Last night was unbelievable! We had an incredible war with about 17 trillion black ants--not the tiny, stinky ones who ate our clothes and crumbs a little while back. I'd been fighting a cold (haven't had one in YEARS!) and decided I needed a steamy shower to clear my head. I'd just gotten my hair all soapy when Camille ran in to say there were ants all over the house. I'd only been in there about a minute, so I couldn't imagine that they were really all over the house. When I rinsed the shampoo from my eyes, I saw that they were also all over the shower. Okay, time to get out.

My mom was squishing them from the countertops while Camille and Ken were stomping. Caroline had only been asleep about 5 minutes, so we kept checking to be sure they weren't in her bed. Ken turned on the porch light and looked outside, and our concrete patio appeared to be moving. The ants were covering it, as well as the ground beyond the concrete. Ken switched into ORKIN mode and ran to the shed, looking for his handy dandy poison bottle.

I slipped on a hoodie to cover my wet hair and joined him in the fray of battle. I held the flashlight while he sprayed for about an hour, putting up a poison barrier around our house. The wind was strong and cold. Ken was good to try to keep me facing away from where the poison was being blown. There was no way he could avoid it, though, and he had to keep wiping his face on his sleeve and spitting out the spray that blew into his mouth/nose.

The ants were vicious, crawling all over us and biting without mercy. This wasn't as bad for me, since I could reach down and kill the intruders when I felt the stings. Ken, however, had the sprayer wand in one hand, the lever in the other, and a giant tank full of the leaking poison balanced carefully on his back. I guess he got bit about a hundred times, with no way to defend himself. He just kept spraying. How DO single moms survive? I couldn't help but think of our neighbors living on dirt floors with no poison spray, no lights, no man to make a barrier around their little houses full of sleeping kids. I prayed they weren't being overrun by these fierce intruders like we were.

When we finally got back in the house, I helped Ken pick off the ants that were clinging to him (they didn't want to let go!) and he jumped into a hot shower. Mom and Camille kept sweeping until most of the nasty buggers were outside. We dosed Ken up with some Benadryl and he's fine this morning.

It seems the recent rains (much needed but a bit problematic with so much, so soon) ran the ants from their underground lairs, and they were moving their colonies elsewhere. I hope they found a suitable home and will enjoy it for years to come, with no plans to come up for air.

We want to use our blog to send out a big "THANK YOU!" to those who sent things here through Nana (Christie's mom). She could barely pack clothes for herself because her suitcases were full of the warm clothes you sent for the children who live around us. Some of you also sent specific things for our family in particular, and we appreciate all of it. It's funny how much the little things mean when you no longer have access to them, like a pack of good old Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (or Peanut Butter Reeses as me and Grandad called them), books in English, powder for mac 'n cheese, or clothes that fit our new "South American" body changes. (The girls have grown, but Ken and I have shrunk.) Then a few extras like family-friendly movies, so we can just chill out together every now and then. It seems very selfish to receive things like this when many around us need so much, but every thing you sent was a really big deal to our family, and we so appreciate that you cared enough to go to the trouble. Be sure we think of you and pray you are blessed, every time we see these things. God is just too good to us, and so are y'all! :)

Our new friends from Ciudad del Este sent us a most wonderful package! They wanted to share some warmth with the neighborhood children, so they packed up a giant bag full of handmade scarves and hats, plus marshmallows for our next bonfire, and some beautiful original artwork as a gift to my mom (or mum, as they say....)

They found out it was MUCH, MUCH faster to ship this package on a bus (a few hours vs. 10 days), and quite cost effective. So we went to the bus stop to await the arrival. After chasing down the wrong bus, we literally jumped onto the right one as it was trying to pull away, then had to convince the driver that he REALLY DID have a package for us in his cargo area. He remembered the giant bag after I started describing it (glad Marion gave me a description of the fishy underwater scene on the bag). I don't know WHERE it would have landed had the driver not remembered he had it and told us where to look. Needless to say, we were just ecstatic to get it, and can't wait to pass these things out! We're hoping for a cool day soon so we can build a fire and teach the locals how to roast marshmallows. And the marshmallows are the same bright colors as the scarves and hats... how creative!

The couple who sent it all has a wonderful ministry that utilizes their artistic talents to share Bible stories and reach out to needy Paraguayans. Check out their website when you get the chance. We are so thrilled that they shared some of their resources with us and look forward to getting to know them better. Thanks, Jamie and Marion!

