Passion for Paraguay

Recently a family asked if we had any extra shoes we could give them. I do happen to have 2 pair of tennis shoes. One older pair for the garden and muddy weather and my good pair. I like my shoes. They are New Balance, a brand I can only buy when I’m in the States. This family of six, however has one pair of good shoes for the entire family. That means their four adolescents (1 boy and 3 girls) share the same pair of shoes. When I found out that extra piece of information, I was willing to give them my second pair. We have such abundance that it is so easy to forget that even a second pair of old shoes is an extreme luxury for others. I should be willing to give my extra pair of shoes, my shirts, my food, my clean water… to those who have nothing. But that’s not where giving ends. I felt like I am being tested even more on what my role is as a giver. Before we came to Paraguay we asked a veteran missionary what we’d need. She told us that we would certainly need an electric bl...

This Saturday we had a tremendous one day pastors’ wives retreat. We had a beautiful time of worship, laughter and sharing around the table. It isn’t very often that pastors’ wives don’t have to worry about their children, their spouses or the demands of ministry for a whole day. It was just what the doctor ordered, a needed time of fellowship and refreshing! Pastors retreat Each woman was able to present something. We had some share songs, recipes, testimonies and poems. I (Julie) had the opportunity to participate in my first ever choreography. I also shared on the power of prayer and the importance of a daily time with the Lord. Not only did we leave renewed, each woman walked away with a bag full of goodies (including a book, notepad, chocolate, materials, etc). Thanks to Tabita for coordinating this amazing day. Thanks also to our dear friends, the Briscoes, for their generous donation to make this day possible. We hope it will become an annual tradition!

CMA (Christian Motorcycle Association) was present at the Obligado motorcycle rally. They served as line judges to ensure that no cyclist had an unfair advantage in the race. We had a great time of food, fellowship and fun watching the various races and mingling with the crowd and praying for the cyclists. There were no injuries at the race. We appreciate your continued prayers for the ministry of CMA in Paraguay.

Yesterday I took little Jorge A. to the doctor. It was the first time in his life he'd been in a real hospital. We had an appointment with the psychologist who only comes in two days per month. Jorge is an extremely active, happy child in Children of Promise, Paraguay. He is nine years old and is in the first grade, for the third year straight. The problem is that he just kicked out of school for his struggle to pay attention in class. In order to remain in the program, he has to be in school. Immediately, the psychologist recognized that Jorge has ADHD. He needs medication to help his chemical imbalance. The psychologist explained that he needed to see a child neurologist in Argentina, since there are none in our state. He explained that it usually takes 4-6 months to get an appointment. Then, we would need to see a pediatrician here for regular control of his prescription and behavior observation. I began to pray. This psychologist has no idea of the difficulty that wou...

Timmy got a new Veggie Tales video this week from Grammy (thanks, mom!). It’s called “The Rumor Weed” and humorously depicts what happens to a small town when an untruth gets spread about one of its residents. Long story short: Huge damage! However, gossip isn’t just a silly issue for kid’s videos. It kills people. Recently at the Christian bookstore we run, a woman came in looking for a book on disappointment. I showed her a few possibilities and as she was flipping through the pages, she started to pour out her heart. She had been a long-time church goer at a church the next town over. However a rumor started about her sexual orientation AMONG HER CHURCH FRIENDS. Since she lives in a small town, the damage done to her character and reputation has all but ruined her life. She lost 30 pounds (and she is a small person), her marriage almost ended, and her relationship with God and the church was almost completely destroyed. As I began to listen to this stranger gushing with ...