Dear Friends and Family:

We currently are sending our updates via e-mail and Messenger.  Please send us an e-mail (tim.revett@uwm.org) if you want to receive them.

-The Revetts

Challenges and Celebrations

Dear Family and Friends:

 One evening, “J.,” an Ava Guaraní man who follows Jesus, conversed about the Scriptures with a group of young men in front of his house. Suddenly, the chief appeared and shoved J., almost knocking him to the ground. He threatened to expel J. and his family from the community if he continued teaching about the Bible. Without a stable job and with a 5-month-pregnant wife, leaving the community would create considerable hardships for J. Yet, he could not ignore his hunger to learn more and share with others about the Scriptures. Pray for the Guaraní Christians who face pushback from their tribes for their faith.  

Last Month's Baptism

Margarita and I recognize that there will be challenges in 2021, but there also will be reasons for celebration. Last month, we baptized five members of our youth group along with two of their parents. Earlier this month, we listened to the Ava Guaraní and Mbya Guaraní community leaders’ hopes for their school-aged children and teens, and received permission to help them recover the academic year that was lost to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Give thanks for our relationships with the Ava and Mbya. Pray for us this year as we equip emerging Guaraní evangelists and mobilize volunteers for weekly tutoring, literacy classes, Bible stories and lunches in six communities. Also, pray for plans to start regular congregational gatherings in two communities.  

Gabrielli gets ready for her first class

Other reasons for celebration include Gabrielli’s first day of pre-school and her upcoming fourth birthday. Ana and Antoine are doing well in school, and will have virtual classes for one more month. We found a solution to our mail dilemma by opening a post office box with a courier agency that operates through a Miami-area office. Our new Paraguayan mailing address is as follows:

Timothy and Margarita Revett

LB92523

8221 NW 30^th Terrace

Doral, FL  33122

One of Our Tuesday Gatherings

Less than a week after J.’s confrontation with the chief, a nearby church gave us permission to use their fellowship hall for Bible studies. Every Tuesday night, J. brings young men from his community as well as from a neighboring Mbya community to the church to discuss the Gospel of John in Guaraní. Pray for this gathering to strengthen J., to improve my Guaraní, and to dig up a wellspring of everlasting life among urban the Ava and Mbya communities. 

Sincerely,

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli

Compelled by love

Dear Friends and Family:

Margarita and I attended a “secret meeting” last month during which four Mbya Guaraní men shared about their tribe’s spiritual beliefs. The Mbya are prohibited from revealing their religion to outsiders, but these Mbya Jesus-followers felt it was necessary for their “juru’a” (non-Native) co-workers to understand what the Mbya believe. The oldest of our Mbya teachers was previously a highly-ranked shaman who fervently opposed Christianity. When he began to hear the Scriptures, he became compelled by the Creator´s love to accept the invitation to be reconciled to Him. He and the other brothers dedicate their lives to sharing that message with their tribe. Pray for the Mbya ministry workers and their families.

Celebrating the birthday of our pastor, Pablo Mora, and his more than 40 years of church planting and mission work.

Thank you for praying for our colleagues who accompany us in reaching out to the Mbya Guaraní and Ava Guaraní communities around Asunción. Our team continues to grow as two young Ava men, “S.” and “D.,” have helped us on a few visits. Sany, our former New Horizon School student, committed to weekly tutoring students and mobilizing Paraguayan youth visits in Mbya and Ava communities in 2021.  She led a group of young adults to gather local donations for “Christmas boxes,” which we passed out to Mbya and Ava children last week. 

Ava and Mbya children in one community receive Christmas presents and hear the Christmas story for the first time.

We’re concluding our visits to the communities this year by telling the Christmas story and passing out bags of food for each family. In one community we left an audio Bible so that they can continue gathering to listen to the Scriptures until we visit them again in January.  Additionally, three Ava women graduated from another section of the adult literacy program. Give thanks to God for a successful year of work in the Mbya and Ava communities in the Asunción metro area.

Next week our family will start our brief summer vacation. Aside from working around our house, we’re planning two short trips into beautiful, rural areas. We’re also getting ready to celebrate Christmas and New Year “Paraguayan style,” which involves lots of food and fireworks. Pray for a restful and fun Christmas vacation.

“S.” reported that his family was safe after he made a provisional structure out of the tin roof that was blown off of his house (his house is now being repaired).

A windstorm swept through the Piraju Ava-Mbya community last month, removing the roofs from nine houses. We brought food to the community the following morning and facilitated a time of prayer, in which many participated. No one asked, “Where was God when this happened?” Instead, they sang hymns for over an hour in Guaraní to the One “who has gathered up the wind in the hollow of his hands.” As different types of "storms" sweep through many people's lives this season, pray that they will be reminded of the hope that comes from the Christmas story and will trust in Jesus, whom even the winds obey.

