Heading Out

Tomorrow evening we are starting the long journey to the States. Here's how it works: We leave in the afternoon to go to Posadas, Argentina. We wait in line at the bridge for about 2 hours, then board our bus for a 12 hour trip to Buenos Aires. Then, we visit Norberto's "Oma" and extended family and board our evening flight. We fly all night and arrive in Miami on Friday morning. We rent a car and drive to Ft. Myers and should be there by noon. About a 46 hour trip. Tired yet? I sure am! We appreciate your prayers for our travel and our time in the States.

Norberto has documents to finish up and we look forward to some family time. Will try to write again once we reach the ground in the north!

Know What I Love?

I love helping people learn. I just got finished teaching my second English class for the Bible School. I could tell the "light bulb" was really coming on for the students this week, which is always exciting. I am utilizing a system of only speaking English to the class. I watch their confused, blank stares and I see them struggle and whisper to each other and do what they think I'm instructing them to do. It's a challenge to keep from laughing sometimes (and slightly enjoyable), but it really helps them concentrate on the context.

I hope to instruct a handful of students who will become future translators, will get better jobs, will be able to travel internationally and have new horizons because of their language ability. A teacher can hope, right?

"Mi Esperanza" Campaign in Paraguay

On September 6-8, Billy Graham's ministry (BGEA) in conjunction with Paraguayan ministries, including Radio Alternativa, is sponsoring a city-wide evangelistic campaign.

CMA Donates 3 Motorcycles to Paraguay

This ministry to bikers has donated 16 bikes to Paraguay since 2000. This year three bikes were donated to 1. The STID Bible School in Bella Vista, 2. the Ache Bible Translation (Letra) Project in Naranjal and 3. the Arroyo Pora Church plant in Encarnacion. We thank God for these tremendous tools to make sharing the Good News more effective. We had the privilege of hosting a fantastic team from CMA (Christian Motorcycle Association) in November 2005. From that great group, some CMA individuals and groups saw that Norberto would be benefited from having his own bike. We want to thank all the folks that donated toward Norberto's motorcycle. After waiting weeks for it to arrive from Japan, it finally arrived. It's a Honda Storm 125. It takes about $2.00 worth of gas to fill it each week. In contrast, our Suburban takes $47.50 for fuel each week...so this is a huge financial savings for us.

Here's a picture of Norberto's new ministry mobile! We also wanted to share the profile of one of the motorcycle recipients: Lorenzo Puapirangi lives in the Puerto Barra Ache community, located 20 km from Naranjal. Until the mid-1970s his ethnic group was isolated and without any contact with civilization. For most outsiders these gentle rain forest people were considered to be very primitive and savage and were greatly feared by most Paraguayan people in general. The Ache have a sad history of abuse, genocide and slavery at the hands of the white people "Beru" who considered them to be subhuman and fair prey to be exploited or sold to local colonists on the periphery of the great jungles of Eastern Paraguay. Sometimes the Ache returned arrows to bullets, trying to defend themselves from the ferociousness of the "Beru" and because of this they were labeled extremely dangerous and cruel as the savage Guayaki who attack innocent colonists with no reason or provocation! Lorenzo's father, Chrachogi, was captured in the fifties and traded to a local farmer who used him in all sorts of different types of hard labor for his profit. Lorenzo grew up in the Puerto BArra village. The jungle surrounded their community very quickly disappeared like the early morning dew under a roar of chain saws, bulldozers and tractors, as new farmers moved in clearing the land to start growing food and cash crops. Lorenzo also struggled with bewilderment, rage and impotency trying to find sense to the tremendous loss of practically all their traditional territory, customs and culture across the different Ache communities. He looked for answers in a number of different places, like the spirit world or answers from the white man's world, but no help was found until he put his trust in Christ, and found peace. Lorenzo had six brothers, but 5 died. One of his siblings died when his mother fell on her child while escaping from two hunter dogs released by two Paraguayan hunters. Only one 14 year old sister is alive today, Irene Kuachigi (Wild Turkey).

Today Lorenzo Puapirangi is walking on God's path, with the sincere desire to see his brothers and sisters grow in the Word and find salvation, maturity and contentment in Christ. In order for this to happen, the Bible needs to be translated into the Ache language and he is one of six mother tongue translators, with the Bible translation organization, LETRA Paraguay. If you would like more information regarding LETRA or the Ache Indians, check out www.oneverse.org

Prayer for Paraguay

Tomorrow, August 15, is a national holiday in Paraguay (Founding of Asuncion). The local churches are taking advantage of the day to open up a local hall for a day of prayer. We are going to be praying for Paraguay to be changed and hearts to be renewed toward God. Specifically, we will lift up the President, Nicanor Duarte Frutos, for all our govt. officials, for an end to corruption, for new job opportunities to open up, for families to be strengthened, for the orphans, street children, for a myriad of culturally-specific issues that touch the hearts of all of us who love this beautiful red soil.

We would love to have you join with us to pray for Paraguay. Doesn't have to be on the 15th...God will hear us any day!

We have New Pastors

Oh what a happy day! We installed our new pastors this past weekend (they are in the middle). It is difficult to describe the load that has been lifted off our shoulders now that someone is living in the church parsonage and leading the congregation. We have been taking turns preaching, teaching, and "managing" the church since we returned from our furlough with the shocking news that our former pastor had resigned and left the country (without his wife and kids!). We have been picking up the pieces ever since. We are having our new pastor and his wife (Renato and Denise) over for lunch tomorrow to talk and to officially welcome them into the neighborhood. Yahoo! We love it when a good team comes together.

At Last, the Transmitter is Here!

This Thursday evening, the transmitter arrived. A small delegation was waiting at the radio station to receive the truck. Norberto was at the radio until 2:00 a.m. making final adjustments on the new 5 kw transmitter. We are currently transmitting at 3 kw, until Conatel comes to inspect the new Italian-built transmitter. This will be an incredible ministry tool and we look forward to receiving calls from all over the state from new listeners in the coming weeks. Thanks to all our supporters and churches that have made this transmitter a reality! Please pray that hope of God's word would be spread to thousands more because of the increase in power!