always be.

When he was a toddler, he had that freaky hair that always looked like he'd just touched an electrical socket. It was fine and blond and stuck straight out from his head on all sides. He was always tall and thin and anxiously awaited muscles and chest hair. He hung out with the older kids from church sometimes, and once after being around Little Carson all day (a teenager who really DID have muscles and hair), I remember Dino standing in front of a full-length mirror at about 6 years old, all wiry and bony, but flexing his muscles. He was straining hard to see some hairs ANYWHERE on his frame, and blurted out, "I am one hairy beast!" Oh, the power of positive thinking.

Growing up, he let me dress him up in whatever clothes I wanted (no dresses, mind you) growing up, and fully trusted my fashion sense. We all have pictures to prove what a bad idea that probably was. Thankfully, he didn't continue to wear that MCHammer style that worked for him back then, but to this day, he's very aware of his clothing and quite obsessed with shoes. Not high heel ones or anything, but the boy always had tennis shoes and boots to spare, and a collection of t-shirts with brands plastered across the front of them, enough to outfit an army. Okay, I'm diggin' this hole deeper and deeper, huh, Dino? Let's move on.

He's a really, really neat guy that makes friends easily and reminds me more and more of my granddad the older he gets. He's good at pretty much anything he tries, from fishing and hunting to sports to just about anything. When I had been doing triathlons for a good while, practicing every day and competing every chance I got, I remember that he came down for a visit and jumped on Ken's bike to accompany me for a ride. I don't have to tell you that I was ready to throw a rock on him when he passed me like I was standing still, and said, "Man, I haven't ridden in forever!"

My mom says I wanted to name him Purple when he was born because it was my favorite color at the time, and I don't really know why they didn't let me have my way. He's completely tough-guy, though, so I guess Purple wouldn't have went over well in basic training, nor on his hard hat, or even on the back of his softball jersey. Anyway, he's a great brother that I love very much and miss a lot. He'd fit in nicely in Paraguay, as he doesn't know a stranger (where'd he learn that?) and is comfortable just about anywhere. Hint, hint: I'm still waiting on a visit, Dino. Have a super birthday!

Today we achieved a goal that sure felt good to see happen. Something that is very important to us as missionaries, is not to be "Super American" hero people that sweep in and save the day. There are a million reasons for this, and you can read them all by googling missiology and reading the articles that come up about current trends and the move away from this heroism mentality. We refer to it as "equipping the nationals," which basically means that wherever possible, we want to help the Paraguayans themselves minister within their culture, because they can do it WAY better than we foreigners can. So while we minister, we are also aiming to train up other ministers, each one finding his giftings and operating in them.

With that goal in mind, we turned Hora Feliz over to a team of local young people today. We'll still be available as "helpers" until they are fully confident, and they'll come here for planning sessions each week for now. But these guys are on the ball and are taking La Hora Feliz very seriously. If you don't remember La Hora Feliz (Happy Hour) from previous posts, it's the weekly Sunday School sort of meeting for our neighborhood children. The American mission interns have helped us get this started and keep it going, and now after meeting with a few local youth, sharing the vision, and going over the resources, those same youth took the reins today for the first time.

It was a HUGE success! They used the Betty Lukens flannelgraph set, went over a Bible story and its character lesson, played teamwork games, sang songs, and had a blast! The 13 children all participated, and the fact that one of the youth was a young man meant that the older crowd that usually hangs out and "watches," actually jumped in and participated, even in the silly motions to the songs. It was spectacular to hear this group of children singing about worshiping God, and to hear the youth explaining that prayer is simply talking to Him. Thank God for planting the gifts in these teens and giving them the courage to step up to the challenge of Hora Feliz (it is a challenge--you should have seen the wrestling that ensued when the popcorn came out!)

Have you ever ridden with my husband? Have you ever driven in Asuncion? Put the two together and it spells A-D-V-E-N-T-U-R-E! In all seriousness, he's an excellent driver, able to handle the insanity of South America road rules (what I really mean is the lack of rules...) For example, the two most important rules here are as follows:

1. The lines painted on the road mean nothing. This applies to lines that define where the road ends and the grass (or motorcycle/emergency lane) begins, and also to lines in the middle of the road that normally divide the traffic going in opposite directions. If you would like to drive on the opposite side of the road, do so, especially in the city. If you think you are driving on a four-lane road, it's actually going to be used more like a six-lane or eight-lane road. If the line at the red light is too long and you don't want to stop so far back, just pull up beside the other lanes, on the opposite side of the road. The oncoming traffic may blow the horn, but they'll slide over to let you by. If you are in the rural areas where all roads are two-lane, and it doesn't seem you have room to pass, do it anyway. If you don't want to run the oncoming traffic into the emergency lane (or the car you are passing), you can choose to pass on the right side of the road, putting yourself in the emergency lane. **What I'm calling the emergency lane is the area basically designated for pedestrians, but most often used by motorcycles who've been forced off the real lane so that bigger vehicles can pass. See #2.

