Dear Family and Friends:
After uncomfortable silence and unwelcoming facial expressions the Ava Guarani shaman finally gave her approval for our visit to her community with one simple phrase: “iporã” (“okay”). The chief (her husband) had been trying to convince her that our visit would be good for the community, but the turning point came when Margarita made a joke in Guarani that brought a momentary smile to her face. Next week we’ll lead a group of students from a local seminary to this urban Ava settlement for an intercultural exchange. First, we’ll listen to the Ava leaders share about their history and culture. Then, we’ll serve a snack for the community and play games with their children. We hope that this activity will open doors for future visits. We really need you to pray for us on April 8th when we’ll make the first-known visit by a Christian group to this settlement.
Much of March consisted in making visits and
having meetings that laid the foundations for the activities we’ll be carrying
out in April. I also continued
co-teaching the Guarani study on the Gospel of Mark in a nearby village, and
began another Guarani Mark study at the Nueva Esperanza Church. Moreover, we had some great family time this
month. Cousins, aunts, uncles and
friends flocked to Gabrielli’s first birthday party. Her grandfather even came down from Portland,
Oregon. She is now saying some words and
on the verge of walking. Give thanks
to God for Gabrielli and for our family.
We’re likewise thankful that our house now has a roof. We lived for two weeks with a 4-square-foot hole in our ceiling, and we’re very pleased that there was no heavy rain during that time. One morning, I shared about the “Parable of the Two Houses” with the construction workers. The welder, Ireneo, didn’t make a decision to follow Jesus at that time, but he did say that he wanted to learn more, so we invited him and his family to a Bible study at our house. Pray for Ireneo, the other construction workers, and our future home group.
Moments after driving away from the settlement where we conversed with the Ava shaman, our car suddenly began to have problems. It’s being fixed right now; however, the ordeal reminds us that the outreach projects we organize often are accompanied by annoying obstacles, which have included not only car problems, but also family sicknesses. In April, we really need your prayers, that we do the right thing at all times when we’re with the Mbya and Ava in order to build relationships with them that point to Jesus, who gave his life to redeem many.
Happy Easter!
After uncomfortable silence and unwelcoming facial expressions the Ava Guarani shaman finally gave her approval for our visit to her community with one simple phrase: “iporã” (“okay”). The chief (her husband) had been trying to convince her that our visit would be good for the community, but the turning point came when Margarita made a joke in Guarani that brought a momentary smile to her face. Next week we’ll lead a group of students from a local seminary to this urban Ava settlement for an intercultural exchange. First, we’ll listen to the Ava leaders share about their history and culture. Then, we’ll serve a snack for the community and play games with their children. We hope that this activity will open doors for future visits. We really need you to pray for us on April 8th when we’ll make the first-known visit by a Christian group to this settlement.
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| Students at the Mbya school |
Margarita and I need your prayers not just during the first week of April, but
really throughout the month, during which we’ll launch three additional first-time, relationship-building activities with one other Ava Guarani and two Mbya
Guarani communities. The New
Horizon School’s administration gave us a gift that we’ll pass on to an Ava
school for construction later in the month.
On April 7th, we’ll bring representatives from Ana’s school—Asuncion
Christian Academy—to deliver school supplies to the Mbya school that I
mentioned in our previous update. At another Mbya settlement, Margarita will
start working with early childhood education and I will start an English class
for teens and young adults. Give
thanks to God for the open doors among the urban Ava and Mbya communities, and
pray for us to proceed with wisdom.
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| Our Bible study hosts, the Ayalas, received sunglasses from Vista Missions in Seattle to protect their eyes during their long hours of work in the sun. |
We’re likewise thankful that our house now has a roof. We lived for two weeks with a 4-square-foot hole in our ceiling, and we’re very pleased that there was no heavy rain during that time. One morning, I shared about the “Parable of the Two Houses” with the construction workers. The welder, Ireneo, didn’t make a decision to follow Jesus at that time, but he did say that he wanted to learn more, so we invited him and his family to a Bible study at our house. Pray for Ireneo, the other construction workers, and our future home group.
Moments after driving away from the settlement where we conversed with the Ava shaman, our car suddenly began to have problems. It’s being fixed right now; however, the ordeal reminds us that the outreach projects we organize often are accompanied by annoying obstacles, which have included not only car problems, but also family sicknesses. In April, we really need your prayers, that we do the right thing at all times when we’re with the Mbya and Ava in order to build relationships with them that point to Jesus, who gave his life to redeem many.
Happy Easter!
Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli
Revett
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| Gabrielli's 1st Birthday Party |
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