Influencing Culture

If you are interested in the history of missions and its influence on other cultures, you will find this blog to be very  informative, especially his series of post on Influencing Cultures.

Here is an excerpt on his entry of William Carey:

‘William Carey, was a Christian missionary who established the first newspaper ever printed in any oriental language because Carey believed that ‘Above all forms of truth and faith, Christianity seeks free discussion.’

‘His English language journal, Friend of India, was the force that gave birth to the Social Reform Movement in India in the first half of the nineteenth century.’

 But there is so much more to read! Check it out!
Church History Blog

The Devil's Brew

(My husband's coffee maker. We call it THE HOLY OF HOLIES!)

What do church history and coffee have in common, you ask?

In her aptly titled book, "Coffee," Claudia Rosen explains that 16th-century priests wanted Pope Clement VIII to ban "the devil's drink." They insisted that Satan had forbidden his followers--Muslims--from drinking wine because it was used in Holy Communion. Instead, the devil provided this "hellish black brew".


The elixir made from coffee beans does in fact have a long history in Islamic regions.
--African tribes mixed the crushed beans with animal fat and molded them into balls to eat as a stimulant before battle.
--Arabs made the first hot coffee beverage, in 1000 A.D.
--Dervishes--mystic devotees of Islam's Sufi sect--consumed coffee at all-night ceremonies as fuel for achieving religious ecstasy.
--Arabs also invented the ibrik, or coffee broiler.
--As coffee lost it's strictly religious significance, the first coffee houses appeared in Mecca.

Clemente VIII,wisely, decided to give it a taste test!

"Why, this Satan's drink is so delicious," he declared, "that it would be a pity to let the infidels have exclusive use of it. We shall cheat Satan by baptizing it."

And so, I am now able to enjoy my coffee, which my husband makes and serves me each morning. Now that's romantic!



My favorite coffee is a Venezuelan blend. Cafe Madrid! We are out of it now, but are substituting with a Brazilian coffee we purchased here. My son in law recently left us some great Costa Rican coffee too.

Do you drink coffee? How much and how often? Any favorite blend?

The Rest of the Story ~ Cinco de Mayo

Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's mayonnaise was manufactured in England . In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico , which was to
be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York .




This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico . But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York. The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.



The people of Mexico , who were crazy about mayonnaise, and were eagerly
awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss. Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day.

The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as ---Sinko de Mayo.

Shamefully stolen from my sister!



Here are a few facts about the origin of this celebration which I took from THIS SITE.

The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico.

So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans savor this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862.

The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas.

Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought a Hapsburg prince with them to rule the new Mexican empire. His name was Maximilian; his wife, Carolota. Napoleon's French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War.

The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy -- as European countries traditionally did.

Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa, (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico's president and dictator), the Mexicans awaited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less stylish.
General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes.

When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz' superb horsemen miles away. The Mexicans had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War.

Union forces were then rushed to the Texas/Mexican border under General Phil Sheridan, who made sure that the Mexicans got all the weapons and ammunition they needed to expel the French. American soldiers were discharged with their uniforms and rifles if they promised to join the Mexican Army to fight the French. The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico, City.

It might be a historical stretch to credit the survival of the United States to those brave 4,000 Mexicans who faced an army twice as large in 1862. But who knows?

In gratitude, thousands of Mexicans crossed the border after Pearl Harbor to join the U.S. Armed Forces. As recently as the Persian Gulf War, Mexicans flooded American consulates with phone calls, trying to join up and fight another war for America

Jesuit Mission Ruins in Paraguay

Here are a few photos I took of our visit at LaTrinidad, a ruin of the once magnificent Jesuit mission. This mission is one of over 30 which were peopled by the Guarani indians under the supervision and education of the Jesuit priests. The level of civilization they acquired in a matter of decades makes one contemplate what they might have accomplished had the Spanish Crown allowed them to continue in their path of progress rather than expel the priests which led to the decline and abandonment of the cities due to the raids of the Brazilians and Spaniards looking for treasure and slaves. These abuses led the Guarani to return to their nomadic lifestyle and return to a primitive life in the jungle.

The church at La Trinidad

Some of the beautiful stone work

When I look at the tool marks left on the stone by the Guarani  man who shaped it,

I feel a great  sense of pride at what these indians managed to accomplish here

 and sadness that they were not allowed to contiue to do so.

The Bell Tower

Looking down  from the Bell Tower towards the remains

 of one of the indian housing complexes and the church yard.

Over 5000 Guarani lived and worked here at The Trinidad with several thousand more spread out caring for the cattle and crops. At Trinidad they also manufactured  iron weapons on their own.

Sopa Paraguaya

Photo taken by my daughter, Jackie McCobb

FJ said...

What's good eating in Paraguay? Any dishes in particular? (What can I say, it's lunch time here and I'm hungry...)

One of my favorite dishes here is known as Sopa (soup) Paraguaya but this soup is eaten with a fork or even your hands! Sopa Paraguaya is a type of corn bread made with a white cheese and is delicious, at least to someone who was raised on southern cooking! Cheesy corn bread! What is not to like?

This seems to be the most authentic recipe I have found for using non Paraguayan ingredients to make Sopa Paraguaya.

Of course, if you have an inquiring mind, like mine, you want to know how a dish of corn bread came to be called 'SOUP'! I have asked this question of many of my Paraguayan friends and I have received almost as many answers as people!

The basic element to each story is that an important individual was fond of the corn meal soup made by the Guarani indians. This mush had been altered to include cheese and milk once the Spaniards arrived and introduced dairy products to the indians.

