NTM - New Tribes Mission | Planting Tribal Churches

We thought it might be fun, for some of you, to read a blog post on five things that are completely normal and happen everyday around here in Paraguay which you might be surprised to know. These things took us completely off guard at first, but now that we’ve been here almost six months it took us awhile to think of these things because they have become so normal to us. So without further ado:

1. Milk does not come in cartons, it comes in bags.

Also forget buying a gallon or a half gallon. You are in Paraguay and it comes in a 1 liter bag. Yogurt also comes in bags. The fun thing about these bagged dairy products is when you wake up, and are really tired and would like a glass of yogurt for breakfast. I have learned I should wake up first. Inevitably what happens is you hold the corner of the bag with one hand, the scissors in the other hand, then you cut the bag. Since you are holding the corner that you cut and NOT the bag of yogurt it goes plummeting to the floor for the dog to enjoy. Now that this scenario has played out several times I have learned to let myself wake up first. I need all my mental energy to make sure I get that bag open without spilling it until I get used to the bag situation. But as they say there is no use crying over spilled milk…

2. Recycling is a horse and buggy industry

At least here in the capital city area there are literally hundred of these guys with horse and buggy going up and down the main highways and neighborhood streets. In can be a little comical sometimes watching the rustic chariot going down the road with buses backed up behind it, although you do feel bad for the horse who is trying to keep up with the busy traffic. Basically what they are doing is going around to all the trash cans and looking for things to recycle. Plastic, glass, metal, whatever. These people are just looking for any way to make money from your garbage. Side note: be sure to separate your recyclable objects from the rest of your trash. This is not a city ordinance, but if you don’t separate them these people will open up all your bags of trash looking for what they can recycle and it’ll be messy. Do yourself and them a favor and just separate it for them. Also, to be clear, this is not an official job or industry or state project. These are just people doing what they can to make a living.

3. Fruit may be on the sidewalk

This is a missionary dream come true! Everywhere you go there is just fruit lying around: oranges, grapefruits, avocados, guayaba, cherries, coconut, mangos, papaya…there are trees everywhere and it literally just gets ripe and falls to the ground. There, in some ways, is too much fruit to be eaten. I have actually seen people burning the mangoes because there are so many of them and they attract sooo many flies that people just burn them to deal with the problem. Sometimes we pick some up. A couple houses down the cherries are delicious. But when oranges start falling, it just can’t all be eaten.

4. The bus is never full

I have actually had people tell me that there comes a point when the bus is full, but I have never personally witnessed a bus driver deciding not to let anyone else on the bus. We have been amazed how many more people can get on a bus after we think not a single person more will fit. I have seen easily 50 people get on a bus after the last seat is taken. One cool thing about having kids is Paraguayans will always always give up their seat for someone with kids, or a pregnant lady. So we always get on and get a seat. However the adventure begins when you need to get off of a jam packed bus. You stand up in your seat and look to the person next to you as if to say “excuse me sir, I need to get past you and walk down the aisle so I can get out the back door.” He looks back at you with a look that says “what do you want me to do?” He has nowhere to go. No one has anywhere to go to let you get passed. Forget squeezing through because you are holding a 3 year old and have on a backpack. So what do you do? You just push as hard as you can until you get to the door. No one cares that you are knocking them over, they know you got to do what you got to do to get off the bus.

5. Doors and windows are all left open

This one is kind of a strange one. Windows and doors don’t have screens, and are just all left open. (With the exception of nighttime. This has changed recently. All Paraguayans talk about the good ol’ days when they could sleep with the door open, but the city is too dangerous to do that now) Houses tend to be on the humid side, so if you aren’t letting air circulate then you’ll start getting mold in the house. The flip side is if you leave doors and windows open you get bugs in the house. I have to admit, after awhile you get used to bugs and kind of enjoy the fresh air that having the doors and windows opened provides.

So these are five things that are really normal here. Hope you enjoy getting a glimpse of our life here. Keep praying for us as we progress in Spanish and Paraguayan culture.