St. John the Baptist, Burscough

UK Time: Saturday 11th August 2007 21:30 pm
Paraguay Time: Saturday 11th August 2007 16:30 pm

From Concepcion - a town of contrasts.

On one hand, paved roads and access to internet, shops including a pharmacy, hardware,
clothing stores and a supermarket although very different from the UK!  Immediately away
from the main street, the picture changes with red earth and shale roads.  Here there are
few cars but a good number of motorbikes, oxen pulling large wooden two wheeled carts are
not unusual, while horses pull heavy loads on carts with rubber tyres.  The grass verges
meet the open drains by the road and horses, donkeys, pigs, goats graze here alongside
hens, guinea fowl and dogs all roaming freely amongst the traffic.

We have assisted Claire Holmes, a mission partner from Ireland, who is based here, to
deliver about 100 invitations for children to come to Childrens Day celebrations and
clubs.  Here there are no door bells, you have to clap loudly at the front of the house
until someone comes.

Our accommodation is in the church compound where Claire and Auxillary Bishop Andreas and
his family live.  We have been so blessed to meet, work and worship with people from
America, England, Ireland and Wales.  It is inspiring to have a group of 17 all sharing
the same faith and openly discussing our Bible readings used at our morning and evening
meetings.

This is the third year that Noel from Ireland has visited and the childen remember him
with affection.  Noel is known as Papa Noel while Noelle is Mama Noelle.

A couple of days ago, Bishop Andreas´ 90 year old mother died and a number of our group
attended one or both of the services on the day of her burial.  An overnight vigil was
kept at her coffin side in the church.

There is a diverse range of skills and talents in our group.  The Americans have brought
their brass musical instruments and their music has been a blessing to both ourselves and
the Paraguayans.  The work is progressing well specifically the building at Imaculada
which is to be used for childrens work, and the redecoration of a large room in the main
church premises. In addition there have been many opportunities for work with children in
the area through a comprehensive programme put together by Claire Holmes.  Her energy and
commitment have been an inspiration to us all.  She is enthusiastic and devoted to Jesus;
passing the Word onto children and young people.  She has devised schemes to teach
children English, simple number work and conversation.  All the work is based on Bible
stories.  The children are hungry for learning and hearing about the Lord.  Different
members of the group have been involved in childrens activities during which the children
sing in both English and Spanish and we have been able to teach them new words and
actions.  One activity was about the wise and the foolish man building a house.  Laura
and Noelle acted it out - Noelle being the foolish one who got very wet!  We have been
completely overwhelmed by the love we have received during these childrens events. 
Please pray for the wonderful work that Claire is doing, that she has protection and good
health as she travels around.

Noelle Greenhalgh

UK Time: Thursday 9th August 2007 0:25 am
Paraguay Time: Wednesday 8th August 2007 19:25 pm

Today we had our first experience of Paraguayan painting techniques - have you ever tried decorating with paint the consistency of milk?

It seems a long time since we were eating very British sandwiches and cakes in the West End at St. John´s on Thursday. It is certainly a very long way away now!

We set off on Thursday with a really lovely farewell committee and after two long flights and several suspect plane dinners, arrived in Asuncion.

David has got things very well organised. He met us at the airport then gave us a tour around Asuncion, where we started to get the feel of what the city is like. It is a place on intense contrast, obvious poverty mixed with great wealth. Fine beautiful buildings are gradually crumbling away.

Indigenous Indians are camping under black plastic as a quiet dignified protest against their ejection off their ancestral land in the town square, around the corner from shops with expensive looking fabric in the window.

It was odd, moving, beautiful and sad and we`d only been their a day.

On Saturday the Americans from Grace REC in Pensylvania arrived which was great. Their luggage didn´t which was not! Their luggage included all their warm clothes and sleeping bags (its very cold here!!) and a few brass musical instruments too. Some would say, perhaps unkindly, that was no bad thing, but when the luggage arrived next morning and the music group from the USA played at the morning service in the church, they proved a real asset to the group. They sounded fantastic!

We were very well looked after at the Diocesan offices and after a party on Saturday night where we had a lovely meal accompanied by the Paraguayan harp, and enjoyed some Paraguayan national dance (it is like a elegant version of the chicken dance!).

We went our separate ways on Sunday afternoon - half the group to the Chaco and half to Concepcion. It was quite sad to say goodbye as already the group had formed good friendships and those going to Concepcion are really missing Ken Skelton´s bad jokes!

