February 20, 2005

Good Afternoon! I have just retreated to air-conditioning this afternoon to write. Right now it is about 106 degrees and the streets at 3 PM are pretty barren.... which is really rare on a Sunday afternoon. Thank you so much for your prayers for opening day of school. We only had three children out of 300 cry and they hardly even cried...more like sniffles! The children came with a desire to learn. One little 4 year old in the first few minutes of class asked as the teacher was welcoming the children when they were going to begin to "study and do homework". On Wednesday when I met with the staff for our weekly meeting many said their children were ready and insisting on starting in their new workbooks. Praise God for their attitudes!

Besides beginning the classes, we were quite busy at the school this week taking student pictures, finishing the registration of some children, answering parent questions and meeting with parents. Each year as the school continues to grow we are faced with new challenges, please pray for me as I struggle to understand the ever-changing ministerial of education regulations, to handle increasing parent, student and staff issues and the every day administration of the school. I praise God for His day-to-day guidance and direction.

This week we had the national assembly where our churches and missionaries working with us presented their annual reports. People's lives are being changed, may God receive the glory. However, in the midst of these achievements many are encountering numerous problems. We know these are spiritual attacks of the enemy trying to stop us and hinder the unity of the church. Please pray with us that we all will daily seek to do God's will.

Right now I am quite involved in a number of studies (all in Spanish) as many in our church are being trained to assist with Operation Andrew Crusade sponsored by the Franklin Graham ministries which will be held in May. We are each to pray for 7 or 8 people then invite them to participate in one or more of the services. Also, the Leaders in our church are doing leadership training; my school staff is working through the Purpose Driven Life program and I am also taking a course on the book of Romans...so I am being challenged with lots of homework currently.

This past Thursday was declared a day of mourning for Paraguay as the ex-vice president's daughter was found murdered after having been kidnapped last fall. Supposedly there is a political group being established in Paraguay...many from this group is from or is receiving support from the Columbian rebels. They kidnapped Celica Cubas and was demanding 5 million dollars in ransom, when the family only paid two around December, the kidnappers said that was just interest. The military and police have been searching the entire country looking for her and supposedly people have said this week on the news, they tried to report it but were either ignored or threatened. Her body was found approximately 20 minutes from our school in an abandoned home off the route to Ñemby. It was sad as thousands tried to pay their last respects.

I want to thank you in advance for all your prayers. Please pray for Pastor Andres and Felicia as they celebrate their wedding anniversary; for different people celebrating their birthdays pastor Chuck, Sally and Marge. Also, please pray for Little Laura as struggles with what appears to be a sty on her eye, for her Mom who is battling possible kidney stones; for Valentina and Pastor Juan who are experiencing heart problems; and for continued prayers for my Mom as she goes in fore tests this week. In the name of Jesus I pray the doctors won't be able to find any sign of the tumor. Also, please pray for the Cubas family as they deal with the death of their daughter and for all the children and staff at the school where she had been a teacher. Lastly, please pray for the dinner and marriage encounter program our church will be hosting this next Saturday night.

May God bless you this week.

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