The Things I See

Clothes drying on the line in my back yard.

Jayde singing at the US Embassy

 I just wanted to share my daughter's video. She was invited to sing the American and Paraguayan national anthems at the 4th of July celebration. So , if you have never heard it before, here is the Paraguayan National Anthem.

So, what do you think of our anthem?

Malaria Memories

I was recently reminded of the first time I had malaria. We had ran out of all meds, even Tylenol, due to an epidemic of over 80 cases of malaria at one time. We had no radio to call for more and had to wait for the scheduled flight to come out about 5 days later. I ended up being flown to town for medical care. It was discovered that I not only had malaria but strep throat as well. I was never so glad to see a plane land in my life! Well, except fort he time I had to be flown out for the gall bladder incident on Christmas Eve, or the time my husband's plane almost did NOT make the landing, but , those happened later...

When we were newly arrived in the village, I came down with malaria. I had been sick several days, (weeks?) with high fever and pain, followed by some hallucinations. It was hard to know what was really happening around me from the hallucinations. Often times, in the village, the real life happenings were more bazaar than the dreams!!

Imagine having every bone in your body aching like the worse flue you can imagine...X 10!! And no bed, no bathroom, no where to do the laundry but the river, still cooking over a fire, with four small children.

One day, I was feverish and in my hammock in the mud hut we had been loaned to use until we finished building our own mud hut. The doors did not lock, so there was no way to keep people out of the house. I was wiped out and fell into a deep sleep.

I began to wake up as I became aware of something rubbing my arm. As I strained to fight the fatigue and open my eyes, I realized my legs were also being touched. I could hear some low voices nearby speaking a language I did not understand.

As I raised my heavy eyelids, I saw four faces bent down over my hammock, looking me over. They were Sanama Indian woman from the next village. Each had their face painted and were adorned with the sticks they use to beautify themselves. They also had a roll of tobacco placed between their bottom lips and lower teeth. This gives the teeth a green, slimy look and produces a green dribble which they spit out on the floor every few seconds.

As my eyes took in the sight, I screamed!

The four, poor women, jumped! Screamed! Dropped their tobacco and walking sticks...and ran out the door! Screaming all the way through the village as they headed to their canoe!

I must have been just as scary to them as they had been to me. To add insult to injury, all the men in the village came running in to check on why I and the women had screamed, expecting to find a jaguar or something equally dangerous!

NO, just me sitting in my hammock trying to figure out if it was real...or another hallucination!

Wednesday's window

 Here is a picture a friend of mine took of the inside of a local bus.

 I thought you might want to see what it is like to use public transportation here in Paraguay.

Sunday's Inspiration

Morning Inspiration with James Merritt

God says, "yes, I'm going to allow things to happen to you you're not going to like. Yes, I'm even going to cause things to happen to you that you're not going to like. You're not going to go through this life without hurt, without heartache, without disappointment, without bitterness and anger. I'm not going to promise you you won't. But here's what I will promise you. It will all go through My filter, and if it can't be used for your good, it won't happen."

Phobias

We managed to get out of the house for a bit today and go somewhere besides a doctor's office or hospital. 

We took the bus tour of the Itaipu dam, the worlds largest hyrdo electric plant.

 I am claustrophobic, Clint forgot about the tunnel. 

I don't like bridges or causeways.

 As we drove over the dam, holding back the water on one side, the guide told us if the dam were to break it would flood all the way to Buenos Aires.

 After facing two of my phobias, we parked the car and I waited while Clint ran inside for Jayde. The transformer above the car exploded and caught on fire!

Happy Birthday to the USMC

Happy 237th Birthday, Marines! 



I thank my husband,

 1982

  1983

 1984

 My father in law and my husband's grand father for their service in the USMC.

 

  2010

In a video posted on the Marine Corps website, Lt. Gen. Christmas explained, “What really happens, you know, when you get called ‘Marine’ for the first time, is two invisible hands reach up and rip your chest cavity open. Another set of invisible hands with an iron singes an eagle, globe and anchor on your heart. The same invisible hands close up your chest cavity, and you’re simply never the same again.”

Facebook Friday

 Saturday~
 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23 (Be careful of what you think, your thoughts will run your life!)

Sunday~
First gun shots of the month.

Monday~
 Hope BIG BIRD is unemployed tomorrow!

Tuesday~
On election day,
Who is your favorite US President of all times and why? Mine is Rutherford B. Hayes. he has a state and a soccer team named for him here in Paraguay!

Wednesday~
 Last night we were stopped by the police and Clint had forgotten his wallet. I had to stay in the car on the side of the road while he walked home, and back, to get his wallet to prove the car was ours. They were impounding several motorcycles and cars. This morning the alarm battery died suddenly and left us stranded. We did a little 'MacGyvering' and used a key, electrical tape, and an old alarm we found in the car to get ours to work. We did not look suspicious at all!

Thursday~
 I am thankful to live in a country where I have the privilege to vote and elect leaders. Even when the campaigning gets ugly, we have had peaceful transitions of power. Happy or not with the results of yesterday's election results, I hope you will all stop and realize what a wonderful and rare thing this is!

Friday~
 "Nor is the people's judgement always true: The most may err as grossly as the few."-John Dryden

Thursday Therapy

It was not a good day. Enough said!

Life with a Dane

 Meet Janus the Great, she makes life interesting!

Election talk

 Tereré Time

It's election day... who do you think will win?

Not who are you voting for, but who do you think will actually win?

Leave me your answer, but let's be nice in our comments! 

 As for me, I am ready for a little R&R, but I think Obama may win this again.

My church

My husband is a pastor and we are starting a new church in our city. Here are some pictures from this morning's service.

This is our new church, Iglesia Bautista Sin Fronteras.
We meet in a home for the time being.

The Witch Doctor's Chant

At Maweda Shodi on the Maweda River, near Chajurana.


This was written a few years ago by my oldest daughter ,Jackie.

(Keepin' Sane with Littles )



We were preparing to leave for furlough. We had furlough fever, more commonly known as Furloughitis. The symptoms of furloughitis involve cravings (for everything you can't get in Venezuela, but will be eating shorty in a matter of two months) such as Double Stuffed Oreos (my dad's favorite) Strawberry Pop Tarts (mom) Bagels and Cream cheese (me). Along with the usual Snickers, Olive Garden bread sticks, and Big Mac. Furloughitis also involves the hurried frenzy of taking all those last minute pictures for the slide presentation. You have no idea how many missionary pictures are "posed."


"Hey, Tito, can you pretend like you're making a canoe, please??"


"Why?"


"So I can take a picture"


"I don't need to make a canoe."


"I know....just pretend."


"You've seen me make a canoe before."


"Right....but I didn't take a picture....I told myself I would take one later."


"But I only need one canoe. How many canoes did you think I was going to make?"


Anyway.


My parents had the brilliant idea of recording a witch doctor's chant for the background music. My parents had a lot of brilliant ideas, usually at the expense of their children's lives. As my dad would put it, "We're young. We can have more kids if we loose one!"


Now, the witch doctor is a little old man, who wears a loin cloth constantly and occasionally puts on a shirt for special occasions. Such as coming to our house. He wasn't "creepy" in any way, or hostile, unless he was 'working' then he could give you goose bumps. He moved across the river to get away from all the people. He said Chajudana was too crowded, a bustling metropolis of 500 people. He slept in a hammock next to his dad's skull....yeah, that was creepy. I think over all though, he was more scared of us than we were of him. He thought we were way creepier I'm sure.


One day the perfect opportunity to get the background chant arose. The witch doctor was only a few houses away chanting over a sick woman. So my dad decides to send my brother (about ten years old at the time I guess) with small hand held recorder over. He told him to stand by the door, push record and stick the recorder inside the door. Just a few minutes is all I need, he said. Josh was TERRIFIED. The witch doctor was chanting, screaming, shouting, growling like a bear (all can be perfectly imitated by my brother now.) Josh told my dad he was scared, and it was creepy...and why didn't he do it. The answer was, "I'm too busy right now." But we all know he was just as creeped out! :D


My dad told Josh, "Don't worry son. You're under the Blood. Nothing is going to affect you. Now go."


My sisters and I walked with Josh to the house....well, we stopped about ten feet away and made him go by himself the rest of the way. He was muttering under his breath the whole time, "I'm under the Blood. I'm under the Blood." We watched as he stood against the outside of the house, and poked his hand with the recorder in the doorway. He recorded for a few minutes....in actuality it was about ten seconds, and bolted towards us. As he was running towards us, the pastor's son, who knew we were all creeped out by the chanting, had climbed a tree that grew in the path, and just as Josh ran under it, jumped down and screamed like a panther. My brother is a white boy, but I had never seen him so pale as that day!


Josh returned the recorder triumphantly, my dad said it wasn't a lot of chanting on the tape, but it would have to do. Relieved to be all done with that horrendous task, we all went back to our school work.


If you ever see my parents slides from that furlough, listen closely to the chanting in the background. I'm almost sure you can hear "I'm under the Blood" being whispered!

Confused

Imagine my surprise to discover this morning was FRIDAY when I spent all day yesterday thinking it was Friday. I lost Thursday somewhere in the middle of the hustle and bustle of  travel and guests arriving.

Thus the Facebook Friday post on Thursday. May as well do a Thursday post today!

Yes, Thursday Therapy. One of the things I most dislike about the medication which is doing such a great job at  managing my pain is that it tends to make me feel a little befuddled at times. Not the same as a high one would feel from a narcotic pain medication but just sort of  'cotton headed'. I feel like my brain is a little slow and words seem to slip my mind more often. Speaking in two or more languages everyday is confusing enough but then to not be able to get a word out that is on the tip of your tongue is frustrating. The medication is Lyrica and I am on the lowest dose. I need it to be able to function and do the therapy and exercise but this side effect is annoying me.

I don't like it !!!

Facebook Friday

SATURDAY~
 Spent the last few hours in the hammocks on the porch. A storm came through and our power is fluctuating. On, off, sort of one, this half on, that half on.Its on upstairs, for the moment so I am checking in on FB. Night everyone!

SUNDAY~ 
You might be an expat if you move your fridge into the middle of the kitchen so the extension cord reaches upstairs to the only stable current in the house. And then those lights go off too! :)

MONDAY~
We just made it to the NTM guest house. We stopped and walked around the new Pinedo Mall... slightly overwhelming for someone from Ciudad del Este!!!! Quizno's Subs???? Really?????

TUESDAY~
We are home and the power seems to be fine! However the air conditioner on the car broke on the way home. We had a nice surprise to run into the Fields and the Hurds at a small restaurant. Small world. 

WEDNESDAY ~
 I have lost a total of 45 lbs. I hope to make it to 50lbs before Thanksgiving!

THURSDAY~On this date in 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the cathedral in Wittenberg.

FRIDAY~
Look! I made a pumpkin pie! (pi)