This particular individual asked his cook to prepare his soup. She did so and placed the pan in an earthen oven called a tatakua. These are still used today and can be found in many back yards. The cook seems to have forgotten her soup was in the oven and over cooked it to the point of it solidifying into a cake like texture. Upon trying the dish, the gentleman found he preferred the cake-like soup and named it Sopa Paraguaya.

If you are familiar with the Paraguayan sense of humor, you can see how quickly such a name would catch on!

Some answers

You asked...

Betty said...

Have you found good friends, for you personally? Being in ministry it must be hard always "putting yourself" out there. Sometimes you just need someone for yourself. I hope you have!

I think my daughters, Jackie and Jewel, were my closest friends , so I miss them both. Truthfully, knowing that I am leaving for Ciudad del Este in a matter of months has caused me to not get too attached to people here . This may not be healthy, but it is how I protect myself from the future loss of separation.

Kathy said...

How soon after you met Clint did he ask you if you wanted to be a missionary? And how soon did he mention the deep jungle as opposed to just "regular" missionary work? Or did you mention being a missionary first??? Did both of you always want to be a missionary or was it something new to think about when the other one mentioned it? :)
I'm sure I'll think of more to ask soon! :)

I knew he was planning to train for the pastorate when we met while still in HS. He was a senor and I was...14. When we married, he planned to be a church planter in New England, but during his senor year, we decided to dedicate our lives to foreign mission work. I had no problem with this as I had always dreamed of being a missionary to an African tribe. As a child, I wrote stories about it.
We spent a year in Mexico and then 8 years in the city of Barquisimeto, Venezuela. We were constantly made aware of the needs of the tribes and saw that few were willing to go live among them, so we felt that we should get the training needed to go ourselves.
Part of this awareness came about by the fact that we raised two Ye'kwana children in our home while living in Barquisimeto. I do not mention them often or give their name as they both still live in Venezuela and I do not want anything I say or do to be used against them.

Mrs. Reverend Doctor said...

I always wanted to know what Bible college you and hubby what to?

My husband attended Baptist Bible College and then transferred to Northeastern Baptist Bible School as he felt we would be living in New England after graduation anyway. That school has since merged with another and no longer exists. I began attending a small school in Florida and then after our marriage I also attended NBBS.

Findalis said...

Name the 5 places on Earth you would like to visit for the first time & why.

Israel~ The history!

Rome ~ The history!

Egypt~ To see the great pyramids.

Machu Pichu, Peru~ To view the handiwork of the Incas!

Easter Island~ It fascinates me to see things for which we have no real explanation.

Hatless in Hattiesburg said...

Would you prefer that the people & communities you work with have less or more contact with "the outside world"?

I loved working with the Ye'kwana people and I enjoy the lifestyle of a small community where everyone knows everyone. It is very fulfilling to be able to help a remote people who truly need your assistance. On the other hand, it is physically very hard to live and serve in such a way.

The Local Malcontent said...

If you, JMom, had an audience with Hugo Chavez, and you were absolutely sure that he would listen to you therein,

What would you say to Hugo?

I hope I would be able to show christian compassion and share the gospel message with him. I would hope he would accept it and change his behavior.
I would truly wish to know if the rumors of his conversion to Islam are true. His behavior and choices of alliances seem to confirm this as a fact. He has the right to believe as he wishes, but why not acknowledge it?
I would also love to ask him about his many well documented lies, some of which he was repeating just last night on Larry King Live.
I would like to know why he hid under his desk when captured if he is such the brave warrior he claims to be.
I would like to know why he preaches socialism for all and yet his family has become so wealthy and live in open luxury.
I would like to know why he claims to hate America and everything it stands for and yet continues to sell oil to the USA. How can he morally do that?
I would really like to know why he would think the people of Venezuela would want to listen to his rants broadcasted on all medias, by law, for hours and hours at a time!!!!!

Glenn B said...

Hi Rita,

My question is on my blog - today's date. I asked it there instead of here because I would like to hear some others also give input.

All the best,
GB

I gave my answer to his thoughtful question on his blog. Glenn and I do not always agree but he has always treated me as a gentleman and a friend.

I am going to save the rest of these for next week and answer each one as a complete post, so watch for them!

FJ said...

What's good eating in Paraguay? Any dishes in particular? (What can I say, it's lunch time here and I'm hungry...)

CKHB said...

What has been your scariest travel experience?

Sarah Joy said...

I know this isn't a question, but i would love to see a "day in my life" type of post.

And, Anonymous, You have many questions! I will try to answer those for you as well in the upcoming days.

What about the Culture?

I am re posting this to answer several comments and emails I have recently received which have referred to us as 'genocidal missionaries'.

These three young people are the children of the Christian pastor in the village. Christianity has not made them any less Ye'kwana.

To gain access into the tribal area, each mission must fulfill many requirements. The first of which is to be INVITED to live there by the tribe and the village. To think that anyone could just walk into a village and be allowed to live there by the indians is very naive. If you are not asked by them, they will remove you. Themselves. Indians are not helpless children in need of anyone to 'protect' them.

I find many people that seem to think WE are some how required to protect the indian from any outside contact. In this day and age, this is already a non- issue in most parts of the world, as contact is nearly universal. I find this attitude to be very arrogant. The indian is a person like anyone else, and with education, is just as capable to determine their own future. Neither is it true that their culture is something so fragile that they will discard it when made aware of another culture.

