Compromise or compromised?

Well, the saga went on all weekend, with newspapers giving mixed reports. First they reported that all schools would all have to comply with the law and take an extra week of holiday. Next they published a statement from the Presidential office which said that Private schools had a choice to return to classes or not and that the decree had been a guideline. At St. Andrew's the staff were told to go into school for a meeting today.

Somebody was despatched to the Ministry of Education where the Minister of Education appeared and said that everybody had to take an extra week of holiday. Apparently those schools who had already returned were going to receive a phone call to stop work. We have yet to see this happen.

In the event it was decided that our school staff will go in for two days of preparation and the children will return next Monday. As a staff we are all happy with the compromise as it means that we will only lose two days of our September break, as opposed to all of it. I wonder what the reaction to this would have been in UK. The mind boggles.

To confuse or not to confuse?

Well, they have done it to us again this year. First thing this morning the Minister of Education made an announcement that due to the cold weather the school holidays for the state schools would be prolonged by a week but that private schools could choose whether to return on Monday. St. Andrew's staff then received notification from the director that we would all return on Monday, much to our joy. (Yes, I mean that! We have to prepare children for exams and we value the precious time that we have to teach them.)

At 11.50 a.m a decree was issued by the Ministry of Education, signed by the President to say that all schools, private schools included will have an obligatory, further week of holiday. A decree is a law here, so we have no choice but to obey the government authorities. It probably means that as last year we will be trying to bring together all the exams, which will probably be rescheduled, (or maybe not) and we will lose our much-needed September break. We will probably be called in as last year to provide the children with homework for a week, which of course they will not present on their return to school, if at all. You can guess at what we are thinking and feeling!

Winter hols!

So much for school holidays. We have cancelled our trip to Argentina and the Falls. It is warmer and cheaper to stay home.
The weather has been foul. We had forty-eight hours of rain when the temperatures plummeted. Yesterday I went out to get warm.
Today we are back to five degrees. There is no central heating in Paraguay so here I am
keeping warm Paraguay style!

Nostalgia

It has been lovely having the Trew family back with us. It has reminded us just how much we miss them. I lent them my guitar and they have made themselves useful. They have played for two services in the English-speaking church.
Last week we had an English staff sausage barbecue at Mags' and Gwen's house. This was to say goodbye to Lara-Clare Bordeaux and to welcome the Trews. It was a lovely balmy evening and we enjoyed a time of fellowship in the garden.
(you can just see me if you look hard..... or at least my foot with the black sandal... Ha!ha!)

Sharing God's Love

Today we had a visitor to the cathedral. Dr. John Forde was visiting from the United States where he has been a Bible College Principal. He spoke simply to us (through interpreter Pablo, from Bolivia) about accepting God's Grace and not trying to do things in our own strength. It was a word that I am sure hit home with many of us there.


Each time he said, "No but I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people." Now I am glad to boast how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ's power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities. 2 Cor v.9

2 new faces in the congregation today were Mauricio (left)



and Bieto. They come from the Chacarita and a background of addictions. They are hungry for God's love and they enjoyed being with us in San Andres

After church we gathered for a sale of homemade food that we had all contributed.

Adriana collects the money to help the sick in our church to afford medicines.

Members of the Cathedral and the English church enjoy coffee, chat and lunch after the services.

Dr. John Forde and his wife Joan talk with Pablo (from Bolivia) in the beautiful sunshine.

Our humble friend Lorenzo busies himself at the grill cooking wonderful sausages for us all.

Natasha wonders what to choose to eat. There was a good choice.

Much Loved!

A week or so ago the ninth grade visited a local university to see how they breed fish. They returned to school with two rabbits which were living cooped up in the Laboratory here.




Today some enterprising youngsters were seen measuring and cutting chicken wire to make an enclosure for the rabbits to live in on the secondary patio during the holidays.

Footie fundraiser

Last week the ninth grade ran a very successful inter schools football competition over three days after school hours. It was for first and second graders taking part from several schools. The aim was to raise funds for a sofa for a local children´s home. They are now well on the way towards their target.


It was a well-supported, fun event and there were good, sporting attitudes between the participating teams.