Dear Friends and Family:

I recently entered Paraguay’s Tacumbu Penitentiary with Ysidro, a former inmate who I mentioned in our October update.   A group of Ysidro’s past partners-in-crime walked alongside us, catching him up on the latest news.   Suddenly, someone ran by me, followed by Ysidro sprinting after him.  Behind them trailed a prison guard, yelling and waving his night stick.  They weaved through the crowd of inmates and turned a corner.  I was very pleased to soon after see Ysidro return unharmed.  He recovered his necklace, which had been snatched off his neck by the inmate whom he chased.

Ysidro’s return to Tacumbu as a visitor and not re-offender stands as a testimony to God’s work in the penitentiary’s Remar rehabilitation pavilion, where I conduct a weekly discipleship.  A local newspaper reported that while recidivism reaches as high as 70% among the prison’s general population, only 10% of those who pass through Remar return to prison (Ultima Hora 11/18/13).  When Ysidro was released, I began a Bible study with him and three other Remar graduates in his neighborhood to help support them during their transition.  Their entire neighborhood now is wondering how these men have changed so dramatically, which presents us with a great opportunity to share about the Lord’s ability to transform lives.  Please pray that Ysidro and the other men would continuously seek God’s counsel in their lives.

Another recent event that testifies of God’s power was the New Horizon School’s first senior class graduation.  The majority of the graduates, if not all, plan to enroll in colleges next year.  This is outstanding considering that most Paraguayans don’t complete high school.   Margarita’s young students also made achievements toward overcoming their learning disabilities.  Although she believes they will probably need to continue treatment the following school year, Margarita has seen many improvements and they all finished with passing grades—quite a contrast from the beginning of this year.  Margarita is planning to spend some of her time next year working with parents on early childhood stimulation to help them prepare their children for pre-school.  Give thanks with us to our mighty God for his work among the New Horizon School students this year.

In addition, we are thankful for God’s everlasting presence in times of victory as well as the setbacks.  The Puerto Falcon outreach event in early November was suspended due to rain; however, we are satisfied that the small church, as well as the two nearby assisting churches, were prepared and motivated to carry out their own small events this month.  Likewise, our first year as youth ministers concluded with the graduation of 14 active teenage participants who will move on to the college-aged ministry.  Please keep the Fuente de Vida Church youth in your prayers.

Finally, we request prayer for safe travels as we drive to Montevideo, Uruguay next month.  Our activities there will include participating in a friend’s wedding, vacationing, and visiting different ministries to possibly organize a future short-term mission trip there with Paraguayan youth.  We also will purchase learning disability materials, as they are difficult to find in Paraguay.  These purchases are made possible by the generous Christmas donations of many of you.  Thank you!

Christmas gift-giving reflects the awesome gift given to all of us: "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).  When we choose to accept this gift, who is Jesus, we also receive many other great blessings such as God’s counsel, power, presence and peace.  May you and your loved ones experience these blessings this Christmas Season and throughout 2014.

Merry Christmas and happy New Year!

Tim, Margarita and Ana Revett

Christmas gift alternatives for globally- or ministry-minded loved ones...

• Didactic games, diagonistic tests and other educational materials for Paraguayan children from poverty-stricken and dysfunctional homes who struggle with learning disabilities.
• Printing, photocopying and binding of discipleship materials for inmates inside one of South America’s most notorious prisons.
• Jerseys, balls, goals and equipment for an emerging middle school and high school boys’ and girls’ basketball program.
• Christmas 2014 in the U.S. for a missionary family.

A donation can be made in any amount. The funds go to the project of your choice (not to Tim and Margarita’s living expenses). A card with a photo of the project will be sent to the person in whose name the donation is made.

 

Here’s the gift process…

1. Make a donation to Latin America Mission in the name of your loved one.
        A.  Online: -Go to www.lam.org/missionaries/tim-and-margarita-revett
                              -Select “Support this missionary.”
                              -Where it says “Use my gift for” select “Ministry Funds”
          
        B.  By Mail:  E-mail us and we will send you the form and directions.

2. E-mail us (trevett@latinamericamission.org) to identify which project you donate to with the address of the person in whose name you give.    *If you do this by November 24^th, we will be able to send the card and photo to your loved one by Christmas.

