Paraguay did the best it has ever done at the World Cup and it killed us that we couldn't be in country to celebrate...to hear the gun fire and fireworks, yelling in the streets and feel the pride after each goal! The kids wore their Paraguay jerseys as we watched games on TV.
Here is what some of our missionary friends have written about the excitement:
There are very few streets in Asuncion that do not have a clothes line hanging in the middle of them with a huge variety of size and style of “albirroja” jerseys, flags, hats, horn blowers, etc. There are very few Paraguayans who do not own a Paraguayan jersey. Most cars in the street display the team flag hanging out their window. The President declared a holiday for the first Paraguayan game and no one had to go to work!
After the game our entire town (and every city in the nation) began festivities with fireworks, spontaneous caravans and red and white decorated jubilee. The President has declared the two-hour Paraguayan games to be national holidays! Almost all businesses allowed employees to halt work during the game and for an hour after to watch the parade.
Our friends who are in Paraguay right now say just about everything comes to a screeching halt when the team has a game. Shops close, the streets empty, and it even seems that the dogs stop barking. Paraguay invests so much into their soccer team and so much is on the line when a game takes place: their country’s pride, confidence, and self image. For Paraguay, soccer is part of their identity! I can only imagine that this World Cup must be a big boost to the small country’s morale.
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