La Vida Loca (part 1)

One of my fellow mission Academy students gave me a contact who works and lives in the Chaco in Paraguay.

While in the Chaco I not only made a wonderful friend but was able to see how far these people who arrived with nothing have come in 80 years. Filidefia is one of the major cities in the Chaco and they only recently have installed more than one traffic light and only a few of the main roads are paved. Gabi was so wonderful to host me for five days as I was able to learn more about the Paraguayan Mennonites and about the ministry she works with called ASIM that had started as Luz a los Indigenas. A ministry that started shortly after the Mennonites arrived in PY and when they encountered the Indigenous people they felt this was why God had lead them to this land. Today ASIM assists the Indigenous people of the Chaco with various social projects. They teach the indigenous people about farming and help train them in the latest technology. Gabi set me up with different tours where I was able to visit and learn about different social projects the Mennonites have started in the Chaco. During my time there I visited a nursing home and was able to speak with some of the women who live there, as well as visited a group home and workshop for Mennonites who have mental handicaps and need a safe and supervised place to live and work. I also visited a psychiatric hospital and had a tour about different projects and therapies they offer to not only people in PY but for people in Argentina, UY, and Bolivia. I found these tours to be very interesting and inspiring as for 6 years I worked as a care taker and advocate for adults with mental and physical handicaps and moving up in that company as the lead staff I also experienced being in psychiatric wards in the States. This type of care in PY is not common so the Mennonites are sort of paving the way for mental care in PY and it was amazing to see what they offered and also how they cared and loved these people in the process.

After leaving Gabi in the Chaco I started a 37 hour bus journey to visit a friend I had met while attending the Manarah conference in Ciudad de Este. Ailin was so wonderful to be able to learn more about Buenos Aires with.

She took me with her family to her home church where the entire service was more of a grand celebration celebrating the liberation we have in Christ. There is no reason to live defeated, lonely, and broken lives because Christ has bore our burdens and broken those chains.

 The song “It is finished” by Dustin Kensrue came to mind “It is finished he has done it, let your weary heart rejoice. Our redemption is accomplished raise a shout with ragged voice and go bravely into battle knowing he has won the war. It is finished lift your head and weep no more!” This is definitely something to celebrate over.

After my time in Buenos Aires Argentina I took the Ferry over to Uruguay to visit 2 more friends and KM missionary. I stopped one night in Colonia where the ferry lets out and I was met with rain… lots of rain… oh and it was also Independence Day which meant almost all of the stores and restaurants were closed.

Thankfully there was about a 4 hour gap in the rain and I was able to go to the more touristy area and find a restaurant that was open and do a little sightseeing in this Uniceff sight. The next day however was when the real adventure happened… I had to travel by bus to Montevideo where I would meet the missionary the next day for church. So Saturday morning I walked down to the bus station in the rain and was hoping to find a bank on the way since I didn’t have any UY pesos and yesterday the banks had been closed due to the holiday. I found a bank but it was also closed and because I did not have that specific banks card I could not get inside to the ATM. So I continued to walk to the bus terminal where I did find an ATM and after 4 attempted try’s to withdraw money I walked away in defeat… thankfully however the bus terminal took a debit card for my bus ticket.

I bought a ticket for the 10:30 bus… I thought okay I have about an hour before I need to get on the bus. I went into the little bus café to eat an empanada before the 2 hour journey to Montevideo and as I looked at my phone when I sat down I saw that it was 10:15! Forgetting about the time change I had to grab my things pay the man and run to the bus that was already loaded. I showed the man my ticket and he took my bag to put under the bus and he told me to get in.  I hardly sat down when the bus started to pull away and I thought it was a little funny since it was about 8 minutes early for the bus to leave but didn’t think much of it. Once we got outside the city however is when the trouble really started….

