Travel Log # 4 Paraguay 1989 Part 2

A SCARE IN THE NIGHT

It was nearing the end of our visit to Paraguay. We were now staying in a very nice house that Ted and Denise were house sitting for a family. We had seen a few large cock roaches, of which I was scared to death of!

Late one night, we were awakened by shouts, guns, horns honking, etc. What was going on? We waited for it to stop but it went on and on and on…

I laid trembling in my bed. Was it an uprising? A political revolt?

Oh dear, what to do? I’d better get our passports and wallets in case we have to leave in a hurry… I can’t turn the light on because if someone is outside they’ll know we’re here and we’re awake… I can’t go to our suitcases in the dark, I might step on a cock roach…! Oh dear…what to do? I was whispering to Jerry. He was awake too but not too concerned about  getting our passports. Just like a man!

I finally turned on a small lamp and tiptoed to our suitcases. I found our passports and wallets, closed our suitcases again firmly, locking them so no cock roaches could sneak inside. I got back into bed safely.

The noise was still going on outside! We must be in the middle of a real revolution! I’ve never heard such yelling and shouting, gun shooting, horns blaring!

Finally it began to settle down. We were able to drift off to sleep again. In the morning we wondered if it would be safe for us to walk to school and to the mission house. They were several blocks away and in different directions. We got ready and set out walking keeping our eyes and ears open for any trouble. We saw policemen at the corner of a busy intersection. What was going on?

We finally arrived safely. Everything seemed normal here. It was like every other morning! What’s going on? We finally asked if they had heard the noise in the night? Yes, they had. Well, what was it? Is everything okay?

Paraguay and Argentina were playing a championship game of foot ball, soccer to us! Argentina was the favored winner. PARAGUAY WON!

PARAGUAY WON! No wonder there was all that noise! They were celebrating, not fighting!

Now I wish we’d have known and had gone to the game too! Yeah, Paraguay!!!