Recently a Venezuelan Army General learned this from the chief in our village. The military arrived and began to announce their plan to place Cuban doctors in our house. The village did not want this. The General said that the village would no longer need to depend upon the foreign missionary for help.

Yekwanaman with the Chief

The chief, Bertico, responded by saying that Cubans were also foreign. They did not want Cubans living among them. The tribes do not like for single men to move in, as it almost always creates a problem, as they begin to seduce and impregnate their girls.

The General began to make accusations against us. This was done by showing a folder with pictures of our family, even our children as he accused us of atrocities, such as rape, starvation, slavery.The chief, a non- Christian, became very irate! He expressed the same opinion to the General that I have put forth here . Indians are not likely to permit someone to come in and live among them and FORCE them to do anything, and certainly not to abuse them. He actually told the General , " If anyone came in here and did those things to us...well, we are indians, we would just kill them!! So be careful!"

At that point the military decided to leave and has yet to return to the village.

This photo was taken by another missionary in the 60's. This is the chief, Bertico, as a young man. He still weaves baskets and continues to teach the young men the art.

I am often told by academics and government representatives that the culture must remain untouched and that any exposure to something from outside will destroy it. I have a hard time believing this.

Consider the case of the modern day Jew. Although spread around the world, although having had to survive several bouts of genocide, the Jewish culture survives. The Hebrew language was even revived. The Jewish people have certainly been exposed to other cultures and have even taken an active part in many different cultures but has yet managed to retain their ethnic identity, their culture, as well as their religion.

I also point to the fact that tribal cultures co-exist living next door to one another, in some cases for centuries, and yet each tribe manages to keep their ethnicity and language differences. The Ye'kwanas share the same territory with the Sanema ( Yanomamo). Each culture is distinct. Each language is completely different. They interact and have for centuries, but each culture remains, to this day, distinct from one another.

The cultures differ in the most basic human areas. Their spiritual beliefs, their marriage rituals and burials are very different. The Ye'kwana bury their dead, the Yanomamo burn their dead. The tribes do not even inter marry.

A culture that has a strong moral fiber will survive. A culture that does not have this foundation, will not survive. And, frankly, should not survive. Consider the culture of the ancient Aztecs? Should a culture that practices human sacrifices be allowed to continue to do so? Will that lead to a better world? Would you like to live in that culture? The Aztec culture was intent on conquest, slavery, and brutality! I am not saying they were not admirable in many other ways, but it is not a model society nor one in which you or I would enjoy living .

Let us consider the situation of the American Indian of today. The most important factor necessary to maintain a cultural identity is the language. That is the primary factor that will determine if the culture will continue after assimilation by what is referred to as the host culture. The criollo, Latin, culture of Venezuela is the host culture to many tribal cultures. What group of people through out the world is most dedicated to alphabetizing, translating and printing tribal languages?

The missionary! We set out to learn the language, create a written alphabet of the language, but that is not enough. Of what value is a written language if no one knows how to read it? And what is the motivation for the indian to work and learn how to read, if there is nothing available in their language to read?

Anyone who has taught a child to read knows what hard work it is. Imagine teaching a child to read, and then the child have nothing available in print to read. It would be difficult to motivate the child to bother to learn! More so with the adult indian! They have a lot to do without learning to read for no apparent reason.



The missionary, of course, wants the indian to read for himself. Why? So that he can read the Word of God for himself. And with that knowledge, be exposed to the Laws of God, such as the 10 Commandments, which will only strengthen any culture if it is put into practice.

With the new found knowledge and ability to read and write, the culture can then flourish to a new level. Poetry, music and even science can become available to all. The Indian now has the tool needed to chronicle his own history. This will protect the tribe from falsehoods another culture may choose to purport about them.

Missionaries have written for the Ye'kwana of Venezuela, in their own language, The History of Venezuela, several hygiene pamphlets, a Literacy Primer as well as the New Testament and parts of the Old Testament. We have personally printed and distributed various teaching aids to be used in the area of general education and religious education. We have provided teaching aids and a complete phonics program for literacy classes as well as having trained individuals to implement the program.

Literacy is a powerful tool that should not be denied anyone. An indian that learns how to read is able to progress and progression is not evil. You and I enjoy our modern life. We enjoy the many things that our ancestors were able to learn and teach us. We then build upon that knowledge each and everyday and we all hope to leave the world a better place for our children and grand children.

Who are we to deny the same opportunity to the Indian?


These three Ye'kwana students were taught by missionary Florinda Eddings. The first is now a village head man, the second is a teacher, and the third has been trained as a nurse to work in the village dispensary.

This is the 6th grade graduating class of 2005.
These are the grand children of the men pictured above.

UPDATE! The children are wearing school uniforms provided by the Venezuelan government.( Ministry of Education)
This had nothing to do with the missionaries. The daily clothing of choice would be a T-shirt and shorts as they are much more durable than their loin cloths. The loin cloths are not easily made and are difficult to keep clean. Some tribes, such as the Sanoma , do not wear much clothing, it is a personal choice. The Ye'kwana have always been a people desirous of progress. Also note, there is a 50 year time gap between the two photos.
Do you or your children wear what your grand father wore?

The Pain of Being a Redhead

Do redheads feel more pain?

According to this article, The Pain of Being a Redhead , there may now be scientific evidence to prove it is so.

Nobody likes going to the dentist, but redheads may have good reason.

A growing body of research shows that people with red hair need larger doses of anesthesia and often are resistant to local pain blockers like Novocaine. As a result, redheads tend to be particularly nervous about dental procedures and are twice as likely to avoid going to the dentist as people with other hair colors, according to new research published in The Journal of the American Dental Association.