Merry Christmas!

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli

Reasons for giving thanks in 2020

Dear Friends and Family:

Mbya Guaraní religion classifies marriage outside the tribe as the only unforgiveable sin. When “O.,” a young Mbya man, excitedly told Margarita and me that he wanted to date a young Ava Guaraní woman, we responded, “That’s great! But, doesn’t that put your afterlife in jeopardy?” This dilemma sparked his interest in learning more about the Creator, and he began studying the Scriptures with us.  One day, when he asked to borrow the chief’s motorcycle to attend our Gospel of Mark discussion group, the chief denied his request and said, “The Bible is not for us Mbya.” 

While “E.,” another young man in O.’s community, also experiences pushback from his tribe for seeking Jesus, he pushes forward and often helps us with outreach at the Piraju, Zeballos Cue and Villeta communities.  Recently, Margarita and I could not make our weekly visit to Villeta, so our former New Horizon School student led a group of young adults there. For the first time in our absence they carried out activities with children as well as adults, and finished by serving lunch.  We give thanks for the members of our ministry team, which includes you, being that your support makes this work possible.

Our former student with her students.

One of the chiefs at the Villeta community told us that they enjoy our Gospel of Mark discussions and want to start having church services. This is one of four communities where we facilitate Bible studies, discipleships and pre-baptism groups, engaging 30 adults on average each week. Most of them decided to follow Jesus this year. Some of them join us on visits to other communities. Others attend services at nearby partner churches. We give thanks for God touching lives in the Mbya and Ava communities around Asunción.  

Ava and Mbya children enjoy the fruits of mango season during a Bible story

Furthermore, we give thanks that everyone in our household is healthy. Antoine recently turned 6 and Gabrielli is already planning her fourth birthday (even though it’s months away). Summer vacation has started and we're looking forward to spending lots of time swimming.

O. recently traveled to take care of his grandmother, who was bedridden and unable to talk due to an advanced illness. He called us to ask for a prayer. We sent him a voice message in Guaraní that consisted in an invitation to trust in Jesus. As O. held the phone next to his grandmother´s ear and played the message, she closed her eyes and nodded her head in agreement after each line of the prayer. Sadly, she passed away a little while later. God promises the gift of eternal life to anyone who calls upon Jesus, and for this we give Him thanks.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!   

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli

At the creek

Weighed down by an anxious heart, cheered up by what he heard

 Dear Friends and Family:

“D.” sat a distance, with a long face, and participated very little in a recent children’s time that Margarita and I organized at an Ava Guaraní and Mbya Guaraní community. After the activity, D. and a group of boys told us they wanted to hear Ñandejara´s (“our Lord’s”) voice. We turned on our audio Bible for them. “That´s Him! That´s Ñandejara talking!” the boys said excitedly. As they listened attentively to three chapters from the Gospel of Mark, we noticed D.´s semblance change. He started interacting with others and remained at our side for the rest of our visit. He had been weighed down by an anxious heart, but the words he heard cheered him up.    

We celebrated Margarita's birthday this month.

The audio Bible in Guaraní is our most valuable ministry tool. We use it for discipleships with Ava Guaraní chiefs at two different communities and with “R.,” a new Ava Christ-follower, who has started to help with outreach activities. We also use it at the Ava community where your support helped build two gardens. Most of the ten or so people who gather there to hear the Scriptures each week decided to follow Jesus this year, and at least one of them plans to be baptized in December. Give thanks to God for working in the urban Ava and Mbya communities. Pray for a new gathering at a house near two communities where the Ava and Mbya are prohibited from meeting to hear the Scriptures.

The quarantine in Paraguay has officially ended and we have resumed our visits, which consist in food preparation, Bible studies for youth and adults, games and Bible stories for children, and an educational activity like adult literacy or tutoring. In some communities we teach multiple Bible studies due to internal divisions. It’s enough work for five people, but, until recently, it was just Margarita and me.  We are thankful for the local pastors, recent college grads, new Ava believers, and an emerging Mbya worship leader who started joining us on our visits. Please pray for the development of a ministry team.

Ana, Gabrielli and Antoine were bored during the quarantine, but now are excited to go out.

Moreover, the quarantine left the Paraguayan postal system in disarray. Until further notice, please mail any letters or packages to our new U.S. address (see below), from where they will be sent to us by a more dependable means.

“E.” briefly sits down with us each week to teach a part of the Mbya creation story. Last week, when it was our turn to share, we listened to Genesis 1 on an audio Bible in the Mbya Guaraní dialect with him. He remained seated and hung onto every word, occasionally remarking, “That´s right! That´s how it happened!” He was noticeably moved and then began to recall a season in his youth when he attended a church. He misses the music. He misses the love he felt in that spiritual family. We give thanks that many Mbya Guaraní and Ava Guaraní listen to Ovecha Rerekua´s (“True Shepherds´s”) voice. Pray that they—along with people from every tribe—will follow Him.  

