Richard and I will be traveling to Paraguay on Friday September 19 for the official opening of the Posada Emily. Although the housing facility has been up and running since May, the official ribbon cutting, complete with a blessing of the site (customary in Paraguay) will take place next Monday September 25. In addition, our friends and local patrons Ernesto Gómez Espeche and his wife Teresa will be hosting a promotional event on Tuesday September 26.
We will have an incredible treat because members of the young orchestra – the Landfill Harmonic will be playing at both events. This incredible group of young musicians starred in the prize winning documentary in 2015 which told their story as kids of the Asuncion slums or “Cateura.” Living on the edge of an area of landfill and expanses of trash, they were recruited by the forward thinking Favio Chavez, who became the conductor of the orchestra. Every one of their instruments is made of recycled trash from the landfill. The kids have received world wide acclaim and have travelled to play before large audiences.