Passion for Paraguay

For the past weeks, Anahi in her evening prayers has been asking for the sun to come out the next day. Almost every prayer in the evening ends with this personal request to God. Last night while it was raining and I could hear the winds outside, she asked me this question: Daddy, do you want sun or rain tomorrow?. I am not sure I replied, to which she insisted that I be honest and pick one option. Ok, I would prefer sunshine tomorrow. So she prayed, God, I ask that tomorrow you bring a beautiful sunshine over our city, in the name of Jesus amen. I kissed her goodnight and walked out of her bedroom. I could not stop thinking about her request and how naturally she talked to God.  She honestly believes God will change the weather with he r request.  I was astonished and somewhat ashamed of my grown up lack of faith.. . . so while the winds were raging and the rain was pouring out, I went to bed thinking about my daughter’s prayer. I woke up got ready for the day...

This weekend we traveled to Asuncion to obtain Anahi's new birth certificate.  Our hope was to start the passport process with her birth certificate, but nothing went according to plan. We were told there was an error with the adoption resolution.  Because ONE word was written wrong, we have to go back to the judge in Encarnacion and have a new resolution issued.  We were so discouraged and frustrated about this mistake.  Now, we have to travel again to Asuncion this week and try to resolve this issue, before we travel in about six weeks.  Please pray that we can get this resolved and get Anahi's passport (it usually takes a month to process passports) and get her visa all in time for our May 14 flight. To top it off, it rained like cats and dogs.  When it's like this, we have to roll up our pants to our knees and take off our socks and shoes to cross the street.  This is what the streets in Asuncion is like when it rains: At least the kids...

The sunset last night was breathtaking.  We've been so busy lately I haven't taken too many moments to just stop and soak in God's goodness. We've been running a race. welcoming students, preaching, teaching, hosting pastors, leading meetings, finishing taxes, traveling to Asuncion (twice) to get Esther Anahi's documents done (they aren't done yet) forming the itinerary for our furlough (in just seven weeks!!), sewing ripped school uniforms, cooking for crowds fighting a colony of bats in our house (over 50 of 'em buggers) spiffing up our car to sell the list just doesn't stop. breathe.  It's time to relax a little more around here and soak in the sunsets and the beauty God has painted around us. We accept all prayers during this more hectic than usual time and appreciate your patience for lack of updates.  We appreciate you!

While we were traveling last week I got a text message from another Paraguayan missionary sending condolences for my loss. I had no idea what that message referred to, so I told my husband I better find a place where we could check our email. Sure enough, we had gotten several messages from family informing us that grandpa Beam had passed away and his funeral had occurred that morning.  Even though Grandpa's health was declining for a few years now, I was so sad that I was unreachable and felt such guilt that I wasn't there. These are the times when the call to serve the Lord overseas gets tough. I knew that when I signed on to be a missionary this would be part of the package.  I count myself extremely fortunate that after almost 10 years on the field, this is the first family member I've lost. Still, I felt so helpless, so hurt. I didn't get to say goodbye. I also missed the celebration of his life; I wanted to laugh and cry with family as they shared funny stor...

Prayer Focus: Praises: Woohoo!  Esther Anahí’s adoption is finalized in Paraguay and we will get her new birth certificate this week! We purchased our tickets for furlough May 15-Aug 3. Yes, the Dollar has gone up! Praise that Isidro came to know the Lord yesterday on a house visit. Prayer Requests: For the students as they arrive on campus in just a few weeks. For Radio Alternativa and the search for a new director. We really need a loaned vehicle while we are on furlough.  Pray for  2 new supporting churches while on furlough.

Yesterday I spent a good part of the day weeping.  One of our most loved supporters died on Christmas day and we just got the news.  She had been battling cancer for over ten years.   She came to visit us for the first time in 2007 on a CMA trip and we became instant friends after that.  She would write us on a weekly basis with an encouraging word.  She would send us 3-4 care packs a year, she would mail cards on our birthdays.  She would pray for us consistently.  She arranged for us to have a vehicle while we were on our last furlough and drove it from Perry, GA to Orlando, FL to deliver it to us.  Seriously, who does that?  There are very few people like Anita in our lives.  Although we rejoice that she is no longer suffering, we mourn this great loss and wonder, "Who will fill the void that she left?"  She not only was our cheerleader, she sent packages overseas to our soldiers (she served in the U.S. Air Force for 24 ...