Please review the following information and share it with your friends, church, small group, Sunday school class, or whoever you think would be interested.

Special Education Paraguayan students who have learning disabilities often drop out of school due to few resources available to them.  Additionally, kindergartners start at a disadvantage since most Paraguayan families haven’t learned about early educational stimulation.  Margarita provides both of these services to students of low-income families for a very small, nominal fee.  However, diagnostic tools and didactic games are scarce and expensive.  Goal:  $300 (1 year of support for all of Margarita’s students)

New Horizon School Basketball Program The New Horizon School’s mission is to provide an integral education for a new generation of Paraguayan leaders.  Most of the school’s students come from low income families.  There has been a recent surge in excitement among students to form boys’ and girls’ basketball teams; yet, there are few funds and materials to support this new program.  *Material donations are also accepted. Cost:  $25 per player (covers a ball, jersey and extra expenses)

 

Christmas 2014 in the U.S. Ana, Margarita and Tim hope to spend Christmas 2014 in the U.S. They are saving up monthly for this trip; though, visa fees and airline fares are very expensive. Cost: $1 for every 2 miles of travel (4,500 miles in total)

 

 

Prison Ministry The Tacumbu Penitentiary was built for a capacity of 800 men, but now houses over 3,600.  Christmas donations in 2012 enabled Tim to provide photocopies of discipleship materials for 100’s of inmates.  Graduates are rewarded with certificates and become teachers of the discipleship.   After they leave the prison, their certificate can help them enter a ministry position. Cost:  $15 per month

October 2013

Dear Friends and Family:

The Paraguayan-Guarani saying, “Ikarêmba, sevo’i rapéicha” (It has as many curves as a pinworm’s route), describes the meandering course that Margarita and I recently experienced in moving towards our ministry goals.  We’ve traversed obstacles in the prison, school and in the upcoming outreach event, but now see the fulfillment of the hope that the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough places smooth.

Earlier this month the church that was most involved in the Puerto Falcon evangelistic event told us they couldn’t participate.  Then, another helping church began to plan a different activity the same day as the event.  Finally, the local pastor became discouraged due to job issues and seminary studies.  I prayerfully navigated conversations with the churches, making a few trips out to the Chaco area to speak in person.  They all renewed their decision to participate.  This coming Sunday afternoon (October 27^th) there will be two pre-event meetings.  Please pray for unity among everyone involved in the event.  Also, pray that the glory of the Lord shall be revealed as we reach out to the city of Puerto Falcon on November 2^nd and 3^rd.

Likewise, I turned a corner with the Tacumbú discipleship.  I previously focused on inmates already in the middle leadership level; however, this group proved to be too transient to complete the discipleship.  Many quickly moved up to the next level of leadership, or their prison terms ended.  Others exited the program due lack of commitment.  Now I’ve modified the program to reach out to new inmates and prepare them prior to entering the middle leadership level.  Four solid inmate leaders emerged from the last round of discipleship and they will help teach the next group.  I thank God for these four men—Dean, Gustavo, Guillermo and Ysidro—and ask you to keep them in your prayers.

At the New Horizon School, Margarita experienced obstacles in her work with a student who was struggling severely in all his subjects.  He couldn’t concentrate during the lessons.  His handwriting was unreadable.  When Margarita tested his academic abilities, she discovered that he was very much capable of achieving at his grade level.  After conversations with the student and interviews with his family, Margarita learned that his dilemma was not as much a learning problem as it was an emotional issue.  The boys’ parents fought constantly.  They weren’t spending much time with him and never helped him with his homework.  The only parental attention he received with his studies was punishment in response to failing grades.

Margarita’s student sorely lacked a safe and stable home environment.  He needed to feel affection from his parents.  Margarita presented her diagnosis to his parents, who accepted her report and began to follow her recommendations.  His parents resolved to work on their marriage.  They moved out of the overcrowded, extended family living situation.  They started spending more time with their son, doing activities together and helping him with his homework.  Margarita says the increased security and stability he now feels is evident in his improved school work.  Please keep Margarita’s students and their families in your prayers. Additionally, please pray for the New Horizon students as they begin their final exams.

