Peace, Love, and More Stray Cows

     Well, I have been in Paraguay for 23 days now. It seems like a lifetime. It really does. I have met so many new people and experienced so many new things that I feel like I have been here for ten years. I brought a journal and a pen with me thinking that I would have much to write about, and I was right! But the truth is that I haven’t had two spare seconds to write anything down. I have so much to say that I am speechless. And I haven’t felt that way since I lived on the street. This experience has all the workings of a new book. We’ll see.

     I guess the most significant thing for me is the language. I have been both excited and frustrated by my progress in Spanish. There are days when the words come easily and I get caught up in very real conversation with my friends, only one or two of whom speak English. Sometimes, I step back and think, Wow, I’m really speaking Spanish. I think that without a doubt I’ll be fluent by the end of the summer. But then there are other times, times when I’m in a bad mood or I just woke up, when being surrounded by Spanish is like beating my head against a wall. Now, please don’t misunderstand my honesty. I am so blessed to be here. I knew what I was getting myself into, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. But during long conversations or long church services can be very frustrating. There I am in the midst of a dynamic move of God or a meeting of the minds, and I don’t have a clue what is going on. People speak very rapidly and I try to keep up, but then my brain hurts, and I drift off into lala land. I want sooooooo bad to master this language so I can connect with these good people and form solid and lasting relationships, but it is not easy. Then there are other times, like at the airport or at the pharmacy, when people make me feel like an idiot because I can’t speak Spanish. But those moments are surprisingly few, and they help me to understand what I have been doing to the Spanish speakers in Longview.

     Likewise, my experience at the school has been mixed. The first day of school, as I had said before, was wonderful. The kids were polite and attentive, and we made a lot of progress. But in the last couple of weeks, the new has worn off and we have had our tense moments. I tried both negative and positive reinforcement but nothing worked. I just had to put my foot down and be tough. I see progress now. Being tough with these kids is not easy. I like them so much that I just cannot scold them. They climb the walls and swing on the ceiling fans and just when I’m about to throw them off the balcony, one of them looks up at me and says something super cute like “teacher, are you friends with Ballock Oblaba.” What can you do? One day we were learning those three essential but awkward verbs: to be, to have, to want. We were going down the row conjugating. The question was, What do YOU want? I want a book. Good! I want a candy. Good! I want money. Good! I want women. Que? Come again? What is that? You want women? Well, okay. Si! Good! I mean, how in the world can I scold these guys.

     I have had another opportunity to preach, this time in a Junior High chapel service. It was my first time preaching without notes, and I felt comfortable. I will have an opportunity at the end of the summer to preach in Spanish. That means a lot to me and I gladly accept the challenge. I hope that as I make progress in the language that I can be of some use in our Spanish work in Longview. I guess time will tell. I don’t know exactly what God will do, but I know that he will do something. He will use me, not because I’m talented, but because I’m willing. Are you willing?

     I have also become white fond of a Paraguayan thing called Mate. It is like tea or coffee, but the blend is completely different. It is a blend of herbs. You fill your cup up with the herbs, then you pour boiling hot water over it and sip it up with a special straw. You just pour enough water over it for one sip. Then, when you are ready for another sip, you take your thermos of boiling water and pour another sip on it. There are various blends that people use. There are blends for waking up or going to bed or getting over a cold, etc. Another popular thing is terere which is the cold water version. There are cold herbs and hot herbs. Both are good, but I like the hot better. Oh yeah, and there is one more thing I forgot to mention. This is a group activity. If we are visiting, we share the thermos, the cup, and the straw and we pass it back and forth, each taking a sip. This goes on for hours. It’s pretty awesome. It’s a bonding thing. And of course, a caffeine thing.

     So, I am happy, comfortable, and productive here right now. And the toilets still flush the other way. 

My First Ten Days in Paraguay

     As many of you know, I left the community house this summer in the care of Justin and John and Zeke so that I could travel to Paraguay to teach English in La Escuela de Alturas Nuevas in Labare near Asuncion and help the missionary here to serve the rural churches in the country. 

LA ESCUELA DE ALTURAS NUEVAS IN LAMBARE   

   I have been in Paraguay for about ten days now, and I cannot begin to express the amazing things that I have seen and experienced. But I would like to try to give my friends an idea of what this summer holds and how it has affected me. To say that it is like a different world here would be a bit of an understatement. But here are just a few things that will blow your mind:

       1. There are no stop signs here. At very major intersections there are single traffic lights, but in the vast majority of the streets, it’s every man for himself. Quite literally. And it seems to work okay for them, it just takes a while to get where you're going.

       2. About 60% or more of the vehicles on the road are motorcycles.  No exaggeration. Most people ride two at a time. And I've even seen a family of four on a motorcycle- no exaggeration! Dad was hanging on to one kid while mom had the other. It is extremely dangerous, but they don’t seem to care.They ride in the rain on cobblestone roads and cut through traffic at high speeds. But they are really, really good at it.