 The driver’s assistant started walking down the aisle checking tickets and when he got to me he started to tell me I was on the wrong bus! In my rush I had gotten on a COT bus when I had bought a ticket for the Tyril bus. I just stared at the man with my mind racing thinking what the heck am I going to do, I had no cash… it was pouring down rain… we were in the middle of nowhere… the bus I was supposed to be on was already gone… no one actually knew where I currently was.. and once again I was alone with limited communication skills. I tried to hand the man my debit card because in his hand he had what looked like a card reader… he backed away hands up like I was offering him a plate of dirty needles. He continued to speak to me while another passenger was trying to translate and I just lost it. I started crying with these huge tears and my voice got all squeaky and it was completely embarrassing but I didn’t really care in that moment. The man’s eyes got huge and he immediately started saying “tranquilla tranquilla un momento” and he ran away to make a phone call… I on the other hand could not “calm down” I just kept crying and crying and the lady next to me was saying “its okay, it’s okay” the man came back and explained a very complicated (to me) plan. The first stop the bus made I would get off… I would then take a bus to another city… at that city I would wait for another bus… that would then take me to where the right bus company would travel through and I could get on that bus…. I just kept crying.

The man was proud of himself for his solution the women kept saying “it’s okay, tranquilla” and I kept crying. When we made it to the first stop the man came and got me and gave me my luggage and walked to the other bus and explained the situation to the other bus driver (I kept crying) then after that bus ride the bus driver took me off the bus and walked me into a bus station where 3 girls were working he presented me and explained to them my situation and I uncontrollably started crying again and harder this time. The girls whirled into action and they immediately were saying esta bien, tranquilla then started searching for water to give me and a chair for me to sit in…. then when my bus came they walked me to that bus and gave me a hug I was crying less by this point.

Eventually I got on the right bus and after an hour of crazy made my way to Montevideo trying my best to quit the tears…. I would like to say my lack of sleep and constant traveling had a lot to do with the waterworks but I was really just overwhelmed with everything. Later I also learned the man issue happened when my phone automatically switched time zones when I crossed into UY when in fact the time never changed… so when I raced to catch my bus it was actually only 9:20! Looking back now this story is hilarious but I would not like to live through any of that again!

One thing this whole ordeal taught me though is that the Uruguayan people are so helpful! As soon as they found out that I was a foreigner and was clearly in over my head so many people came running to the rescue and went out of their way just to be nice and welcoming. This is also what I found to be true when I visited Merve’s churches (a women who I had met for a week in Germany when she joined a class. Two months ago she made the long journey to UY to start a two year mission helping set up a church plant in Montes a small village about 80 KM from Montevideo.) Her churches were so welcoming and it was wonderful to not only get to learn about her upcoming ministry but also to see how far the church plant outside the village that we visited in the evening has come in the past 6 years.

On Monday I was able to meet up with Monique a beautiful happy girl that I met in 2015 when we both were working in Germany. It was so wonderful to meet up again and to hear about how God has led her the past 2 years. She also introduced me to a very typical Uruguayan food that is loaded with meat (south Americans love their meat) then gave me some tips for where to visit my final day in Uruguay.

These three weeks were full… very full but I am so thankful for what God has shown me and taught me during these journeys and for the friendships I was able to strengthen and the new ones I made in the process. I am always in awe at the way he brings people together and the way he continues to provide and takes care of me amidst the crazy.

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support on this journey. Life is crazy but having you all behind is a huge comfort!

Please be praying for:

• Gabi and her ministry in the Chaco. She is currently finishing up administration school and she has a heart for missions. Be praying for her to continue to be following God and trusting him through the business of her current life.
• For the ASCIM ministry in Filidelfia. This ministry is doing so much among the Indigenous peoples of the Chaco. Be praying that their continued work although it can be frustrating and difficult that they persevere and continue to love this people the way Christ loves these people. Be praying for the leadership and the workers.
• Pray for Ailin in Argentina who is also at a crossroads in life. She just finished one missions training program with SIM and in a few weeks will begin a second program, she has a heart for missions and feels called to Africa. Be praying for strength and faithfulness as she continues to follow God and prepare for this calling.
• Pray for Merve as she sets up her new home in Montes. Pray for the connections she will be making in this little village and for the people to see the light that she has. Pray for the Epp family as they have also just arrived back in UY and soon this small team will work together to reach this community with the love of Christ.
• Pray for Monique as she continues her studies in Montevideo.