Passion for Paraguay

This past March 14th Marcos turned 21. He has grown into a young man. We celebrated with cake at home. We sang happy birthday in spanish, english and german and half the song in guarani. Marcos is usually more quiet and reserved, not one that likes to be noise or loud. He lost his dad when he was 11 years old. His dad was a heroe whom Marcos admired. His father with whom he had learned to drive the tractor and play ball was suddenly gone - thats ten years ago. His life changed in one afternoon when his father Esteban lost his life in a work accident. Four years later, I came into the picture and for some reason, God wanted me in Marcos story and my story to be affected by Marcos. I know healing takes differently in each one of us. Our boy has come a long way. Turning 21 is a major stepping stone into the adult world.  We all are always looking up to heroes and people that inspire us. In a small way, I want to be Marcos hero. And we will continue celebrating and finding new markers ...

The Paraguayans annually celebrate National Heroes' Day on March 1. This holiday commemorates the end of the Paraguayan War. It also honors Francisco Solano López, Paraguayan leader, and other men, who died defending their country. This was a cruel war with consequences that still seem to linger and have the ghostly effect on the country The war began in 1864 and involved two parties: Paraguay and the Triple Alliance of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. The war ended on March 1, 1870 with the utter defeat of Paraguay. As the outcome Paraguay lost almost half of its land, most of its population and its industry. The country became the poorest one in Latin America and it still can not overcome the effects of the war. I have been watching a documentary of WW2, where Stalin, Hitler go back and forth creating alliances and then backstabbing each other with terrible consequences. Every war has birthed great heroes, men and women who rose to the occasion.  We owe our freedoms to those that h...

It is better to give than to receive. That became true again this week, when we prayed and sent three families home with their bran new Honda motorcycle.  Every year since 2004 we have been giving motorcycles away to Christian leaders involved in teaching, preaching, and working in all related Christian ministries.  These gifts are made possible thanks to CMA USA and Missionary Ventures International. Seeing people who never owned a motorcycle finally have their own wheels to do what they have been called to do is priceless.  These three families love the Lord, and are serving with their gifts of music, leadership, speaking, teaching and the love of God with a new generation of Paraguayns