November 27 and December 3, 2004

November 27, 2004

What a truly incredible week we have had in Lambaré…I am not even sure where to begin. One of our English teachers, Alicia, finished her missionary term so there were lots of goodbye parties. We are hoping she will be back in March or April. Also, on Friday two representatives of my mission, Latin America Mission came to visit and to see what the different missionaries are doing. We had a good time of fellowship and sharing unfortunately their time was much too short as Danny and Marti had to leave very early Monday morning.

However, Marti was able to translate at our Sunday morning service. The Holy Spirit prayer team from the United States that shared with us a week ago Tuesday returned. Then during our Sunday service it was announced the Lord was calling them to another service in Lambaré Monday evening. Monday in the school we hustled to invite the children, their families and others to the special service, which was held in the school playground.

December 3, 2004

It is hard to believe a week has passed since I last started writing. These last two weeks have been incredible beyond words and almost every moment has been chalked full of special events. First, our Sunday service (Nov. 21) was awesome as the Holy Spirit touched many lives. Later as we were eating lunch with our pastors and the team, we began talking about the curses and bondages the Paraguayan people have over their lives. We shared Lambaré was in the heart of South America and experienced many problems. So we decided before the service we needed to fast and pray. We joined their team on Cerro Lambaré, our large hill over looking all of Asuncion and Lambaré. Our school staff and some members of the church met with the Holy Spirit prayer team in the late morning Monday and Pastor Felicia shared about the symbols on the statue and about the many curses placed on the nation of Paraguay to keep the people in bondage. There had been curses for the land not to be productive, to have financial problems for the families (between 70 to 80 % of the people live in poverty), to destroy families, to have sexual sin run rampant and others. Together we prayed God would break the bondages over Paraguay.

To describe Monday night’s special service I would need to write a book of how many families came (we had approximately 500 people in attendance) and were blessed. So many in our community especially family members of our children went forth for prayer…some to receive Jesus in their hearts, many for healings and restoration, and others to know our Lord more. I saw many healed of a variety of infirmaries. Two very visible healings were a man who could not hear and a lady who had problems walking. We had several parents ask to receive the Holy Spirit and one mother from the school started talking to me in English about several things related to God…. I know this Mother very well and she only knows a few words of English. One father only came to school after his family missed two rides to go home. (This particular family does not live near the school. However, the mother has been a member of the church for years so her children were able to enter even though she did not live in the barrio.) Around 11:30 PM, he was waiting outside the school playground where we having the service. He was invited in where upon he too accepted Jesus into his heart. It was a wonderful outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit on this community.

Wednesday, the 24th, our staff met to review the children’s progress in their exams and to evaluate which families were being responsible. Being in a poor neighborhood where education has never been a priority we are constantly working with the families helping them be accountable for everything…homework, student uniforms, punctual, discipline, and responsible to pay their small percentage of the tuition. Since our review, I have met with 37 families and still have to meet with three others about a variety of situations. The majority of the families accepted the consequences and are willing to make changes because they value the quality of education that their children are receiving.

Wednesday afternoon we had our End of the Year “Exposition” where the children and the staff displayed their work and several of the specialty areas had short programs. Our English club sang five different songs of the approximately 25 they know. The Physical Education classes did a variety of rhythmic exercises. I was so proud of all the children and staff…they all worked so hard this year and their artwork projects were awesome.

For Thanksgiving the missionaries planned to get together for a meal, prayer, and a dip in the pool as the temperatures have been running in the high 90’s…. but like two Thanksgivings ago we were awakened to a terrible storm. I had to prepare my food like the Pilgrims by candle light due to the power outage…praise God for gas stoves. We had a good time even though I was struggling with allergy problems and a severe cough. Then our evangelistic trip to Caaguazú was cancelled over the weekend due to more storms which I was very thankful for because I had a chance to rest and enjoy a novel written by another missionary from Latin America Mission, Jeanette Windle. Fire Storm was a sequel and I could not put it down. Most of the book dealt with the much-disputed terrorist activities in the Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina border area. She's a great Christian writer who researches her topics in detail and if you like suspense you’ll love her work. Monday, the 29th was the children’s last day of classes and our closing ceremony for our computer students from the community and then Tuesday we passed out report cards. Besides preparing reports for the ministerial, meeting with parents and a hundred and one other end of the year activities, we hosted our Closing ceremonies. Although I may be biased about the children, their presentations were absolutely spectacular!!!!!!!!! Their performances included songs, dances, readings, and even a pantomime of twenty-eight pairs of singing hands. The third graders were dressed in black with white gloves and one parent donated the use of a black light. Many had never seen anything like it and they kept cheering and applauding throughout the presentation. We had over 500 guests for each night as the early childhood performed Wednesday and the Elementary students performed Thursday night.

Today we were busy all day with registrations for the children currently in the school…we only have 5 of 243 children who will not be returning for next year and we have over 70 people on a list wanting their children to enter for next year…and that was before we quit noting their names. We will have registrations and entrance exams on Monday…please pray for us.

Well, it is late. I am thankful I received my computer cable on Tuesday so hopefully by next Friday I can be back on line with everyone. Thank you for your prayers as our church goes this weekend on their fourth annual church campout. We have approximately 100 people going. Also, Saturday night one of our ex-teacher’s Rebeca Mora is getting married so some of us need to return to Asuncion for the wedding and then go back to the camp because Sunday after the baptisms, our church and school staff will celebrate the wedding of another staff member, Francisco. May God bless you.

Love,
Sue

Mailing address:
Sue Givens
C.C. No. 10017
Asuncion, Paraguay, 1909

Check out our web page that is on the web. Every few weeks, we will be posting to new pictures of the school progress and of our various programs and activities. http://paraguaynewhorizons.lam.org/

We are partnering and assisting the local Paraguayan churches in all we are doing in Paraguay. Friends and churches that are praying for God to work through us are making this Paraguay Outreach possible. All of our programs are made possible by donations that we use to cover different expenses.

Tax-deductible donations can be made to help cover my living expenses, my auto which is used for the church and the school, newsletters, and for helping with other mission expenses such as buying food, medicine, clothing, or helping in other ways can be sent to either and need to be specifically earmarked:

Latin America Mission
Earmarked on an attached piece of paper for:
The Paraguayan Outreach/Sue Givens
P.O. Box 52-7900
Miami Florida 33152-7900

High Mill Church of the Resurrection
Earmarked for: The Paraguayan Outreach
1920 Schneider St. NE
North Canton, Ohio 44721

If you would like to help our school or sponsor a child for 2005, please contact Mable Love Brown 865-984-4111. It costs $30.00 a month or to make donations to our school new multipurpose building construction fund, please contact:

Samaritan Hands Paraguay School
% Fairview United Methodist Church
2508 Old Niles Ferry Rd.
Maryville, TN 37803