I am a redhead and avoid trips to the dentist. Dental work is torture. Really, I would rather be water boarded! Just sit me in a dentist chair, turn on the drill and I will give away any secret! Where are the weapons of mass destruction? I don't know, but I could make up a very convincing story if it would avoid having my teeth touched! Where is Osama hiding? I will personally go out and look through every cave until he is found if you just don't come near me with the drill!

What a relief to finally hear from someone that my pain and dread is founded on truth. Whew! I mean, I have given birth without pain medications, its not that I can't handle pain, its just that
it is very hard to be told by a dentist, or doctor, that you are imagining the pain. After 6 Novocaine shots it is impossible for anyone to still feel the pain, or so they say!

Dr. Daniel I. Sessler, an anesthesiologist and chairman of the department of outcomes research at the Cleveland Clinic, said he began studying hair color after hearing so many colleagues speculate about redheads requiring more anesthesia.

“The reason we studied redheads in the beginning, it was essentially an urban legend in the anesthesia community saying redheads were difficult to anesthetize,” Dr. Sessler said. “This was so intriguing we went ahead and studied it. Redheads really do require more anesthesia, and by a clinically important amount.”

I once had to have a toe nail removed and was given a nerve block...whatever! I felt it all and next time I'll forgo the shots as they hurt as much as having the nail ripped off and the stitches put in. I also awoke during a surgery once. It seems I scared the doctors to death. I did not enjoy it either!

“Because they’re resistant, many redheads have had bad experiences,” Dr. Sessler said. “If they go to the dentist or have a cut sutured, they’ll need more local anesthetic than other people.”

Any other redheads that can identify with this report?

And Now...

Part Two

...the rest of the story.

Present day Paraguay can thank two individuals in particular for their present day boundaries and existence. The first is Martin Thomas McMahon. McMahon was a Major General in the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery.

After the war he went back to his law practice and in 1868 he was appointed as the United States Minister to Paraguay. He arrived just in time to be an eye witness to the ending days of the War of the Triple Alliance. He was appalled by the atrocities he saw being inflicted upon the Paraguayan people. When you realize he had been active in the Civil War and that this was not a man who had never seen the terrible realities of war, and yet, what he saw here moved him to action in defense of the Paraguayan people, you will gain a sense of the scope of cruelty involved.

When Asuncion fell to the enemy, most foreign Ambassadors stayed in their embassies and accepted the invaders as the de facto government of Paraguay. Not so McMahon! McMahon moved his family and staff to where the Marshal President Lopez had set up his new seat of government.

At one point, the Alliance was bombarding the home of Lopez where his children were in residence. McMahon took the family into his own home and placed them under the protection of the United States and this saved the lives of the children.

During this time, McMahon was able to view first hand the many atrocities of the Brazilians , and Argentines, upon the civilians of Paraguay such as setting fire to a hospital and burning alive over 300 patients. Men, women, and children. He was witness to the fact that not only was the Alliance intent upon taking the territory from Paraguay, but in truth, were waging a war of genocide against the Paraguayan people even making it illegal to speak in their native tongue, Guarani. Any teacher found teaching in the Guarani language could be imprisoned for doing so.

By 1868 most of the Paraguayan army was gone. McMahon reported that those remaining in the fight were boys no older than 10 or 12 years of age, wearing false beards to try and convince the enemy that they were older men. Their bravery is still celebrated here in Paraguay.

McMahon also observed the prison camps where men, women, and children were tortured and enslaved by the Alliance.

When it became clear that Lopez would be killed , he placed his son in the care of McMahon and asked that he be allowed to return to New York to study American law.

By this time even the boys were mostly dead and as Lopez withdrew for his final stand, he left behind the women and children telling them to remain and surrender to the Brazilians. Paraguayan women are not ones to surrender and many took up weapons and attempted to defend themselves against the invading soldiers. They were not shown leniency and atrocities were committed against them in those days.

Although Paraguayans had no lost love for the now dead Dictator Lopez, most did realize that they had been fighting for more than his ego and were indeed fighting for their own right of existence.

In 1878, President Hayes was asked by the Argentinians to be the intermediary between Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay as they were now disputing who would lay claim to the lands taken from the Paraguayan nation.

McMahon was recalled to present his finding and observations to the American Congress. This report compelled President Rutherford. B. Hayes to intervene on behalf of the Paraguayans. President Hayes began to arbitrate for the Paraguayans in 1878 and ordered the return of a large portion of the Chaco to Paraguay. This region, which composes 60% of the nation, is now named the 'Territory of Hayes 'in his honor. There is a national holiday to honor Hayes. And more importantly in this culture, he even has a soccer team named for him!

In 2007 Paraguay issued a stamp in honor of the former Ambassador and General Martin T. McMahon who served Paraguay so well and was their strongest international advocate during the War of the Triple Alliance.

There is to this day a strong bilateral relationship between Paraguay and the United States. Most Paraguayans feel that the United States has come to their aid in times of need. A special affection is held for McMahon and President Hayes because of their part in telling the world of the plight of the Paraguayan people, of their bravery in battle, and the atrocities committed against them by the Alliance.

Hayes is such a hero to the people here that they assume he is as revered in the US, right behind Washington and Lincoln. The acts of McMahon and Hayes provided a good will towards the United States which is still felt to this day.

