After the Chaco

After expriencing the Chaco, I feel that I have left a titch of myself there. The scenery is variations of greenery, palm trees, and this odd tree, with a middle swollen from absrbed rain, appears incongruously among the graceful rest.

Parrots and other similarly vocal air fowls make music among the tree tops, and one can hardly be angry at them for providing alarm-clock service! After three months of darkness and rain in Puerto Montt, the warm sun shining brightly pumps energy and hope into one's spirit at a surprising rate. I would love to return to the Chaco.
Our hosts there were Gabor and Katherina. Gabor is Hungarian/Croatian, and Katherina is German. They have brought many seeds from the Mediterranean area, which they planted in their gardens, mures in the Chaco, such as cooking for the prince of Saudi Arabia, who had come to hunt jaguars. We spent thaking every meal a feast for all the senses. Gabor regaled us with stories of his childhood in Europe, and adventree days with them, hugely enjoying the differences in culture and geography. Here in Paragauy there are huge German/Menonite colonies where you come across many people who only speak German, and this creates such an interesting conglomeration, when mixed with all the localities.
Right now we are in Gabor's daughter's house, back in Asuncion. Her name in Christine, her husband is Tomas, and they have two children, ages 7 and 5. Vic and Chris are having a ball with them, and Mom and I are enjoying Christine. She is exceedingly young at heart. We are leaving Sunday, and Dad is out right now, getting car parts, which he will take back to the car, which is in a little mechanic shop in the Argentine countryside.
I now shall go and sit in the sun, allowing Paraguay to work its charm on this girl.

On our way to Paraguay

As I deam this trip to be a lifetime adventure, I also deem it worthy of note on this blog.

We planned the ginormous trip about one week before departure. It was pretty cut and dry: pack for a week; drive three days; spend five days in the capital of Paraguay, Asuncion, for the World Mennonite Conference Assembly; drive home, stopping in Bariloche, Argentina to visit friends. It's averaging 70 degrees in Asuncion, a definite incentive to make the long trek: escape freezing, rainy Puerto Montt. This was going to be so great!

Right now I'm sitting in a little hotel lobby in Eduardo Castex, in the middle of the Argentine pampa. The day was cold, but the sun shone brightly. It's exceptionally dry in this area, and my face feels tight, regardless of how much lotion I apply. The cars whiz by on the highway outside the window. Last night, we ourselves were whizzing through when the car's motor made a frighting bang and stopped. Dad steered us off the highway onto the grassy shoulder, and the rest of us put on our shoes and prepared to jump. Dad examined the engine and determined a serious problem had occurred. We gathered together and prayed the car would start, so we could drive back to the last town. A miracle took place as the engine sputtered to life, and we slowly made our way backwards. We arrived safetly to the little town, and a service station never looked so wonderful! After settling in at a lovely hotel behind the service station, we went out walking, searching for some Argentine steak. At the restaurant, a mechanic was waiting, and he and Dad talked about the car.

After a wonderful rest, the morning dawned gloriously and the day seemed full of hope. Dad stayed with the car, and the rest of us lounged in the hotel lobby. At lunch time, Dad gave us the lowdown: the car is out for at least a week. We will continue our journey by bus and will leave tonight at 9:30 pm.

In the afternoon, we visisted a park that has life-sized statues of dinosuars, watched TV and read at the hotel, and walked two miles further into the town where Dad and Mom bought bus tickets and Dad checked out the car's insurance. We children hung out in the quiet plaza watching folks zoom around on bycycles and motor bikes.

Life in God's will is good.