       3. No one is required to have insurance here. If you get in a wreck, you just "work it out".  Most of the cars here are dented, scratched, older, etc. One lady had a hatchback Audi that we had to push start. The large cargo trucks are Mercedes Benz. It’s quite comical. I saw a Nissan "Sunny" and many crazy cars: including some pimped out hippie vans and bugs and hot rods cars.

       4. There is no central heat here. No one uses air conditioners. They use fans. It is the end of the rainy season and winter is about to start.

       5. Over here, they don't use gasoline, but diesel and at the gas station you can't pump your own gas. They won't let you. 

       6. An apartment would cost about 160 American dollars a month. A three liter coca-cola costs about a dollar, but a can of tuna costs about five dollars. 

      

OXEN AND BUGGY IN RURAL PARAGUAY

       7. Local streets are made out of cobblestone.  Some major roads are made out of concrete. Only the very major roads are made out of blacktop, and those would not impress you. And even those major roads are only two lane highways. However, people turn them into four lane highways with their crazy Paraguayan driving. Asuncion has about 2.5 million people, and there is no freeway. Only a series of cobblestone city blocks and a handful of two-lane major roads. That makes everything local. Everyone sticks to their neighborhood and you can find everything you need within several blocks' radius. Yesterday we drove thirty miles down a dirt road to visit a pastor in the country.

       8. Yes! the toilets absolutely flush the other way! And I’ll argue with anyone who says otherwise. I’ll have video soon.

       9. Here, you have to pay about 1,000 guaranis to use the bathroom. But don't worry. That's only about twenty-five cents! 

   10. And finally, I must have really, really bad vertigo, because all of my natural sense of direction is telling me that the sun is setting in the East. I know that can't be true, but I'd need a compass to prove it to myself.

The Churchyard in Lambare

The Church in Lambare, Paraguay

      
 I have been teaching 7^th, 8^th, and 9^th grade English classes. I may also take on the other grades when I get used to being here. I absolutely love teaching these kids. They are wild and hyper, but they are very, very happy kids. They think I’m a movie star or something. They pour over everything I say, and they fight over who will carry my books to the next class. Everyone of them shakes my hand two or three times each when they leave class, and they follow me in a big group asking me questions about myself and about America. 

MY SEVENTH GRADE CLASS

       They are the sweetest kids I’ve ever met. They make me want to change my career. One of my tasks this summer will be to create new English textbooks for next year. Here, the state regulates the schools’ exams, but not their teaching material. For that reason, I can save them a great deal of money and improve their materials by writing the material myself. I am having great fun doing that. I will write more about these kids in the future, but I’ll mention that it costs about $150 dollars a year to send one of these poor children to the school. And they really would not be in school otherwise.

       The economy here is interesting. They idolize Americans, so anything American is just wow to them. There are no Wal-marts. There is only a large grocery store. Everything else is found in the many many shops along every road. If you want bananas, you go looking for bananas, and if you want Lysol, you go looking for Lysol. You will find most of what you need. There are many specialty shops: Pharmacies, bakeries, ice cream parlors, and clothing shops. Two dollars can buy you a pretty hefty breakfast. There is no Dr. Pepper here, but Coca-cola and Coke Zero are everywhere.There is a McDonald's that boasts "me canta" but nobody here cantas McDonald's. Nobody. It's a huge empty building filled with the smell of failure.

       As many of you know, I’ve been learning Spanish for the last year. I have made a lot of progress in reading and writing, but I simply hit a brick wall when I try to have a conversation with people. Well, I have torn that brick wall completely down. I was shocked on the very first church service that I could carry on a meaningful conversation with people. I just had to be in a position in which I had no choice. I have surprised myself. I have made about twenty friends my age who do not speak any English. Granted, I probably sound pretty silly to some of them, but they don’t seem to care. They want so much to be my friend that after a couple of minutes of stuttering, we forget all about the language barrier. I have even learned how to speak a little bit of Guarani. In addition to my Junior High classes, I am tutoring a couple of University students.The people here are very sincere and sweet. They have a great respect for their friendships and a great awe for the ministry.

       Yesterday, we visited two pastors in rural areas in Paraguay. It was about a four hour trip one way. But it was very worth it. These two men and their families were some pretty amazing people building little churches of believers in very small communities in the middle of nowhere. And they take their work very, very seriously. Now the smallest church that I have ever been in was 8x14ish. Yes, feet. There was no bathroom. There were wires running along the wall to keep the single light bulb lit. I couldn’t take a picture because my phone died. But I think there will be opportunities in the future. 

A UPC CHURCH IN RURAL PARAGUAY

A STREET SHOP IN LAMBARE

On Wednesday, I was invited to preach at the big church. I was very blessed to have that opportunity. I prepared and prayed, though nothing could really prepare me for that experience. Bro. Bir translated for me (which was a very unique experience). I believe that it went well, and I hope that I will have another opportunity in the future. But even if that was my one and only time preaching in a foreign country, I'm sure this summer holds a wide variety of life changing experiences similar to that one. 

ASUNCION, PARAGUAY FROM THE AIRPLANE

   I will be praying for all of you and your families and your churches. Please pray for me as well. It looks like I won't be able to use my phone. The best way to get in touch with me would be to email me. God bless you!