I wonder how many Americans know anything about this bit of history in regards to President Rutherford B. Hayes and his role in support of Paraguay? Is it not something to be proud of? Two great American statesmen who are very much unsung heroes!

Did you know?

Mbarete !

Part One

Mbarete means strong in Guarani. It is an accurate description of the Paraguayan people. They have had to be strong to survive as a nation.

I have been reading Paraguayan history so that I will better understand the people of my new country. Coming from a family of Marines, I can't help but admire their patriotism and unity when it comes to resisting outside influences wishing to take their country or exploit it.

Lately I have been reading about the War of the Triple Alliance. Have you heard of it?

The War is known here as The Great War and was fought between 1864 and 1870. It has been the most violent war in the South American continent to date and was fought in Paraguayan territory, between Paraguay and Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay which made up the Triple Alliance. It is second only to the American Civil War in number of deaths, and nearly the same, when looked at as percentages of the population killed.




Look at the map! Paraguay took on the three countries lying to the east, south and west, between it and the coast. Much of the cause for war was over the strategic need to dominate the Rio de Plata and river transportation which was coveted by both Argentina and Brazil. It was a case of geopolitical issues, which is common for countries surrounded on all sides. Paraguay is in the middle of South America making it a pivotal spot for trade and transport to either coast.

I have heard Paraguay referred to here as 'Mediterranean' or middle earth (I keep looking for Hobbits and such!) and if you consider the clashes so common in the Middle East, the Mediterranean, you can see how Paraguay suffers from the same problem of geography. Paraguay is also called the 'Heart of the Continent'.





Paraguay lost the war, which is not surprising given the odds! However, little Paraguay held out against three large adversaries through the sheer will power of the people, even the women took up arms in what they considered to be defense of their very existence. Paraguayan deaths caused by the war, through battle and disease, is thought to be as high as 90% of the male population. Estimates are that the prewar population of the country was numbered 500,000 and it is documented that 300,000 Paraguayans died in this war.


This has brought about a uniqueness of culture to Paraguay in that males are extremely esteemed in the family! It also might well explain the fact that Paraguay has continually supported Israel, casting their vote in support of UN resolution181 which allowed for the creation of the State of Israel. Paraguay has also established a relationship with Taiwan. Israel and Taiwan, two small countries fighting for their very right to exist. Paraguayans can identify with this.


After the war, Brazil and Argentina intended to divide the country of Paraguay among themselves.

Do you know what stopped this from happening?
If not, come back tomorrow for Part Two!

A Product of Missions

This is a trues story of a family, personal friends, working in India with our mission, BIMI.

The history of their family is incredible! I am sharing it with you , as told by David himself. It reveals the long reaching effects of missions and the fruits of missionary work. I hope you will be encouraged to get involved in missions in some way.

A Product of Missions!

by missionary David Divakar

Our story begins in British-India in the year 1890. A Hindu guru (teacher), in the small town of Sandoor in Southern India, sat under a Banyan tree teaching his disciples as he did every afternoon. This guru was a “Janghama” who came from a high cast and was greatly respected among other gurus. His name was Bassaiah. In a society where the human feet are considered unholy and therefore never allowed to touch another person’s feet, Bassaiah’s disciples would wash his feet. They would then drink that water as holy water because they worshiped him as a god and considered his feet holy.

One day, Bassaiah was reading from the “Kodaykal Vachanayagollu,” which is one of the religious books in Hinduism. As he read and explained each verse from this book to his disciples, he came across a passage that said, “All religions will ultimately be done away with, but a religion started by a carpenter will survive.” For the first time in his life, he was at a loss for words because he had no explanation for this passage as he did not know the meaning himself. He thought Hinduism was the greatest religion in the world. For this reason he was a priest in that religion, but now his own book told him otherwise. Carpenters were not considered of much affluence because they were of a lower cast. The words from this book troubled him because he did not understand them.

In another part of the world, a missionary with the London Missionary Society said good-bye to friends and relatives as he and his family boarded a ship for India. India was a world away for a man and his family to leave their comfortable lives in England and go to a hot desert climate. However, their hearts burned with a desire to tell the masses of India about Jesus. The Lord in His mighty way brought this missionary to Sandoor and burdened him to preach the gospel. The missionary poured out his heart to the people. He preached the gospel of Jesus Christ without fear or compromise. The Indian people around him were interested in what this Englishman had to say because it was something they had never heard before. However, they were very reluctant to accept what he had to say because it was too bizarre for them to believe. Their religion expected them to do a lot of work in pleasing their various gods before they could even hope of having a chance to get to heaven. However, this man was preaching about a God who did all the work for mankind and the only thing man had to do was to believe. Day after day the missionary preached faithfully, but no one turned to Christ.

One day Bassaiah happened to be listening to the missionary. While the missionary was preaching, he alluded to the fact that Jesus Christ was a carpenter by trade before he entered his three years of public ministry. Suddenly Bassaiah realized that what he read in his book and what the missionary was talking about were probably one and the same. The missionary saw the old guru and knew that he was the most important person in that town. Out of respect for his position in society, the missionary invited Bassaiah to the place where he was staying. The guru accepted the invitation very reluctantly because he was considered a holy man in his society. Any association with a non-Hindu would be unacceptable. Nevertheless, Bassaiah went with the missionary. The missionary presented the gospel to the old guru. The old guru was awestruck by the fact that God cared enough for him that he would take upon himself the form of man and die on the cross to save him from his sins. This was the first time the old guru realized that the God who created the universe cared enough to love him and shed His blood for a sinner like him. This concept of God loving man was so new and yet so wonderful! The old guru bowed his head and asked Jesus to come into his heart and save him from eternal condemnation.

