Swiss woman finds new home in South America

“I’ve never actually been the type to want to immigrate, especially as far as South America,” Irina Burri, 59, says in a phone call with a glance. That changed when the Swiss woman from Zuzwil SG traveled to Paraguay for the first time in 2019 for about three weeks on a mission. “The same year I sold my house, quit my job and moved in with my father. I had the idea to build an orphanage or something like that in Africa.”

But during the Corona era, the idea of ​​​​immigrating educated commercial workers had to wait. “Instead, I took over my duties in my father’s house and supported him. First of all, I was able to reassure him about Corona. He was very scared and not alone.”

“I want to serve the local people”

In the winter of 2020/21, a Swiss family friend, who has been living in Paraguay for several years, visited Switzerland for two months. When they met Burri, they told him about the land for sale in Filadelfia, in western Paraguay. For Burri, it’s a sign from God to carry out his immigration plans. “It is not so important to me where I live, but it is very important to me to be able to serve the local community,” says the faithful Christian.

In December 2021, Burri became the owner of 1,600 square meters of land in the Paraguayan savanna for approximately CHF 16,000. The following June, the Swiss woman went to the country and spent about two months dealing with the required residence permit, planning the construction of the house and supporting her acquaintances with social projects and working with the local people. She went to Switzerland once again and shipped her things in a container to her new home.

Temporary stay with friends

The Swiss woman is currently staying with friends in Loma Plata, about 20 minutes from her home in Philadelphia, as her house is under construction. It is scheduled for completion in February 2023. Burri will be located on the ground floor with two bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen and living room.

He wants to rent his 36 square meter studio with two bedrooms, bathroom and large balcony on the upper floor to his holiday guests. His two adult sons living in Switzerland should also be able to use the studio to visit. “I have some income on rent that I can invest in local social projects. In addition to my savings from selling a house in Switzerland, that should be enough until I retire.

House and pool for the community

The house is under construction, but there is still work to be done. It will cost around CHF 100,000 to build the house. Iris Burri is already looking forward to moving in. “It’s going to be a wonderful two-story house here, which is quite unusual.”

Since the temperatures are around 36 degrees in the summer months between December and April, a pool is planned in the garden. It’s too hot to exercise until the wee hours of the morning. “I can move around and cool off a little during the day in the pool, but the locals can swim with me too, because visiting the pool is very expensive here and the people in the area are poor,” Burri says. .

Projects for the needy

Just as the Christian wants to share the pool with his new neighbors, his house must be open to encounters and exchanges. The Christian listens to the concerns and needs of his fellow men and wants to serve the poorest in a practical way alongside pastoral care. “I love to cook and I want to run a kind of restaurant for people and guests who can afford it. Other people have been invited to my place.”

Children and women are particularly important to the Swiss woman. “Many women and girls engage in prostitution. The fathers of the children are often unknown, ”the Swiss woman knows.

Burri is already partly in a relationship with a colleague who since 2019 has created and will continue to do so in the future as a regular meeting place for children in Puerto Casado. “Children are appreciated and cared for during these hours and are taken seriously. It’s like Sunday school in Switzerland,” explains Burri. In addition to the stories and games, there is a small snack for all children and a free dentist once a month.

With faith in God in the future

“But my focus is clearly on my project, namely the home for the needy that I want to build in Philadelphia,” Burri says. For now, however, her home needs to be built, and the Swiss woman wants to learn Spanish even better before embarking on a missionary job in her new hometown.

He does not yet know exactly what his business and services will look like. But in one of the poorest countries in South America, it is needed every day. “My missions here will constantly emerge and evolve. It will be fine,” he was convinced. His trust in Allah will show him the right path. But the Swiss woman’s next step is to return to Switzerland for two months, where she and her family will celebrate Christmas and her father’s 90th birthday.