Swiss visitors

On Monday afternoon we had a wonderful surprise. A swing jazz band of students from Switzerland, who were visiting Paraguay, came to give us an impromptu concert. We all loved it. the students were aged between ten years and sixteen years. They were as good as any professional band that I have heard and they played with passion for their music. We all swung along and clapped to the rythmn.

Bishop's visit

Today we had the pleasure of a visit from the Head of department of CMS Latin America, Bishop Henry Scrivens. We Mission partners were able to see him individually, which was very valuable.

Later I caught up with him selecting lunch at the school canteen with Gwen Carlisle, the school director.

Working sunbather

Judith Duddy, from my home church, has been putting students through their paces in English conversation, prior to an exam next month. She has been making the most of the sunshine.

Dancers Display talent

The Primary department all participated in the annual Dance Competition this afternoon. The competition was tough. We have some confident, competent dancers.
First graders strut their stuff. Blue team

Red TeamYellow team

The winners were Green Team.

The Diocesan General Synod

The Diocesan General Synod was held in Asuncion on Friday and Saturday. Leaders came from all the communities in the Chaco and from Anglican communities near and in Asuncion.

This year things were different and the Synod was very much a working Synod. People worked together in small groups, looking for ways forward for the Anglican church in Paraguay.

Yesterday there was a joint service in the cathedral. There were representatives and members of many congregations present.

Bishop Peter Bartlett gave a challenging sermon.

Bishop Andres prayed for the Synod committee. Although Judith and I had arrived home from the Falls at just after midnight we made our way to church in the morning. The service had been set for half an hour later than usual. I was a bit disconcerted to find that the service was well under way when we arrived. We had not realised that the clocks had jumped forward an hour!

It never rains, it just Falls!

Last Thursday Judith and I set off for a seven hour bus journey to Foz D'Iguazu (The Iguazu waterfalls on the border between Brazil and Argentina). It was a glorious day and there were lots of sights to view along the way so it did not seem too long. We settled into our hotel and planned out the next two days, to pack in as much as possible. I have been there before several times and I never tire of seeing God's creation at its best. The flora and fauna are beautiful and intriguing.
We were warned about the fellow on the right, a Quati. They go for food and will attack. They carry rabies. You can imagine Judith's reaction when one attacked her. Fortunately he got away with no more than a plastic bag and she did not get scratched or bitten. Phew!!!

After an amazing Brazilian breakfast we set off for Argentina and the Iguazu Falls on that side of the river Iguazu. We took a very expensive bus which delivered us at the gates of the National Park and the bus driver assurred us that he would pick us up in the evening. The weather started fine but soon turned on us.

A train in the park took us to the end of the trail. We then walked towards the head of the Falls. We received thunderous applause for our arrival and the heavens opened on us with a tropical downpour. Not to be deterred we waited under a tree, already two drowned rats and then carried on. It was worth it. Standing over the water at the Devil's throat is an awesome experience that is indescribable. (Some of you will be bored by my video when I come to UK next year!) Photos cannot show the immensity of it, nor the intense power of the cascading water.

We spent a lovely day making our way slowly around different walks. The rain made some parts pretty slippery so care was needed.

Our aim was to make for the boats that take people under the waterfalls. This is such a fun experience. We were already a couple of soggy beings so we figured out that a good dowsing was not going to make things any worse. It was another indescribable experience. Everybody should do it at least once in their life. (This was my second go at it.)

We ended up drenched to the skin, from head to foot, in spite of wearing Kagools. The guys running the boats know just where and when to get you the wettest....... when you least expect it! (There is more video of us on the boat!).

You have probably guessed already that the bus did not return to pick us up so we took cheap, local buses back to the hotel. The weather had turned colder. I have never appreciated a hot shower quite so much.

The next day we stocked up on more Brazilian breakfast of ham, cheese, cakes, chicken pie, several types of fruit, coffee, juice, scrambled eggs, a sausage concoction and.... you name it. (Surprisingly there was no cereal).

We set off in glorious sunshine and made our way to the Bird Park. I had been before but had not been over-impressed. However, this time there had been so much improvement. It was wonderful. We had lots of fun stroking toucans, and watching the antics of so many different birds. One in particular just loved Judith. It followed her for ages, pecking hard at her exposed, flip-flop clad feet, drawing blood. I had a good giggle along with several other people. It even had a taste of my trainers but much preferred Judith's meat to mine.From the bird park we went to the Brazilian side of the Falls. "Awesome", "Breathtaking", "Wonderful", "Marvellous", "Spectacular," simply do not describe the grandeur of the panorama of the Falls. No words can describe it. You really need to be there and stand in awe of God's creation.
Judith treated us both to a lunch in the expensive restaurant and we sat above the head of the falls listening to the rushing water and gazing out across to where we had started our tour the day before.

It was a visit never to be forgotten.

A Day out in the countryside.

At last we have been on a short break before the run-up to another exam season and Christmas.

Judith Duddy from my home church in Warminster arrived safely on Tuesday. Mags and Gwen kindly offered to take us and Molly and Eileen for a day out with a picnic at Aregua by Lake Ypacari. Aregua is a village famous for its potteries.

The sky was a little over cast but we had a lovely day, picnicking by the lake, visiting a local gallery, wandering through the village looking at the pottery and visiting the local church set high on a hill overlooking the lake.

There was even a fiesta for us!