Dear Friends and Family:
On a recent return visit to Paraguay’s rough border town, Pedro Juan Caballero, a Christian school principal shared a testimony that shows the power of Christian education. One of his elementary students was the daughter of a known drug-trafficking family. After picking her up from school, her parents noticed that two men on a motorcycle were following them, which is an ominous sign in a city where mafia-style hits regularly occur. As the motorcycle made every turn they made, the parents tried to conceal the situation from their daughter by discussing what they should do in Guarani. To their surprise, the daughter interjected: “I know what we need to do; we need to pray." Right there in the car, she lifted her hands and prayed, just like she had learned in school. At the next intersection, the motorcycle turned on another street. So powerful was this experience that a number of the family members later gave their lives to Christ and left the drug-trafficking industry.
On a recent return visit to Paraguay’s rough border town, Pedro Juan Caballero, a Christian school principal shared a testimony that shows the power of Christian education. One of his elementary students was the daughter of a known drug-trafficking family. After picking her up from school, her parents noticed that two men on a motorcycle were following them, which is an ominous sign in a city where mafia-style hits regularly occur. As the motorcycle made every turn they made, the parents tried to conceal the situation from their daughter by discussing what they should do in Guarani. To their surprise, the daughter interjected: “I know what we need to do; we need to pray." Right there in the car, she lifted her hands and prayed, just like she had learned in school. At the next intersection, the motorcycle turned on another street. So powerful was this experience that a number of the family members later gave their lives to Christ and left the drug-trafficking industry.
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Pray for Margarita’s 2016 homeroom class—the New
Horizon School’s 4th graduating class—as they start a new stage in
life.
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Education plays a vital role in Paraguay’s
recovery from a repressive, four-decade dictatorship and the nation’s former
status as the poorest in South America.
Christian education allows this recovery to proceed in a manner that
teaches Paraguay’s future leaders of their—as well as their neighbors’—invaluable
worth as created in the image of a loving God. Thank you for participating in this transformation through your support
and prayers for Margarita and me, as we serve with Paraguayans in educational
ministry.
Margarita and I also thank you for donating toward making our house “liveable.” We’re applying for grants for funding to finish the rest of the construction after we move in. Please pray for our house.
Even though we are now on summer break, it doesn’t entirely feel like a break. While visiting Pedro Juan we organized a teacher training for local Christian schools. From there we traveled to another town to meet with a pastor who will help us coordinate evangelism in northern Paraguay. Furthermore, we’re studying the Gospel of Mark in Guarani at the Cerritos church plant. Please pray for our summer activities as well as for a trip we’ll take in January to southeastern Paraguay. Thank you for praying for Margarita and the baby. They both are well, and we eagerly await Gabrielli’s birth in March.
The phrase “a decree went out from Caesar Augustus” in the Gospel of Luke shows the place of Christ’s birth in recorded history. Christ’s coming into this world is not just written on paper, but also on human hearts. Christ followers, like those who work in education, contribute to the transformation of societies. Individuals caught up in destructive lifestyles, like drug-trafficking, find new life through believing in Christ. God is still with us indeed, and is very much at work.
Merry Christmas!
Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli
Margarita and I also thank you for donating toward making our house “liveable.” We’re applying for grants for funding to finish the rest of the construction after we move in. Please pray for our house.
Even though we are now on summer break, it doesn’t entirely feel like a break. While visiting Pedro Juan we organized a teacher training for local Christian schools. From there we traveled to another town to meet with a pastor who will help us coordinate evangelism in northern Paraguay. Furthermore, we’re studying the Gospel of Mark in Guarani at the Cerritos church plant. Please pray for our summer activities as well as for a trip we’ll take in January to southeastern Paraguay. Thank you for praying for Margarita and the baby. They both are well, and we eagerly await Gabrielli’s birth in March.
The phrase “a decree went out from Caesar Augustus” in the Gospel of Luke shows the place of Christ’s birth in recorded history. Christ’s coming into this world is not just written on paper, but also on human hearts. Christ followers, like those who work in education, contribute to the transformation of societies. Individuals caught up in destructive lifestyles, like drug-trafficking, find new life through believing in Christ. God is still with us indeed, and is very much at work.
Merry Christmas!
Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli
