Asian Market

So the coolest thing happened to me this Friday Night, I was able to see culture shock form a whole different way….a group of us went to the Asian Market…some of these people were from India…they had never seen or tasted Korean food before…it was so much fun watching their reactions…at first they were hesitant about trying any food and finally the came to the conclusion that they were going to try it and decided on fried rice with chicken….the other thing that was cool to see was their reactions to everything written in Korean and how amazed they were that all the vegetables were dry…over all we had a very, very nice time.

Things I miss the most about Paraguay

There has been so many crazy changes in my life this month that it makes me feel really small and instable. To be honest ever since coming back from Paragauy I have not quite connected once again with life in America….I miss Paraguay so much I miss my talks with Eval on the roof top, I miss eating chipawazu, I miss the view of the river and praying with my sisters in the Lord….I know God must be up to some crazy plan but if it had been up to me I truly would have stayed. Things I miss the most....
This view....

OHHHHHHH....can you believe I could use to see this from my balcony everyday...no wonder I don't want to come back to my house....















these people.....


This is my friend Mirta. I love her so much. I wish I had tons of money and I would have her on the next plane to USA to come and stay with me. I love her deturmination and hard work. I love her heart for God and the people around her. I love the way she is honest and confronts people with the truth...I have and continue to learn so much from her....













The girl wearing black is one of the girls that I took care of for a short amount of time. She reminds me of myself in so many ways.... her unwillingness to talk about the things going on and her love of dance just to name a few.

















Teresa is such a blessing she is like a mom to me. I really feel loved, chalanged, and blessed every time I am around her. Her smile, laughter and hugs always lift my spirits. I love her whole family they truely are my Paraguayan family.














this food.....



This is Chipawazu...a corn bread that is so good it melts in your mouth...it doesn't matter how many times I try to make it here in USA it doesn't come out like it does in Paraguay....

My Babies are all grown up…

The Lord surprised me this year by giving me the opportunity to visit once again the beautiful land of Encarnación, Paraguay. It has been almost 10 years to the date of which I had moved down there to complete a commitment of two years to work with the orphanage Che Roga (Guarani for MY HOME). I would have never thought that I would have changed so much yet that these people are still such an important part of my life.

The following pictures are of the children I once took care of while I was living and working in their orphanage.




Roberto—So grown up 15 years old. His main chore is to daily help make bread that will be sold to help fund the orphanage. My favorite memories of him when he was 5 are:1. His small voice saying “ABUELA quiero pan!” 2. One day I told him to go look for his shoes and the next thing I knew he had climbed a tree and fell and broke his arm. Not that this is a fun memories but it so describes his character and who he is. 3. When my parents came to visit they walked through the door and the first words out of his mouth were “HOLA Abuela Teresa!!” I like this memory because it meant that he considered me to be his mom and my mom to be his grandma
Beto—This child comes from an incredible terrible back ground. It is hard to know how deep his emotional needs are. It is my prayer that my time with him both when he was 5 and now some how helped him to have hope and learn to love Jesus more.





Dario and Jorge—These two are brothers. I remember Jorge’s quiet yet great strength even at an early age. IT is my prayer that God will use him in spiritual warfare and intersection for those who have gone through similar things as he has and that as he prays for others he him self will be changed. Dario is still a kid at heart. His smile can light up any a place.

Ramon—Also 15 years old….wow how time flies…I remember the most his smiles, his hugs and his easy going attitude. HE will always hold a special place in my heart. I love this new picture of him because I have another picture when he was 5 in the same position different dog.

Sergio—I was only given a few months of taking care of this boy. At that time he spoke very little Spanish mainly Guarani. What a culture shock it must have been for him to be taken care of a white American. In the end I believe he turned out okay.

LONGINGs

God created us the way he wants us to be. Being near freinds who are married, getting married, and/or having beautiful babies makes me desire to have a family of my own. It is my prayer that God would bless me with such a blessing and that together we would serve the Lord with all our hearts.

THOUGHTS on a day like today

Being here in South America has brought up many memories...mainly good ones...it has also brought about a renewal of some dreams that I had forgoten...I can´t wait to see what God is going ot do in my life and the lives of my friends...it has also brought up some conflict with in my soul...desires for some very dear friends that have fallen away from the Lord...the only hope is that our friendship contiues to remain strong and that way I will be able to someway some how show them how much God loves them...but it still hurts that some of them I spent so much time seeking God together that I can´t believe from where they have fallen...the Bible says ¨that in the last days the love of many will grow cold..¨its my biggest prayer for my life and the lives of my friends that I daily deal with my issues before God so that in a few years we will continue to be strong before the Lord.

Paraguay--God is good.

I don´t have words to tell of the great things God is doing in my life at this time. It is like He is puting his hand in my heart and shaking all the dirt around and renewing my vision for new and old thing. He is showing me things and joing me to large armies of people that together we will do his work. I have had it in my heart for awhile to bring Teen Mania to Encarnacion and now is the time. GOd is doing something special here. He is uniting the church like never before and growing up people and ministries to do his work. I am so excited to see what is going to happen here. We ask God for the whole city and God is giving people vision about how to reach these people. I can´t belive that after so many years thing that I prayed for are now happening.
I need several days to digest everthing....-

Well I´m off to see my godchild...