Today we explored a new hill, called Cerro Cora. The teachers told us about it this morning after Bible class. It's supposedly an extinct volcano, but it looks like a bunch of good-sized hills situated in a circle, the inside perimeter of which is what they call the old volcano.

We visited with one of our pastors and his family there. They live in a beautiful spot with a creek, a pet monkey, a lot of ducks, and a docile horse. Okay, there were more animals than that, but that's what stood out to me. The pictures if you click below are of my mom and Caroline at a huge rock near the pastor's home, and then of his family in the next shot. The last picture is of their washing machine. They were a happy family who welcomed us and were a blessing to get to know. We enjoyed the adventures of off-roading in the newly repaired SUV, and meeting more brothers and sisters in the Lord.

It feels like I've been away from the computer for months! Okay, it's only been a few days, but a lot has happened. We've been running around Asuncion on "official business" again, at the Embassy, the Interpol office, that sort of thing. It's usually no fun doing the paperwork involved with being permitted to remain in the country, but I have to admit that having our fingerprints taken for the FBI was quite fun. I guess if I was having a mug shot done at the same time, I might not think so...

After all that fun, we picked up my mom from the airport (yesterday evening) and started making our way back home. Our vehicle was in no hurry to leave Asuncion, however. We sputtered and spitted, pittered and pattered all the way home, turning a two-hour trip into a four-hour one. No fun at all. When it first started, we were too far away (and past business hours) to stop by a mechanic's shop or a parts' store, so Ken played shadetree mechanic along the roadside in various tiny towns all the way home. Thankfully, he knew what was wrong and it just required that we stop every few miles to pump fuel back into some part that shouldn't have been letting air in, but was. Have you ever driven a long distance at basically 15-20 mph? With two children and a mother who's already been traveling for the past day and night? It was an adventure, to say the least.

For now, we're home, life is fairly normal (after a day of working on the SUV and unpacking my mom), and we're excited about Bible class tomorrow.... more later!

My hubby found a metal washpot in town and we built a fire in it this week. A few sticks and coco branches (easy to find) and we had an instant bonfire/kid magnet. The soccer game had a couple unplanned "time-outs" for the players to come warm their hands. I tried to explain smores, but these guys have never seen marshmallows and couldn't figure out what we were talking about. Maybe the import store will get some and we can introduce them to one of life's finer pleasures.

This long holiday weekend is a mix of Mothers Day and Independence Day here in Paraguay. It's a little weird to be having Mothers Day and what equates to the 4th of July all wrapped into one, but it's even weirder for it to be so cold for those holidays! The storms this week have been terrific as far as the water they left behind, but we are quite cold now that they've passed.

The weather changes so quickly here. It was about 97 degrees F Monday, and we were roasting. Then came a night of storms and we woke up to the low 50's. At night it's dipping a good bit lower, and we're learning to layer our clothing in this house with no heat. I am so thankful that we CAN shut our doors and windows, a luxury very few of our neighbors have. The wind is whipping!

I keep reminding myself that in the "good old days," people didn't heat their houses. I keep telling myself that my mom and my Granny probably lived like this too, without the benefit of fleece hoodies. It's not working yet, but I know those thoughts are bound to make me toughen up a bit and survive this winter. That, and a gas stove that we'll bake in whenever possible for the heat benefits. My children won't know what hit them when I go all Betty Crocker on 'em!

I'm looking up patterns right now to sew some fleece pullover hats--there are so many little folks around here with cold ears and buzzed hair. We're thrilled that we've gotten some of the blankets delivered before this cold snap hit, and will be handing out the rest this weekend or coming week, whenever they are made.

We weren't able to take the family pictures I mentioned in a previous post, since it's been raining so much. The rain is a real blessing, so don't take that as a complaint. We are excited about walking around to our neighbor's homes and taking their photos, though, so hopefully that can happen soon.

We had our Bible class at the elementary school (normally on Fridays) early this week because of the holiday weekend. Storms throughout Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning meant morning classes were called off. Wednesday afternoon, however, was quite a treat.

The students listened intently to the creation story read to them in Guarani, thanks to donors who purchased beautiful new Bibles with eye-catching illustrations. Each class ends with a prayer, and a couple weeks ago, the class prayed for rain to help out this emergency-level drought situation. Both classes since then have been opportunities to thank God for the rain He sent, and to pray for more. Since that first prayer was answered, the teachers step inside now and participate silently in the prayers when that time comes.