When Bassaiah’s disciples heard that their guru had become a Christian, they threatened to kill him and his family. With his family and all the luggage they could carry, Bassaiah left the town. They left behind their home and many acres of land. They never looked back. The townspeople made the missionary leave town that very day. He did so with a very sad heart. The missionary had labored so earnestly, yet there was only one soul that came to know Christ as personal Savior. Although he was happy for that one soul, he left Sandoor a disappointed man.

What the missionary never knew was that Bassaiah’s son would later pastor a church for forty-five years and that he would have a son who would retire from the police department and become an evangelist. Also, he could not have known that the evangelist would have a son who is Edwin Divakar, BIMI missionary in India, and that his son would be me, David Divakar.

I am the fourth generation after Bassaiah Divakar to be privileged to be called to serve our Lord in the land of India. I praise the Lord for that missionary from the London Missionary Society. No one alive, today, knows his name or whatever became of him or his family. However, their legacy will live on until Jesus comes back. On that glorious day when I bow my knee to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, if I get a chance I want to say, “Thank you, Lord, for sending that missionary, and thank you, missionary, for being willing to go where the Lord led you.”

Creating Curiosity

You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as he lives.
~Clay P. Bedford

(My kids called these 'Science Experiences' rather than experiments.)

This has long been my goal for my children. Although I have always home schooled my children, this philosophy could be implemented in any home by any parent. Many teachers do try to do the same in the traditional classroom setting.

This explains my personal suspicion of all packaged curriculum or the thinking that what works for one child will work for all. Every child is so very unique and born with different tastes and interests. If the parent, or teacher, can tap into this natural curiosity and direct it into a system of study, you will find an eager, willing student.

When my children were very young we would read aloud every day and they usually chose the books from which we would read. Of course I made sure to purchase books worth reading and looking at. A professor in college directed me to the book, 'Honey for a Child's Heart' by Gladys Hunt, and I found it very helpful in finding appropriate literature for each age group.

Reading aloud will open up great discussion even with a very young child. You will begin to see what captures their imagination and what subjects interest them. Take this natural curiosity a step further by implementing crafts or projects in relation to the books.

When my children were a bit older, early elementary age, I painted a time line on the wall of one of our back rooms. We began to add every event or person we discovered in our readings. Anyone who captured their attention or an event we read of, would be plotted on the time line. Young children do not always have a realistic grasp of time or sequence. This visual aid helped establish this in their minds for future use.

Another aspect of the time line was that we plotted all biblical characters as well as secular ones. In this way the children grew up realizing the Bible was a historical book with true events and happenings.

When we moved from that house into our mud hut, I was unable to repaint the time line and I found I needed something more compact and portable when we traveled in the states. I began a large notebook / 3 ring binder in which the children plotted their discoveries onto a time line which marched across the top of each page. We could add half sheets which did not cover the time line for additional notes or pictures to illustrate the events further. We also placed pocket envelopes in to hold actual specimens or larger objects which could not be pasted into the book.

Originally I had intended for each child to have their own Time Line book but found it hard to keep up with them all. I also noticed that by sharing the same book, the children would often become interested in the notations of events which had been placed there by one of their siblings. Their curiosity would be piqued and they would begin to want to learn more about it. I thought this was helpful and a wonderful means by which to expose them to new subjects. It also gave the children the opportunity to teach one another about their personal interests.

By adding in Art and Science activities to our time line we would discover some amazing things together and the children were constantly investigating on their own. This would explain some of the things I have found my children doing. Discoveries which often left me amazed at what they were capable to do by themselves, such as nearly creating a workable rocket in the middle of the jungle.

Josh sharing with his sisters something he discovered in his science studies.

Study time.

Historical figure dress up day.
We dressed up as individuals who were on our time line.
Can you guess who we all are supposed to be?

Paraguayans love U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes

When I arrived here in Paraguay, I was surprised by the many streets, buildings, a museum, even a state and a soccer team (nicknamed los Yanquis!), which are named after the US Pres. Hayes.

I had read some history on Paraguay so I was aware that he had been the one to negotiate the dispute in regards to territory claimed by both Paraguay and Argentina in 1878. Pres. Hayes was generous to the Paraguayans and his decision allowed the country to keep a great portion of the chaco land which is cattle territory. This area is now 60% of the national territory. What I had not realized was how much he was admired here, and for all of this, on February16th, the Paraguayans celebrate a holiday for President Rutherford B. Hayes

It seems that last year a young Paraguayan girl who had been in a coma awakened and the TV station granted her a wish. She chose to travel to Ohio to see the center there which honors Pres. Hayes.

I wonder how many Americans even recognize the name of Pres. Hayes, or know anything about this bit of history in regards to Paraguay. He is such a hero to the people here that they assume he is as revered in the US, right behind Washington and Lincoln!

A portrait of former U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes hangs next to a portrait of Abraham Lincoln among other artifacts in the city museum in Villa Hayes, Paraguay, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009. While Americans think of presidents such as Washington and Lincoln as they get ready to celebrate Presidents Day Feb. 16, Paraguayans would focus on Hayes, where the one-term U.S. president has a holiday, a province, a town, a museum and a soccer team all named in his honor, thanks to an 1878 arbitration in which he handed Paraguay 60 percent of its land. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

But go read the whole thing,HERE!

So...did you know that????

