It all began with discouraging news on April 23. I received this email from our ministry partner in Asunción, Pastor Koki Nowada:
I am very sorry that today Hamanasu Center's administrator called me that the reservation for this August has been canceled because of changing the rules for travelers staying there. So I have just checked out some apart-hotels here in Asuncion. The cost is normally 80-90US$ per day. Expensive or not so much?
Wha-at???? It felt like the plans for August had fallen apart like a jigsaw puzzle dropping to the floor. Housing costs of US$90 per day for one month would have made this impossible (and really unwise stewardship!)
About now, I started asking you as my friends and supporters to pray again for my housing situation in Asunción.
On April 25 - I received this email from Pastor Koki:
I have just heard from Pastor Tim Kunkel that there is a guest apartment of German Mission here in Asuncion, where you can rent one room in low cost. I did not know of such a guest apartment, so I would like to see it there and check out the condition to rent in August, for 24 days. I hope you can wait for more information about this option.
April 27 - After exchanging emails, Pastor Koki sent me this news:
Today I talked with Pastor Tim and he said there are one more option of another guest apartment of SIM Mission with a clean room, shower, and kitchen including water and electricity cost. He will check out the more detailed condition and send e-mail to you directly up to this weekend. Is it OK with you that he helps you to look for and make sure the guest apartment?
May 2 - More emails between us and Pastor Koki, and then just before this past weekend, he sent me this update:
Today Pastor Tim and I went to German Mission (Senador Long 771, Asuncion) and checked out the guest apartment.
The location is a very good place near to the Carmelitas shopping (you know there are the spaghetti restaurant Bellini and ice cream shop Freddo). It is a small apartment room on the third floor, has a nice bedroom with a study desk and one living room with a sofa and a table, a little kitchen with tableware, a refrigerator and a gas stove, and a bathroom with a electric shower, having wifi.
This August it is completely available for you and next to the guest apartment, one Argentinian missionary's family is living, the missionary Walter Pelegrina, who is from Buenos Aires and can speak English very well, told me that he will welcome you there to German Mission. So strongly I can recommend you that place for your stay on this August.
If you need more information, I will ask Walter anything you want to know. If you would like to stay there, I can make a reservation for one month stay in August before you fix the dates.
My response to him was immediate! :
Such wonderful news, Koki sensei! Thanks to you and Tim sensei for looking at the guest apartment for me. It sounds like it will be a good arrangement for me. I have asked several people to be praying about this, and God has been so faithful. Thank you for the extra effort that you made for me. I am still waiting for confirmation for the Spanish class. I should be able to confirm the housing at the German Mission by this weekend (I hope).
Also, did you see if there was a common living area on the first floor of the mission? My Spanish lessons will be at the Mission. I want to make sure that there is a public area for us to meet that is open.
Thank you!!
John
May 3
Yes, pastor John, there is a nice conference room and a devotion room (every morning Walter is leading a devotion time for German Mission's people) with a small lounge as a waiting room on the first floor, I think of that conference room is open and best for your Spanish private lessons.
Sure, I will make a reservation for one month in this August there!
May 3
Pastor John, you have already a reservation of guest apartment for one month this August. Walter Pelegrina and the administrator of German Mission confirmed this reservation, and they told me that you do not need to pay the cost at all, but you can give a offering to the German Mission if you feel led. They are very pleased to receive you on this August!
Blessings, Koki
May 3
To: Koki Nowada
Wow! What a wonderful blessing! My plan will be to give an offering to the mission. Thank you also for the report about the rooms that are available to use on the first floor.
In the next two weeks or so, I will be finalizing the schedule for any JEMS teams that might serve in Brazil this summer. I will let you know what my itinerary and flight schedule will be.
Thanks so much again,
John
So this is where I'll be living in August. The street is named, surprisingly, after a United States Senator (and Louisiana Governor) Huey Long. It is not at all common to have a street named after an American in Asunción. I'll have to find out what that's all about.
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