2. The largest vehicle is the one with the right-of-way. As mentioned above, when passing a motorcycle (much smaller here, so unable to keep up with road speeds), most cars hold their lane and force the moto to slip over into the emergency lane. Unfortunately, that extra lane has small speed bumps every few yards, so it's not a comfortable place to have to ride long-term. For this reason, we bend the rule and pass a moto like you'd do in the U.S. We actually slide to the left and give the guy space to stay on the road. Passing a car is done a little differently here. I always think of my mom telling me she almost ran a tractor off the road when passing, and how her dad told her to look for the headlights in the rear mirror before pulling back over in front of the vehicle you just passed. This is NOT the way to pass in Paraguay. You can pass without ever leaving your lane, or just begin the pass, get slightly in front of the other car, and then slide back over, forcing them to slow down quickly to let you in. This "larger vehicle" rule also applies to oncoming traffic. For example, you want to pass a slower car but there's not enough room to do so before hitting an oncoming vehicle. If the oncoming traffic is a vehicle smaller than your own, do it anyway, and the smaller oncoming car takes the emergency lane. This is most often practiced by 18-wheelers and buses, but regular cars and trucks do it as well.

Now that you have that background, let me tell you what happened to us the other night. Traveling at night is not usually something we like to do because many people drive without lights, but since it's getting dark so much earlier now, it couldn't be avoided. When leaving Asuncion (two hours from home), we passed a young person from Carapegua standing on the side of the road waiting for a bus. It was rainy, he had packages, and the bus is not a fun ride, so of course, we picked him up.

About an hour into the ride, we came up behind a motorcycle driving slowly on the far right, so Ken began to pass on the left, swinging wide so the motorcycle driver knew he wasn't expected to take the emergency lane. Just as we got in the oncoming lane, the driver looked to his left, saw some people standing on the side of the road (but apparently DIDN'T see us), and turned very slowly across both lanes, to the left, smack in front of us. Ken swerved back to the right and laid on the brakes, but hitting this guy broadside seemed unavoidable. Of course, the wet roads meant we were sliding all over the place. Well, the Lord turned us sideways and slid us right past the rear tire of the motorcycle. Thankfully the road WAS wet, because the angle we had to turn at, at road speed, would normally have flipped us, to be sure. From there, it was what seemed like 10 minutes of fishtailing and swerving all over (and off) the road, trying to get the truck slowed down and heading the right direction.

I did what I always do in moments of panic and began to say, "Jesus," about the time Ken said, "Oh, Lord, help us." I heard Caroline doing the same from the back seat, and our Paraguayan rider also saying, "Jesus," although his version came out as "hey-SUS, hey-SUS." There's comfort in hearing the Name, no matter the language. I imagine that the oncoming traffic slowed down for us, but it seemed they were getting way too close and we were still all over the road. We finally righted before they got to us, slowed down to breathe a bit, and went along our way, keenly aware that God had been very strongly protecting us that night, as usual. I have to tell you that after thanking God, Ken's response was, "See, all those teen years of me fishtailing in the road on purpose did turn out to be a good thing!" We joked with our friend that he'd probably decline our offer and just take the bus the next time. Sometimes we go through the day never knowing what evil could have befallen us, but this night I knew. Thank you for the prayers you offer up for our family. I can tell you with certainty that they work!

This weekend, our local town's soccer team played in the national championship for our division, and WON! This is not normal for our little town, so Carapegua is really celebrating today. We've heard loud music and fireworks off and on since yesterday afternoon. Ken walked into town to run a few errands this morning, and there were homemade parades cropping up all over. I've actually been involved in one by accident, when I pulled out at a gas station behind a few cars, and then some folks pulled out behind ME. Those in front and behind me were all honking and hanging out of their windows (again, over a soccer game), so I just joined in the fun, rolled the window down, waved out the window, and blew the horn a bunch. It was great amusement.

Here's a photo of the parade that was forming a few minutes ago. The two folks on the front of the truck are holding the (large) trophy, and the flag of our town. Every town has their own colors and flags, and patriotism to the flag is a serious thing here. Behind this truck, "whosoever will" is allowed to join the procession by pulling in and honking the horn. So five trillion motorcycles and scooters were directly behind, yelling and honking. It's an exciting day in Carapegua!

