September 30
Susan Hoover
Dear family and friends,
Greetings in Jesus' Name! There shall be showers of blessing -- and indeed that is what we are experiencing right now if you're talking about rain! For at least the past two hours, rain has been gushing and splashing and pouring down from the leaden skies. I mentioned once before that our windows are not very water-tight. Our heavy rains heretofore have usually happened during the night, so it was more difficult to see exactly where the water came in. This time it's all happening in the light of day. Rain driven by a strong south wind. And our poor south window is just not adequate to keep it all out. It's a wooden frame, not very well fitted, and quite blackened already from former onslaughts of moisture. But this time I was able to see exactly where it was coming in, a steady drip on both sides of the window. And with some containers strategically placed, I am managing to catch at least most of it. Some of it is still trickling down the wall and making a puddle on the floor. But the containers I've set up have already caught at least one litre of water that would otherwise be running on the floor! So that has been worth it. And still the rain continues to patter and pound on the roof above. I'm thankful that at least the roof doesn't leak!
Most surprisingly, the electricity has not gone off in this rainstorm. There has been some thunder and lightning but not as much as at many other times. A week or so ago, we had a very close strike of lightning one evening. I had just fallen blissfully asleep when this bright flash came, along with a sizzling sound, and immediately following, a roar and crash of thunder. The next morning we had a problem with the water pump. We took for granted the pump had been struck and burned out, but in the end it was only the breaker that was flipped. The power was also off part of that morning, so all the problems combined meant a late start on the laundry. But, as always, it gets done sometime!
Today's laundry consisted of a lot of sheets and blankets, besides the usual clothing. I am drying all the clothing in the dryer (so thankful for that appliance!) and Peter took all the sheets and blankets up into the loft and hung them there. There is a fire in the wood stove again today, so that will dry things pretty well up in the loft.
Last week one day Tina Hildebrand made Wareneki for lunch for the staff, along with smoked sausage in a creamy sauce. Some of the Paraguayan people really liked it, others made no comment. There was other food on the table for those who didn't care for the Wareneki. What is Wareneki? It is a Russian Mennonite food, it's like perogies with a cottage cheese filling. We think they are delicious! My mom used to make them, so it was nothing strange for us. Some of the Paraguayan people asked when we will have them again. So yesterday, Tina made another batch. We sure enjoy them for a change! We have eaten many meals here that are foreign and not-too-delicious to us, but we are faring very well and have nothing to complain about.
This past Sunday evening we were with a group of others, invited to Albert and Elma Heinrichs' place. Raymond Peters, one of the brothers, had pictures of his recent trip to Germany and Moldova, which he showed on a screen on the wall. He went with a group of other men to help with building an orphanage, repairing some old buildings, and I'm not sure what all else. But it was nice to see the pictures, and even nicer to be together with friends! Afterwards we had a delicious supper together, to which we had all contributed something. There were a lot of children there, from the six families gathered together! A very pleasant evening.
We have several new residents again here at the Home. It's almost hard to keep up with getting to know all the new arrivals. There's Bartolome, and Cirilo, and Fausto. There was a lady that came by the name of Josefa. She was quite ill and stayed only a day, then she was moved back home or else to the hospital, I'm not even sure which.
We have been without wifi for over a week now, ever since that thunderstorm that Sunday night. They keep saying it will get fixed "tomorrow". We have learned that tomorrow doesn't necessarily mean tomorrow, it just means not today!! Actually we learned that already years ago, in Mexico.
October 2 already. Time passes! But today is actually the day that the wifi got fixed! We've been without for so long it seems almost unbelievable, but here it is! And equally hard to believe is that this year is three-fourths gone already and we are entering the final quarter... how can these things be. We spent the first three months of this year in Austria, spent a little time in Pennsylvania in between, and now for nearly five months already we've been in Paraguay. I guess we've done a lot of globe trotting this year of 2025! God has been gracious, and faithful.
Residents come, and residents go. Fausto was only here for a few days when his family decided they didn't want him to be here after all, so they came yesterday and fetched him back. But now today, apparently another one is coming. Caring for these older folks has its interesting moments. Fausto was mentally handicapped and he wandered around all through the rooms, no matter if it was the ladies' bedrooms, or the laundry or kitchen, in which the residents are not to hang around. But he never realized it. The nurse would always just kindly take his arm and lead him back out to the main hall, or to his room.
Neka is interesting as well. She loves to chat with me. One day she asked me if I live in this little house all by myself. I said no, my husband lives here with me. She looked surprised and said "Oh, are you married?" Another day I had just finished folding and delivering all the clean laundry to the bedrooms, then I saw Neka heading outside with her freshly folded clothes. I asked her where she is going with her clothes and she said she wants to hang them on the line. They are not dry, she insisted. So I let her hang them on the line and she was satisfied. A little while later they were gone, so she must have decided to bring them in again.
Librada was walking around in the main hall one day recently with a puzzled look on her face. "Where are the bedrooms? Where is my room?" she asked. These elderly ladies are so sweet. I enjoy helping them. Neka and Carmen share a bedroom and I usually tuck them in for the night. They love it when I pray with them and for them, and always thank me for it!
Tina Hildebrand has been making lots of chipas and putting them into the freezer, raw, so the cooks can just pull them out of the freezer and bake them for fresh chipas anytime. It sure saves them a lot of time and work. Tina brought her dough machine along -- it kneads the dough easily and efficiently. Chipa dough is quite hard to mix by hand. Chipas are made of tapioca flour, corn meal, cheese, eggs, and oil.
Tina and Florencia also made a heap of empanadas today to put into the freezer. We had some for lunch too. So now we are well stocked with chipas, empanadas, and Wareneki in the freezer! Someone brought two crates of tomatoes over yesterday, very needy ones most of them. Tina and I managed to salvage some of the better ones and put them into the fridge crisper drawer, and the rest we made into tomato paste. It made a nice amount.
Tina also brings her sewing machine and serger along whenever she comes, and any mending jobs that pile up, she takes care of when she is here. Seems there is always something going on. Today one of the old men came to the door of the kitchen and wondered if he may have a knife. Now, we do not give knives to the elderly, and Tina asked him what he needs a knife for. He said his pant legs are too long for him and he wants to cut them off with the knife. Tina told him she will fix his pants for him, and no, he cannot have a knife. He soon came back, bringing the second pair of pants that also needed fixing.
Peter and I are invited to a wedding in Sommerfeld on Saturday afternoon. It's funny -- we don't know the bride and groom at all but the groom's father and Peter have become good friends. His name is Jake Dyck and he has been here to visit numerous times. He and Peter are twins, they discovered! Both born the same day of the same year. Interesting. So we look forward to the special occasion. Hein and Tina are also invited, and I think they will pick us up and we'll go with them.
And on Sunday we have a dinner invitation at the home of Bennie and Eva Bergen -- he is the elder of the Missionsgemeinde.
Well, maybe that is all the news for this time. It's raining again this afternoon and I'm keeping a sharp eye on the window to spot any leaks! But it's not raining with wind today, so it seems we are safe from leaks.
"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High ...." go on to read the rest of Psalm 46! Verse 10 is one of my favourite verses -- "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."
May God bless one and all --
Susan for the Hoovers