Both groups are well and are now pressing on with projects. Here in Concepcion, Claire Holmes (Mission Partner from Northern Ireland) is looking after us and we are busy building a multi-uso building for childrens work - at present laying the floor. We are painting the outside railings and laying bricks. We are also painting one of the rooms in the church buildings ready to draw murals so it can be used for childrens work, hence the milky paint! It is often challenging here - whether we are communicating ´we are learning Spanish very fast´ or how we cope with all the poverty and hardship we see all around us. One thing is certain, we are being made very welcome through the kindness of the Paraguayan people. Our only adversary so far was an enormous toad in the ladies shower!

Blessings and good wishes to all back at home. Many thanks for all your love and prayerful support. It means a lot to us here and is a big part of our safety and positive experience so far.

Lots of love

Sarah Holman

xx

UK Time: Thursday 2nd August 2007 0:38 am
Paraguay Time: Wednesday 1st August 2007 19:38 pm

Thursday, 26th July Martin is continuing building the wooden house together with some local people from the community.  We went to the timber yard for more supplies today and waited for the timber to be cut up on old and dangerous machines with no guards whatsoever - death traps!   Visited a home today where the grandmother, mother, and 2 or 3 children live with no toilet; all have to use the bushes across the other side of the earth road.    We are paying for a toilet to be installed employing local labour to dig out the hole for the cesspit – no drains whatsoever in Remansito.  Family should have a toilet by the end of next week.  

UK Time: Tuesday 24th July 2007 23:52 pm
Paraguay Time: Tuesday 24th July 2007 18:52 pm

Saturday, 21st July

This morning 4 of us visited Zeballos Cue (where we worked 2 years ago) to see the children being fed at the comedor.  It was fantastic to see all the developments and to witness how effectively the church buildings are used in reaching out and addressing needs within the community.   We also visited a few homes.

We enjoyed a great time of worship this morning in both English and Spanish.   Steve (one of our volunteers from Cheltenham) spoke God’s word, with Murray Metcalf, one of the Mission Partners translating.  The work with children had gone particularly well last week and lots of thanks were expressed to all involved – it was quite an emotional time. 

UK Time: Friday 20th July 2007 20:31 pm
Paraguay Time: Friday 20th July 2007 15:31 pm

The volunteers are coming to the end of their first working week.  Here a just a few quotes from some of them about their experiences: Philip (Northern Ireland), who together with Martin (Burscough) and a Paraguayan foreman, are building a new timber home for a family at Remansito.  “We had success yesterday; it was just the constant surprises!  If the timber was in predictable sizes it would be easier!” Some quotes from those members of the group who are working with the children at Mirador, Remansito and Roque Alonso: Steve (Cheltenham):  “Amazing to see the children of all ages enjoying simple activities like colouring.” Peter (Cheltenham):  “It is a bit like going to Sunday school in the 1950´s but the kids are more enthusiastic than we were.”  Steve (Cheltenham):  “The Paraguayan Sunday school teachers work with few resources and manage to do more than entertain; they really reach the children with the Good News in word and deed.”  The toy library operated by FEISA has been at Remansito and Mirador, further toy libraries will take place on Saturday 21^st July at Roque Alonso and at the beginning of August in Zeballos Cue. Frances (Cheltenham):  “The toy library is fantastic, where else can you see 10 year olds dressing up and learning to play with such enthusiasm.  We can take the gift of playing with toys for granted.    UK children are losing the sense of awe and wonder at small things.” Christine (Wakefield):  “No rubbish collection here, everything including toilet paper has to be burnt.  Based on my skills at burning paper waste each day, I’m going to apply for the post of Diocesan arsonist.” Christine (Wakefield):  “It is difficult getting people to rest!  I really can’t remember the lights going out; I just hit the sack so tired after a great day.   Not surprised, I was in the internet cafe answering emails, and when I returned everyone was asleep with the light on!!! After going to Ipvu yesterday to visit some members of the congregation from the church at Zeballos Cue where we worked 2 years ago, one person wrote:  “Visiting Ipvu was an eye opener, a mixture of housing with some very poor people yet they were so friendly and welcoming.   The visit touched my heart.” Becky (Llandrindod Wells):  “The welcome we received was so humbling as is the generosity of the people.  Also they do Coke in glass bottles!!!  Coke fans will know what I mean!”

UK Time: Thursday 19th July 2007 8:41 am
Paraguay Time: Thursday 19th July 2007 3:41 am

Update from David in Paraguay – 18th July 2007

I was very pleased to be able to welcome our first group of volunteers to Paraguay last Saturday morning – thankfully with no missing luggage!