After the class, we all sat around on the "porch" while the kids played soccer for recess. The teachers had been reading the same Bibles I referenced above, which we gave to them last week. These men were full of questions. The evangelist we work with, Saul, is incredible in his knowledge and speed in the Bible. In true warrior fashion, he wielded the Sword and not only answered all the questions, but deftly wrapped the Q&A session around to a presentation of the Gospel and an explanation of salvation.

Ken and I just sat amazed, praying silently. Amazed that these educated adults had been so underexposed to basic Bible stories and concepts. Amazed that they were so hungry to know more. Amazed that God would bless us to witness it first-hand. Might I add, thankful that Saul was there so that he could speak to them in Jopora(mix of Spanish and Guarani that is most Paraguayans living outside the city speak) and they could understand completely the answers to their questions. Please pray for these teachers, that the hunger would continue to grow into an acceptance of Christ and a relationship with our Saviour.
(Short post, no click...)

Since you've heard about our tarantulas and snakes, I thought I'd show you a little of the prettier side of "right outside our door." There is an incredible butterfly bush outside the back door, and we really enjoy the different species that come by for a visit.

Ken is particularly fond of the small eagles like the little guy resting on the coconut tree trunk below.
This is, of course, Caroline's beloved Peruvian chicken, Lima. Lima doesn't ever want to leave her pen, so Caroline goes inside it to "baby" her. I've been able to talk her out of putting hairbows on Lima so far...
And this is Anildo (Ah NEEL tho), one of our neighborhood buddies. He only speaks a handful of Spanish, so he gets a kick out of our attempts with Guarani. I threw him into this batch because he looks like he could fly, with those four arms! (SIDENOTE: Yep, that's my hammock to the left! Come on over and I'll let you swing in it!)

It was my much-awaited time for Guarani study, which always takes place on the hammock now hanging on my front porch. I like to study out there because when the Guarani-fluent neighborhood kids see me, they come on over. They make the best tutors! So here I was, just getting settled. I could already see one of the little fellas making his way across the soccer field to "assist" me.

Caroline was in the house, Camille and Ken were in town for their weekly "Daddy Date" and Caroline walked to the front door to tell me something. She immediately started freaking out, "AAAAA! MOMMEEEEEEEEEE!" My first reaction was to jump up, but she said, "NO! SNAKE!" So then my reaction was to draw my legs up into the hammock and try to figure out where. I can't tell you how many times we've been over this: "Don't panic. Say what needs to be said, such as SNAKE IN FRONT OF THE DOOR TRYING TO GET IN OUR HOUSE! or CUT MY FINGER! or CHICKENS OUT OF THEIR PEN!" I don't even care if it's caveman language, just tell me the pertinent facts BEFORE the freak-out session.

Needless to say, the snake WAS on the porch, making its way right quickly to the screen door which leaves a little gap even when it's closed tightly. The gap was top of my mind when I sprang to action. Caroline was screaming (squealing is more like it) while I grabbed the first thing I could find. Thank God, the kids next door had been playing "garden" in front of our porch, and there still remained a rough looking rake. I mean to tell you, this rake had seen better days. It was the only thing I could find quickly though, and I didn't want the sneaky snake to have any extra time. I must have slammed that rake into the floor at least ten times before it made contact with the snake, but let's just say mission accomplished.

Now, I know that it's not nice to disturb the natural balance of wildlife in a foreign country. I also know that I've read a trillion times that most little snakes in Paraguay are highly poisonous, so I didn't think it was the time to pull out the little book and ID him. He also didn't seem to be carrying a wallet, so I didn't bother to ask him for his papers.

The picture below shows you how huge this monster really was (that's my size 7 foot), and a glimpse of the handy tool of death. My next plan is to go ask all the little old ladies around here what plant I put around the perimeter of our house to repel the slithering serpents. There's a plant cure for everything from warts to diarrhea to ingrown toenail, so surely someone's figured out the snake repellent. We'll be walking around here with leafy necklaces, much akin to those wearing garlic to ward of vampires. Vile vipers beware! If I can't find a plant, I still have my rake!

(For those of you who might want to take a stab at figuring out what he was, I couldn't tell you if his head was triangular or round, but more triangular I think. And he had some pretty bright yellow coloring right below his head, I guess on what you'd call his neck. Right before I broke it.)

Ken had a great idea this past week while we were on the "blanket walk." A few of the families graciously allowed me to take their photos during our visits. It ocurred to us both that these may be the only photos of the sort in existence for these families. So many of them have babies and small children, and I just couldn't imagine these mothers thinking back to these days but having no tangible reminder of what their sons and daughters looked like.