Want some good news?  On Dec. 30 we received the news from our lawyer that Esther Anahi is officially OUR baby girl!!  The adoption here in Paraguay is finalized!!!  We now have to wait for the month long legal holiday to finish so we can get her new birth certificate and start the Paraguayan ID process. We can't say THANK YOU enough for your prayers for this very long process.  PRAISE GOD from whom all blessings flow.  She was worth every minute!   Now the giveaway.  Interestingly, this week a blogger pressed the "next blog" button and stumbled upon our blog.  That person named Jane, is an artist in the UK.  She also happens to be an advocate for Reeces' Rainbow , orphan ministry.  The incredible connection is that she is doing a giveaway of an amazing piece of art for Ryan .  He's the little boy that God allowed us to be a very small part of his story.  Jane, is giving away her stunning, original piece of art called, "Be...

First the personal one:  We would ask you to pray for our daughter's papers.  Since there was a strike in the judicial system last month, all documents have been delayed for weeks.  Our family Christmas is in Argentina this year and if Anahi's birth certificate does not arrive, we will not be able to celebrate with our family. This certificate is necessary for us to get her passport, which we need for travel for our furlough next summer. We know that prayers can change this situation and we thank you in advance for praying. Second, this request is for our ministry.   This year-end we have an immediate need.   ICCI (Instituto Cristiano de Capacitacion Integral) will need to pay $4,000 (for various documents and to help pay an intermediary) to become a legal tertiary institution recognized by the MEC (department of education) Paraguayan government.   Unfortunately, this important expense will really knock off of our budget for next year.   I...

We have been with the wonderful people of Children of Promise this week as they check on all the kiddos in the program.  This year, they brought Dr. Bob, who gave a health check-up to every child (and a few more) being served by the ministry.  He discovered the severe state of oral hygiene among the Paraguayan children.  The great majority have cavities and since cavities in Paraguay are not filled, dentists just typically pull teeth.  So, there is a great need for dental work.  He also mentioned how important it is that we are providing fluoride for the children, since it is not present in our water.  Since he also specializes in tropical diseases, he is giving us information on the best deworming meds to administer on the kids. Sandra, the new director, is doing such a great job with the children (now 80 are in the program)!   Sandra's goal is to continue growing.  We are grateful for all the sponsors, for the staff at Children of Promise an...

I just talked with our attorney (we were not at the meeting) and she said that the judge wanted to review our case and will give us an answer on Monday.  Ah, Monday seems so far off!  There are two judges for the children's sector in our state and the one assigned to our case happens to be the more difficult (as in takes her time, is critical, and skeptical). However, that does not intimidate us.  We know that so many folks are praying and we believe that God can even change the heart of a judge who doesn't have any children and doesn't understand the heart of a mother. I am asking God for patience and the trust in Him that His  timing his perfect and His ways are perfect. After Monday when we receive a favorable response, we will need to present ourselves in front of the judge and she will interview us on why we want to adopt.  We want to be salt and light to this woman.  Would you please be in prayer for her (Evelyn) and for us?  We really, truly...

Today is the day that our lawyer will represent us before the judge in our state to present the " juicio de adopcion " or to legally consider us as Anahi's parents!  Will you please pray with us that the judge will sign our little girl over without a flinch or a glitch?  If everything goes smoothly, we will be able to start our visitation with our daughter this weekend!  The agency requires 3-5 visits to build trust and a relationship with her before bringing her home.  He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.  -Deut. 10:18

This week has been soooo cold.  What better way to warm up than being in the kitchen.  The students have been working hard for four weeks now with our micro-enterprise peanut project. With our peanut harvest we have been shelling nuts by hand and elaborating delicious roasted peanuts and candied peanuts (beer nuts). We think we've got a really good recipe too!  Last week we bought an electric scale and a sealer machine, so our product is presentable and weights what we say it weighs! We've been distributing to five local mini-markets here in town.  On Thursdays we replenish the stock.  So far, sales have been very good!  We're now working on designing our label, which will be ready next week.  Then we will reveal our new product name! We are grateful that the students are so excited about this endeavor and that people love eating peanuts with yerba mate tea in the winer.  Please pray with us that our nut sheller molds arrive (long, comp...

Norma came to me in tears.  She collapsed in my arms as she told me that her son Jorge has been missing for over two weeks.  My heart stopped for a second.  He's only eleven, but so small that he looks more like an eight year old.  She has no idea where he could be and she's very, very worried.  You see, this is the second time that Jorge has run away.  The first time was in February when he wanted to visit Carnaval in Encarnacion, which is certainly no place for a child.  He was found on the street of the big city seven days after leaving home, filthy and hungry.  This week the local radio has been announcing the physical features of Jorge and asking for any information and so far there have been no clues to his whereabouts. This little boy weighs so heavy on my heart.  He has been in our Children of Promise ministry for five years.  He was diagnosed with learning disabilities and ADHD a few years ago after troubles focusing in cla...