Everyone has adapted to the culture and ever changing climate and all are getting on extremely well together and enjoying themselves.  Our home base is at Roque Alonso, a community close to the city of Asuncion.

We enjoyed a tremendous time of worship together at the local church on Sunday led by Cefe, the pastor.  We recognised all the worship songs that we sang together and really appreciated the very warm and sincere welcome from everyone gathered there.  

To date we have been involved with decorating a foster home in Asuncion, working in children’s clubs at Remansito, Mirador and Roque Alonso.  We have also seen the Toy Library in operation.

I was up and about early this morning buying timber and roofing sheets for a small house (6m x 3m) that Martin and Philip are going to build for a homeless family at Remansito.  These materials are being delivered this afternoon and work will continue into next week.  Other home improvements planned include providing a new roof on a home (old one has caved in) and building an extra room to a home where currently 9 people live in very cramped conditions.

Late morning I took Jeannie, Steve and Christine into Asuncion on the bus but we only had a good hour there and had to get back for the children´s clubs this afternoon.  Ate our lunch of chipa bread (cheesy bread) and empanadas (a bit like pasties) as we were walking back from the centre to catch the bus!

Weather is much warmer here today but thankfully not too humid.

Tonight we are all going out for meal together at the Paraguayita in Brazillia.

Thank you for your prayers for Bishop John and Judie.  John has fully recovered and is currently in Argentina for 4/5 days and Judie is steadily improving each day.

If you would like to know more about the foster home where the group are undertaking some painting and decorating work, please log on to this link from the SAMS website where you can access a 2-page leaflet: www.samsgb.org/esperanza.pdf

UK Time: Tuesday 10th July 2007 8:45 am
Paraguay Time: Tuesday 10th July 2007 3:45 am

Notes edited from recent emails received from David Orritt

I arrived in Paraguay last Wednesday, 4th July and since that time I’ve been busy making plans and preparations for the visit of the first group who will arrive on Saturday, 14th July.  Please pray for Martin & Jeannie from Burscough, Rebecca from Wales, Christine & John from Wakefield, Christine, Ruth, Steven, Frances, Peter, Naomi, and Alice from Cheltenham and Philip from Northern Ireland.

I’ve been able to make a return visit to the church in Zeballos Cue where St John’s and other churches funded various work in 2005.  The church now has improved toilet facilities, a new fence and wall around the football field, improved play area for children and rooms for a pre-school.   The pre-school is a huge success with about 30 children in attendance.  I met Luis, the new pastor, and enjoyed spending some time in prayer with him in the church.  I also saw the Comedor (meal) in action which feeds about 50 children from the community every Saturday.

I then made visits to various families where groups had previously carried out some basic home improvements.  One lady, Maria (where a new drain was put in) burst into tears and would not stop hugging me.  It’s not been very easy for me seeing them all again.  I then went with Maria and her daughter on a bus to visit another family in Ipvu.  Living conditions are even worse there, rubbish, open drains next to houses, awful smells.  I’ve already received plenty of requests for help but most of the problems cannot be solved when there is no proper infrastructure.

Last year we were able to give some money to a large family to build a toilet/shower of wakoes, since then they have tiled it themselves with broken tiles, but at least it is easier to keep clean.  Their toilet pan is in about 3 pieces held together with cement – dreadful – so I’m hopefully going to provide them with a new pan.  .Also all the outside area is flooded from drains of the houses nearby.  People here do not have basic public health knowledge and are unable to help themselves.  I came away a bit depressed but it was good to see them all again.

I met up with Marie & Ed Brice again.  Ed was ordained a couple of weeks ago at a church at Yatnata in the Chaco.  Years ago Ed lived in Burscough for a short time; the church where he was ordained was built by the group from Burscough and Skelmersdale.  Bishop John Ellison and Ed would have liked the ordination to take place when I was around, so that Burscough could be represented but unfortunately this was not possible.

Like the UK, I’ve been experiencing plenty of heavy rain with some spectacular lightening and the humidity is very high.

Please remember Bishop John Ellison and his wife Judie in your prayers as they are both ill.  Judie is causing the most concern.

Monday, 9th July
Heavy rain again today, Paraguayans say it’s cold but it’s okay!.  I’ve been busy buying crockery, utensils, tools etc. in the centre of Asuncion.  Witnessed many Ache indigenous people from East Paraguay camped under black polythene in the square close to the disused train station.  They’ve been driven off the land presumably because it has been bought up but I’m not certain of this.  Apparently they’ve been there for about 3 weeks.  Bare footed children are running around in the rain dodging between the traffic – awful situation.