The Paraguay Outreach
Missionary Newsletter from Sue Givens
July through December 2006
Volume 6 Issue 2
Homes, Hospitals and Heaven Gates
When Pastor Andres asked me to offically begin an Intercessory Prayer group in our church, I knew it was a big challenge due to my command of the Spanish language but it also was an enormous responsibility both emotionally and spiritually. As I look back on 2006, I would have never quessed what was in store for myself and my group of prayer warriors, but one thing I know God has had us in his loving hands every step of the way.
Throughout the year, we have had two beginner’s classes and through those classes and our regular Monday night prayer and home visit nights, God has blessed our prayers and we have personally witnessed so many miracles. Our team has gone into hospitals, homes, on buses, in schools, and wherever and have prayed with people who are hurting, lost, in bondage, suffering or dying. Over and over again, we have seen people healed and people set free.
In addition, each of us have personally suffered in different ways. The Bible tells us we will have trials and tribulations and that we are to consider it all joy! Does that sound crazy? Perhaps to someone without Jesus, but we are seeing God is bigger than all our problems and these trials are a testing to produce endurance. After each trail we find our faith is not wavering but instead getting stronger and stronger as we submit to God’s will in our lives.
As we continue to pray for others, I would ask that you pray for us. A number of us have had unexpected surgeries within the last month and several have had family members pass away including one member having a miscarriage in the eighth month of her pregnancy and Patricia’s four year son, Marguito, (pictured right) fell out an open van door and died from a fractured skull. We know “Greater is He that is in us than he that is in the world.” For that reason, we know with Him, we can face tomorrow and that we are standing at Heaven’s Gate!!!!
Medical Trips to Caaguazua and Yrbuccua
Missionary friends Mark and Johanna Waltz came to Paraguay in September and I had the opportunity to accompany them and to translate for the visiting medical teams who were serving with the Mobile Medical Clinic They were working in two of my favorite areas so I was able to visit many Paraguayan friends and while with the Yrbucca team, I was able to visit with members of the St. Matthew team from Southern Illinois. Seven years when I first came to visit Paraguay, we worked together. I would have never guessed at that time I would now be a translator for them.
The Yrubuccua area is laid out in long country blocks or lines and the folks came on different days according to their “lineas”. Often the patients walked many miles but many were fortunate as some missionaries helped with transportation or they were able to catch a ride in a passing ox cart. At one time I had to laugh about the parking problem around the church as there were so many ox carts, it was hard to get passed.
I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Amy Hackmann. We saw a variety of patients mostly the children had colds and the women had high blood pressure, sore backs, and female problems. However, we did see one man whose feet were rotting away with grengrene. Also, since Amy was a surgeon, we got the opportunity to do a few minor surgeries to remove growths, minor tumors, and such.
The saddest cases were a couple of women who were afflicted with rashes….one lady had a rash over her entire body for more than a year with no medicine! She was covered from head to toe with oozing, infected sores and she was about six months pregnant…..I wanted to cry for her.
Many of the children we saw were from the small Indian village that we are helping and also many were from the Susan Wesley School. Most folks tried to come in their best outfits and I was to delighted when many of the little girls came in their plaid jumpers. Remember our shipment last year? We received many boxes with these jumpers from a church in Texas. Praise God for His many blessings!!!!!!!!
Colombia….another mission field!!!
My heart was touched by the struggles of the missionaries serving in Colombia. We met together in Medellin which is situated in a large valley with its eight million people living in every available space. No, I am not planning to move to Colombia but when I met with other Latin America Mission missionaries in July, I was impressed with their various mission outreach programs such as: spending over twenty years trying to translate the Bible into different tribal tongues; programs for street children; a Christian School, a seminary, etc. While there, we had the opportunity to meet with missionaries from many other countries.
Everywhere we went there were street vendors selling all kinds of new foods, jewelry, and wood products. Have you ever tried French fried bananas? I really took a liking to them but I just couldn’t get into tasting all the pig and cow “inners” even though I grew up on a farm and have sampled many things over the years.
The military presence was everywhere and it was a constant reminder of the turmoil that exist everyday in Colombia. One of the LAM missionaries had once been kidnapped; others have been or currently not allowed to live or serve in various areas and there is always the threat of terrorist activities. As we visited a town park, I marveled at how the children took it in stride as they gave llama rides around the town square. Please pray our Lord will touch many hearts in Colombia!
