Dear Family and Friends:
When a Paraguayan child
loses a tooth and places it under her pillow “El Ratón Perez” sneaks into her
bedroom at night and replaces the tooth with a 1,000-Guarani coin. Ana didn’t want to put her
first lost tooth under her pillow because she didn’t like the idea of a mouse scampering
around her bed as she slept. One of the
advantages of her being bi-cultural is that she can choose who replaces her
tooth with a coin. I told her about the Tooth Fairy. Ana was more than excited to leave her tooth
for a Tinkerbell-like character that would come, gracefully fluttering around
and sprinkling pixie dust, to give her money.
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| Ana's First Lost Tooth |
On a different note, Ana,
Antoine and Gabrielli figured among the number of seasonal-change illness patients that, according to
local news, surpassed the Paraguayan Health Department’s estimates and
preparedness for April. If you’ve read
our past updates, you know that sickness often hits our family when we carry
out evangelistic events. During the same
week that we made daily pediatrician visits we were also coordinating a group
of twenty-five Brazilian short-term missionaries. They devoted four days of outreach projects
to the city of Ñemby, which is called the “Youth Capital of Paraguay.” Among the many decisions for Christ were
members of a notorious family that lived next to a local church. This family, who previously rejected their
Christ-follower neighbors’ persistent invitations, powerfully encountered Christ
that week.
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| Youth in Nemby Powerfully Encountered Christ during the Brazilians' Visit |
Give
thanks to God for his work in the “Youth Capital of Paraguay.” Pray for us as we help those local churches conduct
follow-up and build up their youth ministries.
Also, give thanks that our family is well now, but please continue to pray
for protection for our health.
Last week I called a former
student to teach my classes as I went on a United World Mission retreat in Peru
with missionaries from all over South America.
It was a refreshing time of rest, meditation on Scripture, and
fellowship with colleagues. It was a
particular blessing to hear about and see their successes in raising children
on the mission field. Like Ana, Antoine
and Gabrielli, our colleagues’ children also live through issues like getting sick, changing schools, traveling excessively, and switching between
languages and cultures. Giving up normal
lives in our home countries to serve on the mission field is one way we and our
missionary colleagues express loving God with all our hearts. We also express that love when we provide for
our relatives’ well-being, especially for our immediate family,
as best as we can on the mission field.
Children are rewards from
the Lord. In loving them
unconditionally, we get a glimpse of God’s love for us. Furthermore, their “child-like” trust in us reflects
Jesus’ teaching that the kingdom of God belongs to anyone who likewise trusts
in him. Pray that more people in Paraguay, as well as everywhere else, will trust in him.
Happy Paraguayan Labor Day!