This past week we had the opportunity to spend a little time with a church in Capiata, a little over an hour from us. You may remember them from the recent blogpost, "Meet the Whites." Hollie, Heather (mission intern staying with the Mortons), and I accompanied the ladies of Iglesia Centro de Enseñanza Biblica on their weekly visit to the children's hospital. While there, we handed out little care packages, prayed with the children, and spoke to the parents/caregivers about salvation. Those who were interested were led in the sinner's prayer and given information on how to continue on their spiritual journey. This hospital ministry has been in operation for 5 years, and the ladies who visit each week have found favor with the staff. They are allowed access into areas that are usually off-limits, and the doctors and nurses are very friendly with them.

This church has been so kind to us, not only hosting one of the prayer seminars with Dr. Henry, but helping us get Spanish teaching material and being a resource for advice. The missionaries who pastor the church have been in Paraguay for 18 years now, and pretty much any problem we come up with, they've "been there, done that." They are always such an encouragement to us.

After the hospital visits, we met up with Ken and the girls and attended the Iglesia CEB's yearly mission conference. The guest speakers were Pastors Clarence and Marion Wright of Guatemala, and all were encouraged by the sermons about the missions call for every believer. Ken and I were given the opportunity during the service, to share what Tapé Missions does in Paraguay. It was a pleasure to tell about our work here and meet other missionaries who are living out their calling.

This week we've gotten back to normal, after a loco schedule of the seminars, special events, travel, and visitors. We had the young ladies Bible study again Sunday afternoon, and we all learned how to combat lie number 8, "Pretty girls are worth more." It's amazing the things that cross the cultural borders and are take root in the female mind, and I was really thrilled to be able to share God's truth about the doubts, fears, and lies the enemy tries to feed us.

Getting back into the elementary school in Arazaty was great. We've missed the kids and were thrilled to see so many return after their summer break. There are several projects out there that will really make the school a nicer place, so got any volunteers for spending a week or two in Paraguay? This year's Bible classes will work on character development, and we're excited about the opportunity to once again work within the public school system in this little neighborhood.

We visited with the Mortons yesterday in Itaugua. You probably remember them from previous posts, but if not, check out their ministry to abandoned and abused children at www.servingparaguay.org. They have the most precious little girl and are expecting a baby boy in May, and pregnant Sara has been placed on bedrest. So we went armed with a box of cookies to perk her up a bit.

The Martinez family moved to Paraguay a few weeks ago to work with the Mortons. Jayne is a sweetheart with a soft voice, and Joe is a very likeable (important, you know?) psychologist who will be working intensively with the children who live in the homes there. It is such a need, as these kids have been through so many tough situations in their young lives. We are glad to see the Martinez family arrive and get settled in Paraguay. It's always a joy to visit the children's homes in Itaugua and see the progress God is making through the families ministering there.

And lastly, a friend called this morning from the local market, to tell me that a man was walking through selling crocodile meat. I'd been asking around to find some, so Ken jumped on the motorcycle and hunted down the traveling meat salesman, who probably was also the hunter. This evening we ate the best crocodile nuggets ever--thankfully Ken found the bullet BEFORE we bit into it. I flashed back to the last time I had this meal, in Iquitos, Peru. I thought the word they used in the restaurant for NUGGETS was actually the word for CROCODILE. So the next day, we were visiting a village in the jungle when a man came out with his pet crocodile on a leash. I was so proud to know a new word, so when he came my way and offered me the leash, I said, "Oh, wow! Nuggets!" He took the leash back. I thought I was marveling over his pet, but he thought I wanted to cut the little crocodile up into small pieces and deep fry him. That's story #5,378 of how easily I stick my foot in my mouth....

We just came in from a full day of our church's 33rd Annual National Convention. The praise and worship during music time was spectacular. We also heard reports from different ministries and the projected plans for the coming year. Through the sermons, we were encouraged as believers to minister in our communities, to get involved in reaching out to our neighbors, and to take part in what God is doing in our "local" world. There was enough free time to reconnect with pastors and friends we've made from across Paraguay, and a few from nearby countries.

I couldn't help but think of what we're used to in State Conventions and General Assemblies, how for me growing up, even in our poorest times, it was kinda like family vacation. Well, actually, some years it WAS family vacation. but it meant we'd stay in a hotel and eat in restaurants, and we'd wear our finest clothes, whatever that might be. The Paraguayans mostly arrive on the public buses (run a search on this blog to find my experiences with the public buses), and those who don't live very close are spending the nights on the concrete floor of the church. These two factors alone add up to the inability to do much "primping" before church service, much less ironing clothes or wearing your finery. But you'll not hear them complain about the conditions. On the contrary, they are thankful to be able to sleep in the church and not have to travel back home each night. They are at the convention to share fellowship with their brothers and sisters, encourage and be encouraged, and spend time with the Lord. Thank you, God, that we had the chance to share this time with them this year.

