November 4, 2005

Good afternoon on this very, very hot muggy afternoon! Our spring here sometime makes me think of African movies depicting the monsoons where it gets hot then there are torrential rains. Thankfully, our rains are sporadic and not constant for months like in the tropics….I guess that is why we are considered in the sub-tropics…. OOOOHHHHH!!! I know it was a bad joke.

Sunday’s morning church service proved to be quite interesting. When I returned to the Villa Zulma church from our Puerta Abieta (Open Door) Church, there was a lady sitting in the corner with a baby. I went and greeted her and her response to me, “I am Maria and I want bus money”. She was very angry and demanding. The pastor told her if she listened to the Word of God, the church would help her. Many especially those in my Intercessory Prayer classes tried to talk with her, help her with her baby, etc. but she rejected all offers. Shortly into the service I left to transport the children from the other church, when I returned the assistant to the pastor was beginning to preach. He was sharing about demons and immediate that baby started wailing and the lady began talking very loud. Many of us had been half praying and half listening but then we began motioning to each other to focus on prayer. The people around her saw her pinching the baby and being extremely rough with the baby. All attempts to help her or help the baby were declined and soon no one could focus on the message. The pastor tried to intervene and she refused to cooperate with any requests. Before the service was over she was calling the pastor a liar and threatened to go to the main church headquarters. Different church members knew her story was a lie. First she claimed she was from a certain town but the area she described did not exist because one member was from that town plus other members have seen her before in a nearby barrio. Please continue to pray for this lady that she would turn from her ways and desire a personal relationship with Jesus.

Well, it is now Monday evening…I was interrupted by an emergency request to take a young pregnant lady to the hospital…I have shared before how most women do not show or express their pain. Well, she was one of them. I thought she was just beginning the contractions…later I found out at the hospital, her water had already broken. I stayed at the hospital about 10 minutes to make sure she was going to be accepted, and then I bid her mother, Ramona, goodbye as she was hurrying to follow the nurse wheeling her daughter to the delivery area. Sunday when I visited the home, I learned one nurse came out just a few minutes after entering the delivery room asking Ramona for a diaper. Her daughter had the baby that quickly. Thankfully we did not dawdle in the car. Two years ago, I took Ramona to the hospital for her last child and she delivered within five minutes of arriving. I think before I take that family to the hospital I better get sit covers and an emergency delivery kit…just in case.

Oh, while at the hospital, a guy came staggering up to us and he asked me if I was “German”…(there are many Germans living in Paraguay …many came as refugees during World War I and II). He told me he was so sad because he could not be with his mother in Argentina but to celebrate her birthday, he wanted to buy “asadito” (like beef on a stick). When he asked for a mil Guarani (the Paraguayan money system with a mil equaling approximately 12 cents; I told him I did not have a mil. He moved in closer and about knocked me over with the smell of alcohol on his breathe. Next, he assured me he was not going to buy alcohol; just the “asadito”. Before we could share with him; he turned to leave and in his back pocket was an almost empty whiskey bottle. Please pray for him and the millions around the world who are addicted to booze and drugs.

Tuesday and Wednesday we were at the camp with 81 of our third and fourth graders. It was an awesome time of ministering to the children and every one had such a great time. The children were divided into groups and had different challenges and games to complete. The families were advised to send old clothes and so when one of the challenges was for the teams to do a belly crawl in the mud, the children roared with laughter. Their other favorite activity was “skating” on a tarp covered with soapy water. Thankfully, we have lots of sand so they all had soft landings.

Wednesday morning I was awaken at 6:30 to the screams and laughter of the guys as they began playing another soccer match. (I learned later some of the guys played soccer all night long in their cabin.) The camp had a large pool so that was another favorite activity. Throughout the camp we had special services, times of praise and worship, and discussion times. Tuesday night many of the children were touched by the Holy Spirit. When we had the closing ceremony the children shared many words of thanks to God, to their staff, parents and to the different churches and sponsors in the US who donated extra funds to help cover all the expenses. The children and their parents earned about half the expenses and we had donations to cover the remainder. Thanks to all for your prayers and assistance.

I mentioned last week we were planning a Family Night with many from the church and school going to participate. We had people praying for nice weather so we could have the event outside; our indoor space is just too small. There were storms and hail all around Lambaré most of Saturday, but we stayed dry and partly cloudy up until 10:30 PM and the event was over. Thank you Lord.

We had several hundred people watch as many from the school and church sang, danced, and read poems, etc. Two ladies in the church wanted to do a “Señoras folk dance” popular in the rural areas of Paraguay but they could not find a third person. I volunteered if they did not mind it turning into a comedy dance. They both agreed and within the first moments of practice, everyone watching was roaring. The theme of the dance was women working in unity grinding corn and preparing a meal. First, we had to sift our corn…mine went flying everywhere; then as we ground more corn; we were to dance around a partially hollowed tree stump and take turns grinding the corn and beating the tree stump in a rhythmic arrangement and throwing our sticks into the air and clapping twice. I had a stick 2 to 3 times bigger than theirs (it was about the size of a baseball bat) and I definitely was not as coordinated. At one point I hit Chocha’s finger. We had to dance barefooted and of course my feet are a little more delicate and we were dancing on hard corn kernels…Ouch!!! Then to close, we were all to dance with clay pots on our heads….Yes! You guess it; I dropped and broke mine not once but twice as they both danced off stage without losing theirs!!! I do not know how we pulled it off to look so serious, but we did and that made it even funnier. We had everyone laughing so hard they were crying.

I have several prayer requests this week:

• First, please pray for my entire family as they are experiencing many trials. My uncle had heart surgery yesterday and my Mom is having cataract surgery tomorrow.
• Second, please pray for the school leadership as we are now making plans for 2006.
• The cost of land in Lambaré and Asuncion is skyrocketing due to many choosing to live in the city and the surrounding areas as opposed to in the country. The school and church are currently seeking land to build a church; for parking; and for future expansion of the school. Currently we are looking at a number of lots and are waiting for one family who owns the majority of them to give us an estimate. Prices currently are running $4500 to $6000 a lot. Please pray we will have the funds necessary. There is a realtor also looking at land around the school.
• Please pray for all the pastors and the future pastors to be appointed in February to serve throughout Paraguay.
• Our children are in the process of taking their final exams, please pray that they will be well-prepared.
• In two weeks we have the Women’s Congress for the women and a marriage seminar for planned for members of the church plus school families.
• Remember Aldo, a young man, injured in lumber jacking accident that has just undergone major surgery to repair his stomach and intestinal area after the trunk of a tree slammed into him.
• Pray for lady we helped free from demons. She has made so much progress and is growing in the Lord but she continues to hear voices. We are planning to take her tomorrow to a psychiatric doctor who is also a pastor who specializes in helping people who have been possessed and traumatized.
• Our youth are again petitioning permission to have an evangelical program in an area park, please pray they will receive permission.
• Please pray for me as every day I have been facing many trials and situations. Also, I need to make many tough decisions over the next couple of months. Please pray God gives me His discernment and wisdom.

I pray as each of us nears the Thanksgiving season, we will focus on the goodness, faithfulness and ever lasting love of Lord.

Love,
Sue

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

Earmarked on an attached piece of paper for:

Latin America Mission
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

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Phil. 4:13.