Yours Truly,

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli

Discussing the Scriptures

Who shines forever without change or shadow

Dear Family and Friends:

Ana woke up in the middle of the night to her younger brother, Antoine, coming into her room and saying that he couldn’t sleep. Ana prayed with him and had him lay back down. Right after he fell asleep, their younger sister, Gabrielli, started crying, and Ana laid down with her. Moments later, Ana heard her grandmother coughing in the other room. She placed a Minnie Mouse doll next to her sister, who had fallen back to sleep, and brought anti-allergy medicine to her grandmother. The next morning, when Margarita and I realized what Ana (who was quite tired) did for her family, we asked her why she didn’t wake us up. She told us that she wanted us to sleep. We give thanks for Ana, who turned 9 last month! 

In addition to Ana’s birthday, Margarita and I recently celebrated our 10^th anniversary.

Margarita and I also give thanks for our health, but continue to request your prayers. As COVID-19 cases in Paraguay climb, we are decreasing our time in the Ava Guaraní and Mbya Guaraní communities. We make regular, brief visits to three communities to serve food. In two other communities we still teach small Bible studies and an adult literacy class. We postponed the Bible study in the Zeballos Cue Ava community, but make occasional visits to help with a community garden, which is possible because of support from you and our co-workers. We give thanks that three families from Zeballos Cue now regularly attend our nearby partner church. Ask God to protect and to continue impacting the Ava and Mbya communities around Asunción.

Pastor Alberto discusses the community garden with a Zeballos Cue leader.

Please pray for two young Ava men we help disciple. “C.” leads a Bible study in his community in our absence, and “J.” is planting a church in a rural Ava community. Likewise, pray for a former New Horizon School student as well as leaders from a local church who are considering devoting more time to serve with us after the quarantine.

Margarita teaches Bible stories to the Mbya and Ava children each week. 

Last week, 200 Ava and Mbya men, women and children found themselves in a tense situation after the generator that pumps water for their well died. When they notified us, we prayed and shared the news with our co-workers. The next day, local businesses made a donation to cover the generator’s repair. Then, a Christian foundation provided funds for this community to receive a solar energy system for their well. Give thanks for this gift, but pray that this community--as well as people everywhere--recognize that every good gift comes to us from the Creator of all light, who shines forever without change or shadow.

Yours truly,

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli

From an Unpleasant Experience to Surpassing Peace

Dear Family and Friends:

In May, after passing out food in the Zeballos Cue Ava Guaraní community, a group of angry women blocked our exit, yelling and pounding on our car hood (read the story at: www.tmrevett.blogspot.com/2020/05/deliverance-in-times-of-desperation.html). In July, the “ringleader” of that group opened her house for Pastor Alberto and me to gather the community to listen to and discuss the Gospel of Mark in Guaraní. Last Sunday, she and many others from the community attended the service at Pastor Alberto´s church for the first time. Give thanks to God for inviting people to come to Him, and ask Him to impact lives in Zeballos Cue.

Your support enabled us to get materials to make blankets with the Ava women for the community´s children (just in time for Paraguay’s “worst cold front in 27 years.”)

Mid-August is one of the busiest times of the year for Margarita and me as we organize Children´s Day (August 16th) events in the Mbya and Ava Guaraní communities around Asunción. This year we organized three events and in each event we had plenty of volunteer help. Since mobilizing Paraguayan churches and Christ-followers to engage the Mbya and Ava is one of our main ministry goals, we thank God for calling others to join us. We also give thanks for the lives of a former student, Sany, and a member of our youth group, Daniel, who are helping us in our outreach activities.

Margarita and I shared with the children about Jesus´ gift of abundant life.

We additionally give thanks for our family´s health, but please keep us as well as the people of Paraguay in your prayers.  Our children rarely leave the house. Antoine started taking drum lessons. While Gabrielli shows interest in her brother’s hobby, Ana finds it annoying.

The financial crisis caused by COVID-19 created a sense of desperation in urban Native communities like Zeballos Cue, as evidenced by our unpleasant experience there in May.  Since most of the community began gathering to listen to the Scriptures last month, they’ve commented about a comforting sense of God´s presence with them.  Moreover, during last week´s gathering, six people prayed to place their trust in Jesus, through whom everyone can experience the peace that surpasses all understanding.

Sincerely,

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli

Season 4 of Netflix´s “Inside the World´s Toughest Prisons” will give you a glimpse of life in Tacumbú, which you prayed for and donated bibles to when I used to serve in ministry there.