Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone!  I’m sorry for being absent minded enough to not have kept up to date with my blogs. I’d like to say that I’ll do better, but that may be an empty promise.  The holidays have been wonderful for me here and I hope that they have been for you all as well.

I was able to spend about a week in the Chaco for Christmas.  The Chaco is what they call the part of Paraguay north and west of the Paraguay River.  Mennonites were the first ones to develop the area and there are three large colonies which flourish there.  It contains 60% of Paraguay’s total area, and only holds 2% of Paraguay’s total population.  It’s flat, usually dry, and hot; much like Kansas in the summer.  The air smelled like home and I was thrilled to stick my head out the window as we were finishing up the four hour drive on our way out there.

I spent time with the pastor’s families and with a family who allowed Aly (Sam’s fiancé who’s spent the last few weeks here with him) and me stay in a spare bedroom.  We spent time playing in water, talking and learning about the indigenous population in the Chaco, riding horses, and attending Christmas services at the town’s biggest church as well as a few Christmas family gatherings.  It was a fulfilling few days and we were graciously hosted and made to feel a part of the goings on.

The song “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” has turned into a joke for Roxanne, Sam and I in the heat and humidity of Paraguayan Christmas time.  People always told me before I left The States that Christmas would be the toughest time of year being away from home, family, and friends.  They were right, but I think I’m managing okay.  Top of FormParaguay continues to feel more like home, I continue to feel more comfortable speaking Spanish, and I’m mostly content where I am.

Thanks for your presence in my life, even from afar.  Once again, sorry for the delayed post. 

Love and blessings,

Sarah