Kids arrive to start the new school year.

The school year started with the arrival of the sixth form. Every year they do it in style. This year they arrived by train! At least there were no firecrackers, but they were rather wild and noisy..... only to be expected. The parents were all around to cheer their offspring on.

We started the year with a lovely service in St. Andrew's cathedral. Here you can see Babs Owen shepherding her class into church.

This year's theme was about sowing seeds and growth. It is what is in the inside that needs to grow and develop, with nurturing. Revd. Ronnie Irene gave food for thought and a challenge to the students to study well so that they will have a good future. Babs Owen had the kids blowing up balloons and bursting them to find something inside and Mags had each class planting seeds in little pots to see what develops.

Afterwards the children were all excited about going to their new classes and having a different teacher for the year.

They were all fortunate to have a half day off today. The staff remained in school preparing for the rest of the week.

Leccy to be or leccy not to be?

As we were coming home from school we heard that a transformer had blown in the neighbourhood. No prizes for guessing who had no electricity! Thankfully a storm was blowing in and the temperature had dropped slightly, so we were able to sit outside with a nice Cuppa.

Mags then came to say that somebody's tin roof had blown off in the wind and had struck a transformer. It was stuck to the transformer. Lots of people gathered to look at the scene as the electricity company 'hit men' arrived to remove the portion of roof. They then went on their way with no repairs.

Later Mags Southern and I went to buy expensive torches ready for when it became dark. We arrived back in our homes to find all electricity restored........ at least for the time being.......... It is good to have air again.

The 'storm' turned out to be a dribble of rain and now seems to have passed us by. It is about 20c cooler at the moment outside but the houses have yet to cool down inside. We are hoping that the cooler temperatures will last a few days.

Hot! hot! Hot!

Since I have been back in Paraguay there has been no 'let up' in the temperatures. I was out in 44 degrees celsius yesterday (going for ice-cream!).
To add to the problem the electricity company cannot produce enough power for everybody. They have been cutting various circuits and areas, seemingly randomly. My flat has been affected twice. Even when the power is not off it is working at about half power or less. On Saturday night I had just one socket and a lamp working (no air-conditioner). I plugged in extension leads and ran a stand-alone fan and kept cool under wet towels.
I count myself fortunate as some poor souls have had both water and electricity cut off for several days. Some people were so mad about it that they arrived at the President's palace with backpacks and towels to demand a shower after three days without water. I don't know whether they got one.
Unfortunately three people died yesterday because of the heat.

There is never a dull moment in Paraguay!
Please pray for the Lord's intervention so that all real needs can be met during this crisis. We need some rain to cool things down.

The staff music group led us in praise at the staff service to begin the new school year.

The combined staff of the main college and the Annexe school joined together to praise and worship as the new school year commenced.

Revd. Ronnie Irene preached to us all from John 15:1-8

SAMS and CMS merge

The South American Mission Society and The Church Mission Society merged under CMS on 1st February. My work can now be supported online at www.cms-uk.org/latinamerica. If you wish to support me in this way click on the map of South America on the site and go to my profile for a link.

Back in Paraguay

I arrived back in Paraguay last Thursday. Thanks for your prayers. I had a smooth journey and even got ushered to the front of airline queues as I am now considered to be a senior citizen. I suppose age has some advantages.
Mags and Gwen picked me up at the airport and also took me shopping, by which time I was shattered so they fed me too. What great friends I have !
I arrived home to a newly-decorated flat. It took me two days to unpack my boxes and suitcases and get everything straight. I am now having a couple of days relaxing before work on Thursday. ("What happened to Summer holidays?" I ask myself.)

News here is that Fidel Zavala was released after 94 days tied to a tree, (hidden on his own land). The police have arrested one of his captors and now seek others involved.

The latest focus has been on Salvador Cabanas, a national footballer who was shot between the eyes in a bar in Mexico. A prayer meeting was called for him in a football stadium here. Thousands attended and he has become the new "cause". The response to prayer has been that he is now conscious and he has asked for "asado", (barbecued meat). To be conscious is something of a miracle as the bullet cannot be removed. Nobody is sure what the future holds for him.