4F- Our Collected Memories

A couple of days ago, I posted my memories of the day Chavez attempted his failed coup.The thing which impacted me most that days was the awareness of the fragile nature of liberty. One generation may fight and die to provide liberty and freedom for the next, but if that next generation is not diligent to keep their freedom, it can disappear almost before your very eyes.

Februray4, 1992. A few of my commenters were also in Venezuela at the time and left their own memories in the comments of that post. I thought that I would post their memories here on the 17th anniversary of that fateful day.

My friend Liz, in Caracas remembers this:

I awoke before sunrise to make breakfast and go to work. The first thing I did was to turn on the TV and realize that we were in the middle of a coup. I alerted my husband... but the silence in our neighborhood was amazing! He wanted to go to work anyway (he's one of those souls that went to work during 'el Caracazo', drove his car in the middle of bullets shooting; we used to joke saying that maybe the country would come to a complete halt if he didn't go to work).

The 3 of us spent the day watching the news, receiving and making phone calls. My friend's parents called from Italy, very nervous! She was too!! she thought that maybe she couldn't emigrate some days later.

My memories are a bit fuzzy, (like Julia, I get confused between Feb. 4 and Nov. 27). I just recall the next days... We had to work and return home very early, there was a military curfew and we had a tank parked in our street! The soldiers -each night- used their fire arms and made us turn off our lights. They shouted orders all the time to intimidate us (a dormir! apaguen la luz!). I was very happy that my apartment was facing the back of the building!

The interesting part of this is that the coup had failed (chavez and company were imprisoned). These soldiers were the 'good ones'! My neighbors in the front of the building saw them drinking while making the rounds around the block.

To this day I despise anything military... and today chavez is celebrating his failure!! Because 17 years ago he was captured under a desk at the 'Museo Militar'. There was NO victory that day, just dead soldiers and civilians

.

Another friend, Firepig, who now lives in the states shared this:

JM, i lived in Caurimare, right on top of the hill looking out on the military airport of La Carlota.I first heard constant sirens for about an hour.Then canon fire.My children were asleep so I ran quickly to the guard station at the entrance of our neighborhood, and as I approached, I heard( coming from the guard's radio):
"they are taking Miraflores"
I will never forget the terror.Later our neighborhood featured nightly searches, and sometimes when I looked out my bedroom window, there was an army tank rolling down the street, often with the cannon pointing our way.

In a private note from another Venezuelan now living in the US, I received this along with his permission to post it. From Jose Roman Duque:

pues si, yo estaba ahi. en la madrugada mi amigo Vicente llamo a casa para decir, prende tu TV, golpe de estado...

y vi las acciones de los soldados y cuando el tanque trato de entrar al palacio blanco en frente de miraflores..

llore, y me dio rabia...

hate thinking about it....
you want to hear something bad?
one of the coupsters was my mom's cousin..
Hernan Gruber Odreman, a Colonel, ...needless to say, my mom and him dont' talk anymore..



I wish I could write better memories than yours, but I cringe at the thought of seeing my country the way it has become.

I think of my granpa, a typical Merideno, very dry and more dry but a great man, he was Jose Roman Duque Sanchez, and my dad perhaps you've seen him on tv many times during the time you were still in Venezuela, always speaking against Chavez. Roman J. Duque Corredor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr6gZkx3Z8M

feel free to use their names..it will show your English readers that we have great minds who love freedom, and respects the lessons that can be learn from the USA.

Rita, I wish we could have met in Venezuela, despite our religious differences :-) your love for Venezuela is breathtaking

isnt' it true, that Venezuela is the strangest place on earth?...I miss the colors and my family. feel free to browse over my photos.... I'm proud of my family , and I miss them dearly, but I know I could never go back to live there...
got used to a functional and stable country such as the States.

hate thinking about it....

this all hurts me big time, my My family was involved in the building of the democracy in venezuela, starting with my grandfather, who was close friends with Romulo gallegos, Betancourt, Caldera, he became the Governor of Merida after Perez-Jimenez, then went to practice law privately with Shell corporation until he went into de Supreme Court, and so my dad, he was a judge, and became a supreme court justice..

I'm just a poor musician and want nothing with politics or public office...but I had a understanding of what is at stake and what have been lost in Venezuela....people like my dad and granpa...simply dont' exist anymore

UPDATE!
Julia

adds her memories.

No one stopped it

JM has requested me to write my memories on February 4th, 1992. On that day, our actual president: Chavez, leaded an army coup against the democratically elected government of Carlos Andrés Pérez. Not exactly the nicest government my country can think of, but still I’m not sure if it justifies an army rebellion. The coup failed. Chavez appeared on TV for like 5 minutes admitting the defeat and went straight to jail. Before February 4th Chavez was no one, and he instantly became a sort of leader for many that very same night when he admits the defeat on TV. Quite shameful, I know. The events that followed that day and of whom now we are suffering the consequences are hard to explain and even harder to understand. I may give a space on this blog to think about them, but for now, I will just do my task: to remember what happen on that exact day: February 4th, 1992.

I was eight years old. I don’t want to put my age as another dramatic ingredient of my story, I’m just telling you my age because since I was so little, my memories are a little bit blurry and they often confuse with another coup attempt that happen that very same year, on November.

We lived in a neighbourhood called “La Floresta”. The neighbourhood is separated by a highway of the military airport called “La Carlota” so this could explain why we felt all the events so close.