The plan is that we'll walk around to the houses we saw earlier, and maybe a few more we already know, and gather them together for a photo. We'll go into town and print them out, then deliver them again to the homes. This "guarantees" us two more visits with these people. In trying to build relationships, seems like a good place to start.

The timing is pretty good, too, since Mother's Day is celebrated here this coming Friday. It's a really big deal here--I've been told the Paraguayans view Mom as second only to God. She is the ultimate person, to be respected and honored above all but God himself. Wow. The country shuts down to celebrate, with all offices and stores closed again. It'll be another short week at school (they sure miss school a lot here).

On that note, we have a friend who lost his mother several years ago to sickness. We've invited him and his father to spend Mother's Day with us, on a picnic in another town. There's a lake nearby and he's mentioned he'd like to check it out for the first time. Our intent is to turn what could be a very sad, depressing day into a sort of mini-adventure. This young man walked with us today to deliver more blankets and has become a good friend of ours. He needs to know Jesus, and we want to be a light to him. Please pray for his family and for those we'll be visiting over the next week or two, with blankets and photos.

And Happy Mother's Day to all of you. We pray you were blessed to have wonderful mothers, as Ken and I were (not to mention our terrific grandmothers and aunts), and that you enjoy the holiday weekend.

The Hagermans are back among the Land of the Legal today. After another full day of running here and there and everywhere, making endless copies, trying to understand the legal terms the government officials were using, and avoiding bombs, we finally got permission to stay another 6 months here in Paraguay! YAY!

Despite that it was pretty nerve-wracking, I always enjoy the opportunity to talk with the people working. It's nothing like what I'm used to. I don't have to elaborate on what a normal visit to the South Carolina Dept of Motor Vehicles to do something simple like change your address on your driver's license can be like. I'm sure you're familiar with "customer service" as we know it.

Well, I've found it different in a good way here. Granted, it makes for a longer wait time, but the workers (even in government offices) tend to smile back if you smile at them, and when you start a conversation--and you know I always do--they TALK BACK! So I had some great discussions during the hours we waited today, including political talk, God's plan, Paraguayan food, the education system, acts of charity, blah, blah, blah. I loved it.

At one point, I shared with a nice clerk that I was glad the Visas would be resolved today, since we were very nervous about driving around without proper papers. He quickly said, without breaking a smile, "You should have just kept your 25,000 guaranis on your lap." He was making a reference to the fact that if you're stopped by a policeman (and they're constantly making traffic stops, finding some random reason to give you a ticket), you can bribe your way out of anything. You don't even have to try. It's offered to you right out in the open. I was just in shock that he said 25,000. Any bribe we've ever been offered started at least at 200,000! I guess that's the "speshu price fo you!"

And yes, we did manage to avoid the bombs. They're like an everyday thing downtown now. The day before, one had been placed on the very corner we had to do most of our business, but the day we were there, the bomb was a few blocks away. We saw all the commotion and the police in their gear, but we avoided any real delays, and again, no one was hurt. It seems these are all joke bombs, some say, just making loud noises and upsetting people's day. Some predict they are warning bombs. We always see "demonstraciones" (strikes) when driving downtown, so it's obvious some folks are unhappy, but no one has yet claimed ownership of the joke bombs. I did try to take pictures for you, but Ken wouldn't let us get close enough to the activity. Sometimes he's so adult-like!

So the moral of the story is, keep 25,000 on your lap and smile a lot, even if you have to spend a whole lot of days and more money than you think is fair, to get permission to remain in a country you really like a lot.

After hanging out with the police today (getting some more of our legal papers done at the Comisaria), we finally got the chance to deliver a few more Bibles and ten blankets to neighborhood homes. What a joy to walk WAY back in the woods and share heavy, warm blankets with houses full of little children. We met several families with kids I didn't recognize at all, meaning they probably don't go to school. I couldn't wait to share a few of these pictures with you. Thanks again to those who have made this possible through your donations. I can't tell you how many times you were thanked! We will be purchasing the rest in a few days and passing them out, as well.

I know we're in the third world, but it still surprises me every time I see work done on a typewriter instead of a computer.

Getting ready for the big delivery.

After giving this blind man a blanket, he allowed us to pray with him and read the Bible a bit. Please pray for him, as he has a huge growth on his bottom right jaw. He said he's in pain and can't remember how long it's been there. I spoke with a student nurse who lives nearby, and she said they'd been to see him. She said it's a tumor (or growth) but that his age and health prevent the doctors from removing it.