Ana, too, is overcoming a few challenges of her own. She stopped drinking from her baby bottle and is making progress towards not using diapers.  Also, her pediatrician took her off most of the medications that she was taking a few months ago.  Join us in thanking God for Ana’s growth and health.

Margarita and I don’t pretend for a moment that every plan or project will always be successful.  We simply have witnessed that in successes as well as failures, there is truth to the proverb, Trust in the Lord with all your heart…and he will make your paths straight.

Yours truly,                                         Tim, Margarita and Ana Revett

 

Special Announcement: LAM/UWM Merge

Dear Friends and Family:

A new day is dawning for Latin America Mission! I am excited to announce that, on December 31, 2013, LAM will formally merge into United World Mission (UWM), an inter-denominational mission organization, based in Charlotte, NC. We sense this is God’s clear direction. This merger will strengthen the ministry of your LAM missionaries and partners, it will reduce costs and enhance the strengths of the combined organization.

LAM and UWM have much in common. Founded in 1946, UWM’s mission is to “serve with Christian leaders globally to plant, nourish, and reproduce churches that delight God and surprise the world.” Together UWM and LAM share key core values, which include the church, integral mission, the spiritual formation of leaders and most importantly for LAM, partnering. We are convinced that our combined efforts will allow us to build upon LAM’s 92-year legacy and dynamically advance Christ’s Kingdom work in Latin America and around the world. John Bernard, President of United World Mission, believes, “Latin America Mission has a strong history of innovation, integral mission, and partnering with the Latin American church. Their ministries have been exemplary and their models are needed as North Americans learn to serve with the church and mission movements around the world. United World Mission is overjoyed to have LAM join forces with us to meet the challenges of God’s mission in today’s world.”

When the merger is complete, UWM will have a staff of more than 350 missionaries serving in 42 nations. Coming together, we will better steward Kingdom resources while also providing enhanced ministry support to LAM missionaries and ministry partners, as well as excellent service to donors. Latin America Mission will continue to function under the LAM name as “a Ministry of United World Mission.” The merged organization will operate out of UWM’s office based in Charlotte under the leadership of United World Mission.

I personally want to encourage you to stand by your missionary, partner and/or project in a special way during the transition to UWM. While the organizational structure is changing, the missionaries and partners you support will continue to count on you as they press forward faithfully in their ministries for Christ’s sake. We will keep you apprised of coming changes but until notified otherwise, please continue to either mail your generous support to the LAM address (P.O.Box 52-7900, Miami, FL 33152), or give online through the LAM website (www/lam.org/give). Giving through automatic withdrawal will also continue uninterrupted. Every effort is being made to minimize any changes to the manner in which donors have been giving.

Finally, I want to say thank you for giving so generously and faithfully to the work of LAM in Latin America. We truly consider you our ministry partners. Please pray for the families of LAM and UWM as we enter the dawn of a new day together.

Serving Together in Christ’s Name,

Steve Johnson
President

August 2013: A Birthday Party, Paraguayan Style

Dear Friends and Family:

Margarita and I wrote to you in June about child labor in Paraguay.  Despite the presence of this destructive issue, Paraguayan culture harbors an overall, genuine appreciation for children, which is seen through customs like celebrating Day of the Child and overly-embellished birthday parties. 

Last week we celebrated Ana’s 2^nd birthday “Paraguayan style.”  Ana greeted her young guests with the customary double-cheek kiss as they arrived and deposited their presents in a tire decorated to be a gift receptacle.  There was music, soda, candy, cake and a party favor for every child.  Margarita hosted a talent show with prizes for the tiny party-goers who were brave enough to present songs, jokes and memorized Bible verses.  Before the finger foods were served, we took a moment to remember God’s presence with Ana all through her battle with Respiratory Distress Syndrome at birth as well as during her asthma episodes this year.  Ana’s birthday party was a thanksgiving and praise service to the Lord for her two years of life.