I wanted to ask for prayer for some fellow servants here in Paraguay. Ken just had a major heart surgery in Asuncion, the capital, and after spending a few days in ICU, is recovering in the hospital.  However, their insurance company denied their coverage three days before the surgery (the policy says they have to give a 15 day notice).  Also, another missionary friend in another region of the country just received word that she might be have multiple sclerosis.  She is my age with young children.  Please pray for our missionary friends who need healing, provision and God's peace.

I (Julie) just have had very little energy to write the past few weeks.  It seems like even the ant hills are mountains right now.  I'm just overwhelmed with the rats, the fleas, the cold, the sickness, the lack of energy and the amount of work around us.  Yesterday was especially heavy. I went to visit the sick at the public health center, like I do every other Tuesday and when I asked to pray with a dying man who couldn't speak, he began to moan and scream.  It was obvious something in the prayer was perturbing his spirit and my co-worker began to intercede as I prayed.  The room smelled like death, but I cried out for this man's soul.  If you think about it today, could you lift up Renius and his relationship with the Almighty.  Then, as we left the center, we saw a woman from town, a sister of my close friend.  As I greeted her, she excitedly told me she was pregnant.  She is not married and many times she has asked me to...

It’s been a month of downs and more downs for us here.  We had a close call with a neighbor’s brush fire that got out of hand. Today we got word that the church was robbed while we are still rallying from the catastrophe of the radio unfortunate lightning strike that caused thousands of dollars worth of damage to the equipment.  Since that incident (on April 25), we’ve had no internet or telephone.  Not to mention, we can’t get rid of the fleas that are plaguing our feet (and our dog) every single day. We recognize that these situations are no coincidence.  Before Jesus sent out his twelve disciples he told them, “Stay alert. This is hazardous work I'm assigning you. You're going to be like sheep running through a wolf pack, so don't call attention to yourselves. Be as cunning as a snake, inoffensive as a dove.” Matt 10:16 (the Message) It seems that God is wanting to teach us the importance of being content in all circumstances. That’s what kept Paul going wh...

We apologize that we've been MIÄ lately.  We got back from Peru only to find out that the radio station had been struck by lightning and the majority of all its equipment was destroyed.  We lost all but 1 computer (6 burned), both sound boards, televisions, 3 kw of the transmitter (2 are remaining), monitors, our phone system, the electrical part of the generator, radios and much, much more.  We are still tabulating the full extent of the damage, but it nears $75,000. We have not had internet since the storm, due to the fact that the radio housed the third party internet service for all three communities here and all their equipment (more than $15,000) was burned as well.  We just got our phone service back today and hopefully, will regain internet access this weekend. In the meantime, we appreciate your prayers for the radio ministry. We trust God to bring glory out of this situation and our hearts are calm, despite the circumstances.

When we went to get our truck back last week we couldn't find the buyers or our truck. They had changed their cell phone numbers and we wondered if we'd ever get our vehicle back. Norberto went five times to the buyer's home and never found them. We were very discouraged to realize that these "Christian" folks were hiding from us. We went on Sunday night and finally found someone who would talk with us, the grandmother. Norb talked kindly to her and told her that we want to work this situation out peacefully. She admitted that her son and his wife were hiding the truck in a different part of town and that she would show us where it was. She also told us she'd call us when her son showed up at home, so we'd know exactly when to "pay them a visit". She also mentioned the name of their pastor, who happens to be a personal friend of ours. She called around midnight and said that they had just arrived home. Norb decided he would go arrive at...

We've been on the road for the last five days, so here's what we've been up to: The Association of Christian Communicators in Paraguay had their annual retreat in Tres Palmas and we had a great time of fellowship, networking and recreation with the other legal Christian radios and TV stations in the nation, 150 total participants! Here's a picture of some of the terrific staff at Alternativa: We got there and realized we forgot our tent poles, so here's what our improvised tent looked like; we were the brunt of many jokes. Thankfully it didn't rain! We also had the privilege of finishing the distribution of the funds for 9 motorcycles and getting to know ministries all over the country, so in the next month, we'll be highlighting different motorcycle recipients and their work. We got our license plate for our new car, which amazingly only took a month; last time it took us almost three years! We have decided to name our car: the White Fish , that's T...

It's been a while since we wrote with some prayer requests. We're feeling the crunch of wrapping up activities, projects and our home construction before we leave for the States on May 15. Here's some current matters for prayer: Our big concert on Friday night. It is an evangelistic youth concert with four different groups. Pray that hearts would be opened to hear the message of God's hope, love and forgiveness. Have you ever seen Grumpy Old Men ? We have a neighbor who's an older German who fits that description perfectly. He needs the Lord and we have a burden to love Him into the Kingdom. Please pray for our cantankerous next door neighbor and for opportunities to show him love and grace. Our truck sale. It is in God's hands. We're now to the point where we're praying God's will and not our will. That's what God wants from us, obviously. We'll wait for His timing...so maybe we need more patience! Julie's Bible study. It...