February 4, 2005

Good Evening! I will try to write some but I am really tired. This week I became a "Mom" by default to a hyperactive puppy...well actually he is about 15 months old. He belonged to the pastor's family but they became thoroughly frustrated because Tulo was always running away, very hyper, and started growling and threatening to bite their youngest daughter when she would go to fetch him from the different neighbors' yards. Since I had been helping with his vet bills as his "madrina" I was told he was now my responsibility. Before I even brought him home, we went straight to the vet to try and take care of his need to prowl the neighborhood. It has been a challenging week with him crying all night long (a howling whine) for almost 3 nights. Thankfully last night he only cried 2 times. So I finally got to catch up on some lost sleep and I don't know if I turned off my alarm or forgot to set it but thankfully I got an early morning call or I would have been really late for school this morning.

Tulo is a very intelligent, creative pup that can escape through the tiniest opening. I knew I could not just turn him loose. Remembering one can not get his or her hand out of a cookie jar with a fist full of cookies and a snake can't escape through the a small hole in the chicken coop after eating an egg, I decided to employ that principle with Tulo. So I attached a small chain with a large plastic jug (gallon-sized) so even if he slipped through the fence, he couldn't away. Needless to say, everyone is laughing at that crazy Gringo (or Gringa, the feminine form of the word) and her idea, but it was better than running after a dog every two minutes. Since then we have put chicken wire around the gates so I think I now may have the yard escape-proof but I am going to wait a few days to see. Praise God I am seeing progress as he responding to lots of love and firmness. Tulo has already become protective of my yard and he announces whenever he thinks someone is doing more than just walking past. Many folks have been after me for a long time to get a watchdog so I guess I know have one. Please pray for me as I get adjusted to this new challenge.

Oh by the way, what kind of a dog is he? He a Paraguayan 97- a mix of varieties!!! Actually, he is quite cute with shaggy gray hair that covers his eyes... similar to Benjy. What does Tulo mean? It has no meaning that we know. It was the nickname of the Pastor's daughter, Ruth. They called her Tula and since the dog is a male...they called him the masculine form of Tula by changing the last letter to "O" or Tulo.

This week and next the staff and I are preparing everything to begin our new school year. Our classes begin in another week or two depending on the program whether it is for the children, youth or adults. Everyone is busy decorating their classrooms; making learning materials, and preparing their annual and weekly lesson plans. Also, the teachers and I have been participating daily in leadership training classes. In the church we are doing more in-depth leadership training. Tomorrow I have my final exam on the first course of a two part series on the writings of Paul. Then next week, many in our church will begin a five-week evangelism course in preparation for the Esperanza campaign being sponsored by Franklin and Billy Graham for Paraguay in mid May. These classes always take me more time to study and do the homework as everything is in Spanish.

I would like to ask for prayer for our upcoming Parent Teacher meetings that we will be having this week along with our Early Childhood class visits. Currently we are short two teachers. We have several applicants but none with all the credentials and experience we are looking for in a teacher. Please pray God will direct us to the right people. Also, this next week, Miguel, our Latin America Mission Supervisor, will be visiting. Please pray for him to have safe travels and pray for Mable (our stateside Child Sponsorship Coordinator), Mark and Jo (the Retired Missionaries instrumental in starting the school) as they plan to visit the school and help for a few weeks with the Mobile Medical Clinic.

Our staff also wants to thank the individuals, families, Sunday School classes, church groups and others who have agreed to be sponsors this year for our children. At the present time we have 231 sponsors for our almost 300 children.

A sponsorship is $30 a month. If someone would like to help the school but can't afford to sponsor a child, we also have other needs. For example, we are looking for funds to help supplement our Youth and Adult Literacy and Educational program where we are helping people (many are parents or siblings of our children) who either have never been in school or who dropped out of school in their elementary years. Our program is designed to provide educational credits through the ninth grade. Also, we are planning to build a large multipurpose assembly-sports center. If anyone would like to make a donation, one can contact Mable Love Brown ...see at the bottom of this email for the contact information.

Also, this upcoming week I will be having a luncheon for the ten teenagers involved in our work-study program. The pastors and I have chosen teens from the church who will serve as role-models for our children as they help with various projects around the school from tending the flower beds, cleaning around the outside of the school, to helping in the classrooms, assisting with tutoring children and helping in the office. In lieu of their service hours, anywhere from 6 to 20 hours a week, the youth receive a stipend. This helps them with their studies, books, and bus fare to other schools. Currently, I have sponsors for 7 of the 10 youth. If anyone is interested in helping me with this project, please contact me directly.

Speaking of the youth, many in our church left yesterday and are at a four-day church retreat with other youth from all over Paraguay. Please pray that this time will be a time of spirital renewal for some and spiritual awakening for others. This Sunday our church has its monthly "ajuno" or congregational fast and Pastor Andres is asking everyone to pray for this country. Crime, suicides, kidnappings, poverty and corruption continue to fill the news.

One example this past month has included numerous stories concerning the shortage of dialysis machines. Many patients were dying or extremely ill because they could not receive dialysis treatments or were only receiving a ¼ or ½ of the hours actually needed. One of my neighbors who is a doctor shared the other evening, someone in Europe heard of the problem and donated 15 dialysis machines and an international organization paid for the shipping. When the machines arrived in Paraguay several people wanted payoffs and tips and when the doctors wouldn't pay the machines disappeared. Where were the dialysis machines found? In a pawnshop selling for practically scrap metal. There are many God-fearing, honest Christians in Paraguay but every day is struggle for them have to face the many corrupt people only out to make mil (six mil Guaranies are equivalent to a dollar). Please pray that hearts will be touched and people can see beyond the dollar or Guarani and reach out to their fellowman.

I would like to thank everyone who has been praying for the mother of Zulma and Aurelia, part of our school staff. She was in the valley of death for almost two weeks after the doctors gave the family no hope as she grew progressively weaker and infection raged through her body. Frustration mounted for everyone when she needed four units of blood and when donors went to the hospital lab to donate and we could not get a number. I was waiting one morning at 6:30 AM and when the lab opened it doors to give out numbers for "turns", I quickly learned why the crowd of 50 some folks were pushing and shoving to be in the front of the line. The hospital was only going to take 18 donors. Several days went by before the family could get numbers for the donors then the donors had to wait several hours before they could give. But "Gracias a Dios" (Thank God) Maria Elva, their mother, finally started responding and is now up and walking some. It is truly a miracle and Zulma and Aurelia want to thank everyone who has been praying for their mother. I also want to thank everyone who is for praying for my Mom. Surgery has not been scheduled yet and she will learn more at her appointment on March 1st.

This week I would like to extend very special birthday wishes to three special family members...first to my sister-in-law Polly, then later in the week for my Great Aunt Vera who now lives in Florida and finally on Saturday for my precious Mother. In the Paraguayan churches as we pray for believers celebrating their birthdays, we thank the Lord that that person had just completed another year walking with and serving the Lord. Thank you for your prayers for them and thank you Lord that all three of them are completing another year in your "camino" (walking).

May our precious Lord bless and keep you and may He shine his love and grace upon you and give you peace and rest.

Love,
Sue

Mailing address:
Sue Givens
C.C. No. 24078
Lambaré, Paraguay, 2420

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 or Email address: mclovebrown@charter.net
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