Paraguay 9/16/06

Another email from my brother:

In 1958 a man named Vernon Ray came to South and Central America from Frankfurt, Kentucky to work in the pipeline industry that was beginning to move the resources from South America to the burgeoning industrial countries to the north and in Europe. He became familiar with Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Argentina and in Paraguay he also became familiar with an Hungarian national who was forced from her former home by the Nazi party early in the 1940's. He was very successful in his work and for the next 11 years worked developing relationships throughout the capitals of South and Central America.

When he retired in 1985 and returned to Frankfurt, Kentucky he realized that he was bored. In 1987 he returned to Paraguay, the City of Asuncion where he met and married his wife 24 years earlier and they decided to build a resort on the banks of the Paraguay river where people from all over the world could come and discover the possibilities of business in Paraguay.

The leader of Paraguay at this time was a man named Alfredo Stroessner Matiauda who took the country by force in 1954 and ruled as a strict and grievous dictator. When I talked with Vernon Ray about this leader, he said he was my friend and always will be. He was good to Paraguay, business, and capitalism. One can only imagine the relationships that were forged here at the Hotel Resort Casino Yacht and Golf Club.

Mrs Ray died three months ago of breast cancer and today the guests at the hotel are as varied as ever. There is a convention here of dentists and dental manufacturers where dental chairs are in many rooms and where receptions are often overflowing with dancing, drinking, and free gifts and souveniers. The Mexican Embassy is sponsoring a golf outing with 2 starts - one at 7:30 and the other at 12:30. They are serving Tequila at each tee site where you can buy up to three drinks. Each drink purchased will lower your score by one point. Some may not finish the course. There is also a South American hard rock band that is giving a concert and all the members of the band and the tour group are are staying at the hotel. Almost all are dressed in black and have tattoos and multiple body piercings. All have their hair died black. Others are here with Operation Smile where they have screened over 458 children from the poorest of the poor in this country and have scheduled 150 to have surgery next week. They will be living in an army gymnasium until they are ready to go home and many that were turned away left with little hope that their children will ever have the opportunity to have the surgical repair again.

Paraguay is an interesting place and with a growing economy. Let us hope it will be shared by all.
Hope to chat again soon,
Love,
K

Now that's a golf game I could get into!