July featured two events with the Evangelism and Missions Ministry.  Over a hundred children came three afternoons in a row to the outreach in the Siloé neighborhood. The local Sunday school teachers did a great job teaching them about Christ’s love.  There were two nights of services despite rain and technical difficulties, and about five adults made decisions to return to or start following Christ.  Later in the month we held a missions conference with churches in the Chaco region.  The place was packed. The audience heard inspirational presentations on how to organize evangelistic events and how to carry out discipleship.  Nearly all of those attending committed to being volunteers for an outreach event in October in the nearby city of Puerto Falcón.  Thank you for your prayers over these events, and please pray as we plan the Puerto Falcón event.  Also, please keep the students of the New Horizon and Cerro Corá schools in your prayers as we continue ministering to them through education.

 

Thank you for your prayers around the political situation in Paraguay.  Horacio Cartes is the new president and the change between parties occurred peacefully.  We request prayer for the renewal of Margarita’s immigration status in the U.S.  We hope to travel to the United States December through February.  After her status is renewed, the next step will be finding affordable airline flights.  If you are interested and able to make a financial gift to help with our future travel expenses, please contact us and we will inform you as soon as we know the outcome of Margarita’s renewal process.

 

Upon celebrating Ana’s birthday we remembered the name of the hospital whose intensive neo-natal unit Ana was transferred to:  Immanuel, which means “God with us.”  In Ana’s trials, as with any of us when we face moments of uncertainty, the Lord is certainly present.  Jesus is not “out of touch with our reality,” but rather, as The Message states…

“He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help” (Hebrews 4:15, 16).

Yours truly,                      
Tim, Margarita and Ana

June 2013: The Gospel, Child Labor and an Asthma Attack

Dear Friends and Family:

Street signs throughout Asunción exhibit excerpts from the United Nations’ “Declaration of the Rights of the Child.”  Principle 9 of the Declaration reads:
 
The child…shall in no case be caused or permitted to engage in any occupation or employment which would prejudice his health or education, or interfere with his physical, mental or moral development.

Ironically and tragically, only a few yards from the sign one might see young children selling candies or washing car windows.  In fact, local news reports that at least 450,000 children under the age of 12 are employed in Paraguay. 

“Laura,” a student in the second grade morning class at the New Horizon School, was referred to Margarita for learning difficulties.  She failed all her classes.  Her teacher described her as “on the moon” during lessons as well as in her relating with classmates.  At recess she sat alone while the others played.  Margarita soon discovered that each day when Laura returned home from school, she worked from 12 to 7 as the solitary housecleaner and caretaker of her younger brother.  Laura’s “job” was the main obstacle to her learning.  Margarita and the administrators urged Laura’s parents to transfer her into the afternoon class, which forced them to find an adult relative to perform Laura’s duties.  Instead of working, Laura now spends her afternoons in school.  She is passing all her classes, and Margarita says she’s become an active, social little girl again.

Praise God for Laura’s restoration and pray that He would do the same for the thousands of Paraguayan child laborers.  Likewise, please keep the New Horizon School in your prayers as it educates and reaches out to children who might be in situations like Laura was.

Along with our work at school, Margarita and I have been active in the Evangelism and Missions Ministry over the last couple months.  The Trinidad evangelistic event in May was postponed due to rain.  Our next event will be a vacation bible school and youth concert in the Siloé neighborhood.  Please pray for this event on July 10^th through 14^th in addition to the missions conference we are organizing with churches in the Chaco region on July 27^th.

The primary goal of the Repatriación mission trip in April was to help launch a local church’s children’s ministry.  About 100 children came to the event.  I got to share about Christ’s ability to transform lives on a local radio station.  Unfortunately, at the end of the second day Ana had to be hospitalized for breathing problems.  We thank God for her recovery from the incident, but she will use an inhaler and anti-allergy medicine every day for at least the rest of the winter.  Please keep Ana’s health in your prayers.

Last month I sent out a flash prayer request for a presentation I gave with less than a day’s notice to 160 students.  There were some technical difficulties, but the message got across.  I explained C.S. Lewis’ use of the lion Aslan’s death in Narnia to depict Jesus’ sacrifice for all of humanity, and then concluded by asking the crowd, “Who wants to follow this man who loved you so much that he gave his life for you?” An overwhelming majority of the group raised their hands. 

Please continue to pray for Margarita and I, that we will “make known the mystery of the gospel."

For His glory,

Tim, Margarita and Ana