Family Fun Day in July
One of our goals this year was to have a few activities that would encourage togetherness for our families of the children in the school. We decided to have a sports day but knowing many do not like competition, we decided to expand the day to not just sports competitions, but also crazy activities, a parade around the community, refreshments and fun for all. We were overwhelmed by the response of our 350 plus children, their parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and grandparents. (We have no idea how many people attended, but we may have had as many as 1200 to 1300 people.)
In Latin America style almost all came dressed in brightly colored outfits and we partied and played all afternoon and long past sunset. Everywhere families were enjoying themselves and several parents commented that this was the first time they had ever gotten to play as a family. The event and all the activities except the refreshments were free and manned by the school staff and volunteers. Most of the staff was so exhausted that we could hardly move the next day but as the Paraguayans say “we were filled with contentment”. Everyone had so much fun. We were able to share Christ’s love throughout the entire day through all our actions and with the short message following the opening parade.
Cultural Activities
The Paraguayans are proud people who love their country…and they want very much to preserve their native language, their culture, and their music. They have a dual language system of Spanish and Guarani and for them the Guarani is considered the language of friends and everyone refers to as “sweet. It is very important to them that one participates in their culture and everyday events. So I have tried on different occasions to do their typical dances for special events. All four times, I have left the crowds laughing in hysterics as my basket of chipas (a type of roll) flew to the ground or my vase shattered. In the first try, I had cracked corn we were suppose to be sifting….I threw mine up in the air and it went everywhere. Have you ever tried to dance on corn kernels in your bare feet? Ouch! During my last two performances I have managed to keep a clay jar on my head at least part of the dance and I think most of the children from the school later congratulated me because I did not break my jar! At the last event, I danced with some ladies from the church; we even managed to win a first place trophy in a talent show or was it a No-talent Show! The ladies danced with grace and beauty, while I had everyone in stitches as I struggled to keep the jar from slipping off my baby-fine hair.
Nonetheless, if you want to see good Paraguayan dancing, you show see the experts…our children. They love getting dressed in their cultural garb and some of the older girls are learning the secrets of dancing with clay jars on their heads.
Preparing for Final Exams; The Olympic Challenge
Every day we try to emphasize to the children that God is their strength and when they are faced with challenges, He will guide and direct them. So it was fitting that our theme for our 2006 School Olympics was that we are “more than conquerors in Christ.”
In October we hosted our three day event and we were blessed to have a surprise mystery celebrity… ”MA-BEL”…Mable Love Brown (our Stateside Child Sponsorship Coordinator). When she entered the general assembly area the children started whispering, “It’s Ma-Bel, it’s Ma-bel”… even though she was covered from head to toe with only her arm and her watch showing. Only a few little ones were fooled and scared by her mask and costume.
Our Olympic games included some sports activities but much of the focus was academic challenges. All the children had previously received study guides for their different classes and the entire school was divided into the blue and green teams.
Each year I am impressed with the children and staff’s enthusiasm but more importantly, I am pleased with the children’s end of the year test results. The children help and encourage each other to do their best in the academic competitions. May God be glorified in all we do!
International Kids Games…What are they?
When I returned in June from visiting churches in the United States, I had hundreds of e-mails…most of them junk but there was one from a guy named Javier. With all that was happening, I forgot about responding. Then several months later, I received another e-mail. I asked him to meet with Pastor Andres and several leaders from the school and church as he was wanted to share how to use sports and games to promote evangelism. This training was just what we needed since we have thousands of children and youth in our area and our desire is to build a multipurpose building for assemblies, meetings, and sport to use for evangelistic events.
We organized with Javier a training seminar and had about 40 participants from seven churches attend the two day event. The volunteers learned how to share the practical Word of God and how it related to sports. Even better, we received two CD’s with all the lessons and examples of how to organize and plan events. The youth from our church were on fire and within two weeks, they took many of the principles of what they learned and hosted a “Kids Game’s” Tournament for the community. I am not sure who had the most fun: the children or the adults during the training program. The program is not limited to just children…there were activities and ideas for all ages. One thing I know, everyone involved plans to use all they learned to help all ages to learn more Jesus! After all, the Jesus said, “Let the Children Come” and we know in Paraguay, where there is a ball…the children will come and so will the youth and especially the adult guys! Meanwhile, we have another grand opportunity to share Christ and His love.
Prayer Requests for 2007
As I close, I want to thank God for His sustaining love for us even in the midst of many trials and tribulations and I would like to ask for your prayers in various many areas:
Sue Givens
Latin America Mission
The Paraguayan Outreach/Sue Givens
P.O. Box 52-7900
Miami Florida 33152-7900
or
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.
Email Sue: sue@paraguayschools.org