Each of the recent prayer seminars was interdenominational, which was just so exciting. Pastors and members from all different churches came together to learn about prayer. The first seminar was hosted by Iglesia Centro de Enseñanza Bíblica in Capiata, Paraguay. Pastor Jerry White and his lovely wife Connie made the most gracious hosts, and it's plain to see that their church is a fully-functioning example of a the living, breathing organism that churches ought to be.

They are actively involved in many ministries, but I think my favorite is the children's hospital. Every week, a few ladies visit the national children's hospital and see some very sad families. They take gifts for the children, pray with the families, and share the Gospel when given the opportunity. Hollie and I are planning to tag along one day and watch the women in action!

Jerry and Connie White have been in Paraguay for 18 years and have a real heart for the people. We are looking forward to getting to know them more and more and learn what we can from these veteran missionaries. Thank you, Iglesia CEB, for allowing us to come share the prayer seminars with your city! Here are some photos of the nights we spent at their church...

What a joy it was to meet the IMB Missionaries, Henry and Tasha Clary and their family. They invited us to have lunch and talk "missions talk" one day while we were in Uruguay, and how wonderfully they treated us all.

We met the Clary family by googling Uruguayan ministries (the internet is just wonderful, huh?), and contacted them about the possibility of them attending the prayer seminars. As the Lord would have it, they had a leadership seminar planned for the Saturday we'd be there, and their guest speaker had just backed out. We began making arrangements via email, but really just didn't know what to expect. You know how it is... I don't meet a stranger, but some folks are STRANGE. So I was a little worried. South Americans, no problem. Americans, sometimes a little weird.

But the Clary family was perfectly fine (glad to hear that, huh, Tasha?) and went out of their way to show us Texan hospitality. We met a Paraguayan man at their luncheon who had moved to Uruguay years ago, and has a great hand for asado and gardening. You'll find him in a photo below giving me a tour of the plants. We celebrated his wife's birthday at the luncheon.

We also made friends at the leadership seminar Henry hosted Saturday, and Saul had a wonderful time teaching there. They had a refreshing spirit of worship and a sweet fellowship amongst the group of house church leaders present.

Later that night, Tasha invited me to speak at a youth meeting she holds weekly. Not only did we meet some great young people that night, but we got to sample her chocolate chip cookie bars. How incredible to see other missionaries in action and find that we have family in Uruguay!

Saul teaching the meaning of PARACLETOS and saying "Asombroso!" a lot... It was a great crowd!

Henry, Tasha, and us...

Checking out the plant life in Uruguay, and getting a few seeds and cuttings. I didn't tell him that I'm likely to kill everything he sent home with me. Didn't want to disappoint this talented gardener, you know?

We worked with a church in Uruguay called Ministerio Tras la Puerta (Behind the Doors Ministries), which can only be described as dynamic. They hosted us for two prayer seminars, one in their downtown location and another about 30 minutes from the capital. They also really showered us with hospitality and went out of their way to make us comfortable during our stay.

The church is very active in their community, with radio programs, evangelism teams made up of their youth and children, prison ministry that has resulted in stable church members after their release, and even classes in missions, music, and English. They have a real heart for reaching their city. Many of them became our personal friends as they'd drop by during the week to visit or come early to services to talk with us. A big group accompanied us in the buses to the airport, with a classic movie-style send off at the gate.

The Pastor has two girls basically the same ages as Camille and Caroline, and they were instant friends. It was scary how much the younger one looked and acted like Caroline. Hollie met a few young ladies her age, too, and spent the night with them a couple times. It was great for them to make connections personally and learn first-hand what was happening in another country. Camille was even interviewed on the air during their Saturday evening radio program!

Their downtown church is located in an 1800's European-style home, where they allowed us to occupy a couple bedrooms to avoid the tourist-priced hotels. Each room had stained glass windows either in the ceiling or the walls, and the architecture was just gorgeous. The church members came together with bedframes and mattresses for us, and had prepared a welcome basket full of snacks for our arrival. We know God will bless them and their ministries for their openness to the seminars and their hospitality in receiving us. We look forward to hearing about their successes! (More photos follow...)



Ken preaching the Sunday morning service in the San Fuentes church


Scenes from the foyer