Paraguay Trip #2

This trip was very different from my last year's trip. On my first trip, everything was new to me: I was exposed to Paraguayan culture for the first time, the poverty, learning about the broken families, terrible fathers who abandon their children/cheat on their wives/sexually abuse their kids, suicides, etc. Everything was just so crazy experiencing and realizing all of this on my first trip. On my second trip, I was already aware of all these things and this time I paid more attention to the details: how hard the jovenes work so diligently and joyfully, how hard the Cho family serves, having more conversations with the kids during Horas Felices (VBS), strengthening relationships with jovenes. I feel like my first trip was more of the "experiencing" factor, while this trip was the "learning" factor.

If I had to describe my second trip with two words, it would be "flexibility" and "humility." Throughout the trip, starting from the beginning of training to the end of the trip, I was constantly getting humbled by God. From the beginning, I had this terrible mentality of constantly comparing this trip to last year's trip. I was so discouraged constantly when things weren't organized. Training started super late, mission's rally was postponed, we weren't as prepared for the body worships and skits.

Furthermore, the government of Paraguay issued a national warning advising people to stay home and avoid events and large groups of people because of the swine flu situation. There was a crazy statistic saying that one of every two families was sick with the flu or something. Even as we got to the airports in South America, many people were wearing masks. With this in mind, we didn't really know what to expect during VBS times. Will kids show up? So right when we got to Paraguay, we were hit with this sad news. So the first week was like dead. Only a handful of jovenes showed up to prepare for VBS decorations and stuff, we did all the things we're suppose to do at the end of the trip on the first week (go to Asuncion, buy souvenirs, go to the markets, etc), and going to the HIV/AIDS orphanage was cancelled the first day because the kids were too sick. Everything just seemed backwards and upside down.

The first week was really tiring as well because Richard and I got really sick with the flu right before we left. So as you can imagine, the plane rides were not very pleasant. It's funny because we even sat next to each other on each plane ride there. So we were coughing up a storm, we both couldn't sleep, and we just felt like crap. It was really hard for me during the first part of the trip. It was hard to be excited for the trip when ALL of these unfortunate things were going on.

If I stopped here, it would just sound like a disaster. But rather, it was the beginning of God's work in this mission's trip. In hindsight, all of these things happened for a reason and for the ultimate kingdom of God. Like I mentioned, the first week was dead. We didn't do much work, just a lot of downtime, relaxing, and visiting Asuncion. This actually worked to our advantage. Richard and I were able to get plenty of rest and recover from our sickness, we were able to sharpen our body worships and skits every night, and most importantly, we prayed.

The night times were my favorite times. Usually, we'd have dinner, wash dishes and relax, then meet at the girls' house and have our sharing time and prayer, then we'd practice our body worships and skits, then go back and wash up, and the guys would have our own little talks. That was the general routine. But that sharing time and prayer was where I got a chunk of my learning from. I'm not sure if any of my teammates know, but every night, there was at least ONE person who would say something and I'd feel SO encouraged. They are written in my journal, but I can think of two examples off the top of my head:

1. MJ shared about how she teared up after seeing the little shacks (the homes) at Ytororo. It reminded me of how I felt when I went to La Lomita for the first time.
2. CK shared about how at the end of VBS at Ytororo, she would look off in the distance along the straight road as the multitude of kids would walk back home as the sun set. It made her think "will any of these kids get out of here and and make it big?" She said something like that. And it just made me wonder about what God has in store for their futures.

Morning devotionals were also really helpful whenever I was discouraged. It helped me start the day out with the Word, and the theme of the verses stuck with me throughout the day.

Anyway, now the second week. This is when everything comes together. God faithfully answered our prayers. Our prayers was that many kids would come out to VBS. But most importantly, since we know the conditions about the flu and sickness going around, we prayed that even having one child listen to the Gospel is good enough. Even if it means that the Holy Spirit will work in one soul, that would be enough. Surprisingly, there were around 50+ kids at each of the VBS's. All of the VBS events went smoothly, no technical difficulties, our body worships and skits went well, and all the kids, the jovenes, and the team was blessed. During the second week, there was a gradual increase in the number of kids and jovenes who came out.

Looking at this trip on the surface, there were a lot of ups and downs. But looking at it knowing that God is in control, it was UP and GOOD throughout the whole thing. Regardless of circumstances and situations, God's plan is perfect and good. Because I had to learn to be flexible and humble on this trip, I constantly meditated upon this passage in my head throughout the trip: Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand." Amen.

Rohayhu Paraguay!

-Simon