This lady kept thanking God and saying He'd bless us. It was great to be able to talk a tiny bit with her in Guarani--to understand her blessings and tell her "God bless you, also." The baby in the picture is her 4-month old grandson.

There were more children living here, but the camera scared them away.

As you snuggle in tonight, please pray for those families we've been able to meet and bless as a result of your gifts. I wish you could have seen the smiles on the kids' faces when they realized the blankets were theirs to keep. :) What a day!

Phwew! We're worn out. We went into Asuncion early today to try and renew our Visas (the offices were closed Friday in honor of "The Day of the Workers," so we couldn't do it then...) I asked if they'd wave our fine since I didn't realize all the city would literally shut down on Friday, and was told that May 1 is the WORLDWIDE holiday for workers, which started in Illinois and is observed by every country in the world. When I, very nicely, tried to explain that we celebrate a similar holiday (Labor Day) in September, I was told that I was wrong and that the US observes May 1 as a day when no one has to work their normal 8-hours per day. He then told me that I'd been living here for 6 months, so there was no excuse for not knowing when the holidays fell.

I took that all in stride (Paraguayans in offices DO know everything!), and we ran all over downtown Asuncion to fulfill the little list they gave me of things I needed, but then we were told our Visa was past the date and we'd have to START OVER! So needless to say, we're exhausted. A day of running here and there (and driving here and there in insane conditions), coupled with the two-hour trip there and two-hours back, was enough to make us too tired for dinner. (But not too tired to blog, of course.)

We'll have to do more things tomorrow, such as take two Paraguayan citizens to our local police station to vouch for us and have a records check done. Then we're back to the capital Wednesday to try again. I think we're officially illegal aliens at present. That's a bit scary... (Whatever happened to just paying a fine and going your merry way?)

One good part of the day was finding the Paraguayan Bible Society, which is very close to all the government buildings. They had a children's Bible we really liked. It's hardback with lots of pictures, and it's completely in Guarani! I think it may be perfect for the kids out here, who would take them home and share what they've learned with their parents, most of whom ONLY speak Guarani. And--get this--the Bibles are only $5. That's right--FIVE U.S. DOLLARS!!!! Tomorrow, we'll show them to our evangelist-friend and ask if he thinks they'll work (right after we ask him to vouch for us). If he likes them, WE'VE FOUND BIBLES!

After the fun we have planned at the police station, we intend to deliver the first batch of blankets. Please pray with us that these blankets will not only do the job of warming the poor children of this neighborhood, but that they will also be a reminder that God loves them, and that reminder will draw them toward a relationship with their Father.

Our latest newsletter is out. If you are a regular reader of this blog, you probably won't find any "new news" in it, but clicking the link at the top of the square below will take you to the full version of it. If you'd like to be added to our email list, so you'd receive the newsletter in your inbox each month, leave me a comment or send us an email.
Mission Newsletter May 09

Ryan is a volunteer who has been here with us almost a month. He's a 26-year-old Ohio native who spends 5 or 6 months of the year in Antartica studying the Southern Fur Seal. He also spends several months working in Alaska. During the remainder of the year, he travels around exploring the world. He has shared some spectacular pictures and videos of his adventures with us and our neighbors. He's been on every continent, getting to know the people of our world. He's slept in tents, base camps, strangers' ("new friends") homes, parks--you name it.

The trip everyone here seems most interested in is the one to Africa that included weeks "living" with the park ranger. Ryan has incredible close-up shots of giraffes, lions, elephants, zebras, and the list goes on. His photos have been a hit with the adults and children in this area, and they can't fathom that he's seen all these places in person.

Camille and Caroline have learned lots of neat science-y sorts of things, including why you'd glue a GPS monitor on a seal's head, and how to do it without getting bitten. We found a website that tracks these seals, monitoring their travels and even giving tons of information about the water they're swimming in.

Ryan has spent his time here helping neighborhood children with homework, doing yard work around the campground, assisting in the English classes, befriending the kids next-door, helping us paint the girls' room, and a million other things. The most important thing he's accomplished in his time here is teaching my daughters to make homemade cinnamon rolls. Oh, my goodness! They're ridiculously delicious. We'll miss Ryan when he leaves in a few days, and we hope he comes back to visit us again.

(Pictures after the click...)

Exploring Antonio's cerro (hill). Ryan is in the tree.

These were the best tasting cinnamon rolls on Earth. They were an instant hit with everyone and for "practice," another batch was needed.


Picking the pique out of his foot (sand flea that burrows and lays a big egg sac with about a hundred little guys inside)