  

Gus LaFosse

Never Put a Period where God has Placed a Comma

When I was on the auction block, He was on the cross. And there I was thinking that nobody loved me.

Ranger Ambassadors and the Cardboard Box City

We are very grateful today for the work of the Ranger Ambassadors who raised money for Friendship Community House by hosting the first annual Cardboard Box City on the KC campus. One night in November, we spent the night in cardboard boxes in the quad (and froze our toes off.) I am very proud to know this group of generous and thoughtful young people! 

Extremists for Love

In his Letter from the Birmingham Jail, King wrote:

“But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love…Was not Amos an extremist for justice…Was not Martin Luther an extremist…So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be.  Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice?”   

Whom Shall I Fear?

     We have all at one time or another faced a major change. Sometimes that change is starting a new relationship or adjusting an old one. Sometimes that change is a new job or a new home or a new city.  When major changes come, we react in various ways. A few have welcomed major changes, even facilitated them, but most people are very uncomfortable with change. Many people actively resist change. We stand on the precipous of a new life knowing that regardless of its outcome, whether good or bad, our life will never be the same again. Fish don’t swim backwards.

      Rarely do we consider that the change might be for the best, a change ordained by God himself. In fact, if we are right with God and the change is truly inevitable, it is most certainly for the best. Every night we have prayed sincerely for God’s perfect will, for peace, and for a productive ministry. Perhaps the change is the answer to those prayers.

      In all things, we must remember to whom we belong (if we truly do belong to Him). If we submit ourselves to Him and to His will, we can rest assured that we are living the best possible life.

      Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.”

Toward Excellence

As I wandered around McNeese State University on the first day of my college career, I was awed by the diversity among the students. I met Buddhist students, Muslim students, and atheist students. I met Japanese students, Peruvian students, and students who had never left the swamp of south Louisiana. I met students with mental and physical handicaps, as well as those with mental and physical gifts. While there were various races, religions, languages, and moral standards among us, I observed that there were only two kinds of students. There were those who were asking “What must I do?” and there were those who were asking “Is there anything else that I can do?”

    The ‘what must I do’ student is only interested in doing what is absolutely required in order to graduate or to keep his financial aid in working order. How many classes can I skip? How late can I stay at the party? How little time can I devote to studying and working the math problems? I know that it’s not good, but theoretically, could it be done? What is the absolute least that I can do and still pass with a high D? What must I do? Needless to say that this attitude has serious consequences, and these students are usually gone before the end of their first semester.

    On the other hand, I have encountered a group of young people whose very attitude and appearance command respect. These are they who, in the midst of great challenges, continually ask themselves, “Is there anything else I can do?” These are asking a different caliber of questions. How much time can I spare to devote to study? Should I get a tutor? Can I research this topic more thoroughly? Did I miss something important? These students realize that effort spent on reading and assignments are of great value, even if they are never checked for completion or accuracy by the teacher. These students realize the necessity of class attendance and participation. Neither the student, nor any of his family and friends are surprised when he graduates four years later with honors and an internship. Excellence was always the plan. The thought of giving up had never crossed his mind.
     The division between these young people also manifests itself in the workplace. Instead of coming to work with a “what must I do” attitude, the young overcomer will enter with humility and respect asking the boss, “What else can I do for you?” This younger person, because of his positive attitude, eagerness and willingness to learn, usually excels in job performance and customer relations. This worker goes above and beyond what is expected of him. While he or she is obtaining the best shifts, respect, promotions, positive working environment, and higher wages, the apathetic worker has only done what is absolutely required and begins to wonder “What am I doing wrong?”

     Unfortunately, the same truth applies in the church of Jesus Christ. We are still human and therefore battle carnality. As Bro. Moore once mentioned, There are only two kinds of Christians. There are Rice Crispy Christians: They snap, they crackle, and they pop. Then, there are those that lay at the bottom of the bowl and soak up all the milk. God’s program has never been one of half-hearted effort or sloppy work, but one of excellence, quality, and assured victory. We are all members of the body and have a purpose. It is imperative that we each take our part seriously, and accomplish our purpose with quality and determination as we strive toward a universal goal.

    Most Christians, like myself, have an attitude that falls somewhere between these two extreme examples. However realizing my shortcomings and seeing the goal, I strive toward a more excellent attitude. Most people fail to realize how much value there is in a smile, a positive attitude, and few hours of study, and the occasional “all-nighter. ”The small amount of sacrifice put for the by the determined Christian cannot compare to the elation we will feel on graduation day!

    In conclusion, I would like to tell the story of a crippled bird. Years ago, as my brother and I drove to work each morning, there was a group of birds in the middle of the highway. I don’t know why they were there, but at the sight and sound of the truck, the birds quickly flew to the safety of the trees. One little crow, however, seemed to be crippled and hobbled out of our path each day just in time. One day, the bird did not have enough time to hobble out of the way, so he spread his wings and began to fly! But he didn’t fly fast enough . . . My point? My point is simply this: Crows who have full use of their wings should not be hobbling around in front of traffic. We are fully capable of performing the task at hand. Don’t hobble! FLY!