I woke up at dawn hearing planes and random gunshots (first time I heard those). In Venezuela every kid is used to hear explosions: on Christmas eve and New Years are simply non- stop. But these explosions sounded drier, I knew they were no fireworks but I wasn’t sure of what it was until my mom screamed “¡Tiros!” (Gun shots). Still half awaked in our pyjamas, we all went to my parent’s bed to watch the news on TV. I asked if we were going to go to school and the whole family give me this ironic look back “Yeah… sure…” Then we heard more airplanes and the gunshots seemed to be closer. My mom screamed all of the sudden: “¡Al suelo!” (“To the floor!”) and we all lay down immediately, I think my sister made me lay down but I’m not sure.

My parents made us go to a small room that connected all the bedrooms and closed the bedroom doors. The “Al suelo!” screams became more frequent, and the explosions and planes simply didn’t stop and were quite annoying.

I think it was near noon when my parents decided that that room where we were laying, on the top floor, was not safe anymore and the only safe place remaining in a house filled of doors and windows was a small bathroom we used for the visit, located right under the stairs. I think the six of us (my brothers and my parents) somehow ended inside that bathroom and when they decided that it was safe to go out, I didn’t want to. My moms made me pasta and try to give it to me but I refused, I was sort of shaking.

At some point of the day I saw my mom argument with someone outside from the balcony of her room “They can’t be here!” – She said. My dad made her go back inside. Apparently they were a few soldiers hiding in our garden or near by.

The rest of the day was nothing different: non stop explosions, stories here and there, and airplanes all the time.

The next day my mom was afraid of sending us to school so we spend the day in the garden, looking for bullets. We find a lot and I think they are still saved somewhere.

It is odd but right now, as I write this, I’m hearing airplanes. They are probably practicing for the celebrations Chavez is going to held because of that day. And that sound is probably the sound that better reminds me of that day. It’s like going back 17 years, and to see myself covering my ears with my hands and asking my mom if she could make it stop.

It’s the very same airplanes but 17 years later. Sometimes I think that I’m still covering my ears and lying in the ground, since no one has still been able to make it stop.

My husband recalls,
I was called by another missionary. He knew I had to go to Maracaibo that day, which was the only city where the coup had been successful. I needed to take some medical supplies to the pastor I was training, he had just come out of a kidney transplant surgery and the kidney was rejected and had died. He needed some of the supplies he had in his home, because the state hospital was out. He would die if he didn't get them.
I asked the missionary how hek new there was a coup and then a F-16 flew over our house chasing one of the rebels who had bombed the airport.
I spent the morning and afternoon listening to the news, I couldn't travel until we heard they had surrendered in Maracaibo. I left first thing the next morning. They were checking papers like crazy all along the road and inspecting vehicles for extra riders. Having the Dialysis medical supplies raised a few eyebrows but the let me pass and I arrived without incident. That trip was also before cell phones so Rita wasn't too happy about the trip either

Also check out these two blogs written by two young Venezuelans:

The end of Venezuela as I know it

My childish life

I just wanted to share the human story. The fact that families and lives have been harmed and changed by the actions of this man. If any other of my readers were in Venezuela on that day, would you please share your memories with us as well?

Paraguay- History

After the initial encounter between the Europeans and the Gaurani indians, 70 years of peaceful co existence passed by. King Phillip II, the Spanish king, granted a charter to the Jesuit Priests to enter a region that was still barely touched, the Province of Guaira, for the purpose of the conversion of the Indians to the Catholic Church.

The Jesuits began teaching agriculture and eventually 200,000 Guarani indians were working on these projects. Formerly, the Guarani indians had been nomadic in nature but were now staying on farms. These indians were treated fairly well and this co existence lasted for 150 years during which time the indians were educated. At the same time, there were other Spanish colonies that were most assuredly taking advantage of the indians and using them for slave labor.

It is notable that the Jesuits fought against this abusive treatment of the Indians but in 1767, King Charles III of Spain, under influence of the Spanish colonists, dissolved the Jesuit grants in a rapid manner which led to much turmoil among the indians who had by now lived an agricultural life for nearly 200 years. This obviously led to wars and revolutions. A time marked by violence and upheaval.

Thus began the time of dictatorships in Paraguay. The dictator Antonio Lopez did manage to provide stability to the country and built schools, founded a newspaper and encouraged immigration, especially of Europeans with technological knowledge of value to the country. He also set up a strong army. He was followed by his son, Fransisco Lopez.

Fransisco's father had impressed upon him the need for diplomacy and to settle dispute by the pen or political means whenever possible, but in 1864, the young President launched a war. This is known as the War of the Triple Alliance and is one of the bloodiest wars to have ever been fought at any time on American soil.

The large, powerful Army of Paraguay ended the war with only 480 soldiers remaining alive. The President was one of the last to die. At the beginning of the war, the population of Paraguay was 1,377,000. At the end of the war only 6000 men remained alive and only 220,000 women and children survived. The Paraguayan women were often found fighting alongside their husbands and sons on the battle field. The infamous red headed mistress of the President also took to the battle field and buried him with her own hands upon his death.

Up to this time Paraguay had been one of the most prosperous South American countries but during the governorship of Marshal Francisco Solano Lopez, this prosperity was lost and has never been regained.

Because of the great loss of citizenry, the country has been very open to immigration seeing the need for workers to fill the void that is even yet left because of the great loss of life during this time. Many of these colonist are of German Mennonite descent and have established themselves in the Gran Chaco of the country and are prosperous, providing needed progress to the country of Paraguay.

For a personal history of a descendant of Mennonite colonists here in Paraguay, read this account by a friend of mine who lives here in the Chaco. We have yet to meet in person but we will one day!!!