Doce

 Sunday, January 24, 2021 

I can’t believe it’s the end of January already.  

I’ve written a bit about what the church yard and building are like. Now to tell you about the service itself. To start with, Everybody arrives via the missionary vehicle. We stop to pick up Perla at her hair salon on the way to church, and then once most of us have been dropped off to unlock and set up the Sunday School benches and make room in the vehicle, Eric goes to pick up Felicita and whoever wants to come from her compound. Usually it’s Felicita’s daughter Gloria and her 2 children Thais (14) and Cristian (2.) Another on of her daughters, Nimia, sometimes comes with her daughter Marivel (17). Once everybody has arrived we stand around talking or listening to voice messages or run around. Eventually, when Eric has deemed it time (maybe he checks the time?) we all walk into church and find our seats. The ladies seem to have an unwritten rule about who sits where, while Eric has about 4 different spots to choose from. Church starts, Eric leads a few songs out of the books that we spread out across the room while we wait for the aforementioned second load of congregationalists. (I don’t know if that’s the right word.) Most Paraguayans don’t know about following notes and are not necessarily melodious singers. There books with no notes that they can use while we follow our little notes. We sing only soprano in church although other voices are added by those who don’t sing on tune. It truly is quite beautiful tho. After a short opening Eric, the children are dismissed and the adults scoot they chairs around into a semi circle and proceed to read the Sunday School lesson and having a lively discussion. Perla and Felicita don’t run out of words very often and discussions with them can get pretty interesting. Meanwhile, outside the children are pretty much playing musical chairs while supposed to be having Sunday School. First we read the lesson and do the exercises, then we spend a while coloring the picture with assorted sizes of pencil crayons before opening the Cantemos songbook that may or may not be missing 10 or 15 songs. We might sing one that we already sang in church that morning or we might sing Oh Come All Ye Faithful as it seems to be a favorite, even after Christmas. Back in church after I’m not sure how long, half an hour or longer, we recite our verse from the lesson and sing a song in front of church. Finally back in our seats we sing a Guarani song or 2, someone might comment a few words on it from the benches, or ask what certain words mean and then the sermon is brought by (drum roll, please) Eric. Throughout the service, Christian will be running in and out and around, Rachelle might be translating for me out loud, and someone might volunteer a thought from the benches. A song, a prayer and church is over. But we walk around, eat fruit, visit, because that’s what you do after church. Even if we’ll all squish into the van and make only one trip to drop everyone off. Before Covid, they used to drink terere together after church and sounds like we might be starting that again soon.  Monday, January 25, 2021 We visited Julian’s tonight. I love being with them. There’s never a dull moment, always fun and laughter and craziness and singing. The oldest few love to practice their English and the 16 year old twins are a highlight with Eric’s girls.    

 

Wednesday, January 27, 2021 

I’m afraid the bugs have gotten me again. I mean, not afraid. Mad. There was a stretch between then and now (then being the week or 2 after I got here) that I didn’t have many bites and thought I was getting used to the bugs here or something. What a joke.  

 

Thursday, January 28, 2021

 At breakfast, the mist that was misting down on us turned into a drizzle and then suddenly turned into rain and pretty soon we vacated the table as the grass roof on the quincho was starting to leak. Breakfast came to an abrupt end and we got on with our day a bit earlier than usual. Actually it’s still raining as we speak; I’m sitting in my desk getting ready for school and the time reads 0733. 

 

Friday, January 29, 2021 

We were invited to (Jacob I think his name is) Miller’s for supper tonight. We went to see them last week and they wanted to have us over for supper yet. Did some shopping along the way as some of the shops we shop in are in their direction. We ate a delicious supper of mashed potatoes and meatballs and  jello and pickles and pickles beets and buns and I forget what else. Reminded me a bit of going to my grandparents and trying to help with prep and cleanup and eating however many cookies you want  cuz they’re Grandma’s and you don’t always get Grandma’s cookies. Later in the evening some of their children and grandchildren came to sing with us. There were some strong, beautiful voices there; 2 of the little boys sang a duet for us and one little 4-year-old belted out the chorus of his favorite song when we came to it. I found the languages very interesting tonight. The men conversed in Spanish but the women had to try to make each other understood thru all 3 languages. Mrs. Miller speaks English and 2 of the other ladies there definitely understand some English and they’d all understand some Spanish but speak neither. So if Mrs. Miller wasn’t around it for quite interesting. Rachelle had the ability to be fluent in Plautdeich when she was young. She lost that along the way but can understand some and tries to talk some much to the delight of some Mennonites.  I don’t even know what I’m writing anymore. It’s barely still Saturday and I still have today to write about and I want to sleep yet. 

 

 Saturday, January 30, 2021

Rachelle’s friend Raquel from Campo Nueve asked if she could come for night tonight. Well sure of course! Then she asked if she could bring her sister, and later she said there was a youth boy coming along too. They were at a wedding on one of the colonies and needed a place to sleep. I find it very interesting. They’re from some sort of plain church, they wear plain colored cape dresses and white lacy head coverings. Raquel is maybe 40 ish, her adopted sister is 15, and they brought along a 22 year old guy who is of no relation to them as far as I know. The guy is a teacher in Guatemala at some sort of school for boys who’s parents don’t want them or something. They all seem quite relaxed here and want to come to church with us tomorrow. Who knows how long they’ll stay. I’m hoping to play ball with them tomorrow as apparently Raquel is quite the ball player. 

Anyways I’m not feeling very happy about how this letter is written but this is what you’re getting this week.  

Addie