Letter from a Hospital Room

Dear Family and Friends:

I originally wrote this update seated next to Gabrielli’s hospital bed.  A cold produced a high fever on Tuesday, so Margarita and I brought her to the pediatrician.  Her condition straddled the line between bronchitis and pneumonia, and, due to her very young age, the doctor wanted her to spend a night under observation.  She soon began to show eagerness to leave the hospital by knocking over her I.V. holder and ignoring hospital workers when they entered the room.  We thank God that she is now home, but please keep Gabrielli in your prayers.     

Gabrielli bored of her hospital room.

Gabrielli’s hospitalization came right in the middle of a series of exciting advancements in our work with three urban Mbya Guarani and Ava Guarani communities.  Today we helped organize a clown presentation about God’s love for a Day of the Child celebration.  This landmark activity came by request from leaders of a Mbya community where no ministry had previously gained entry.  Pray for effective follow-up to the presentation as well as for another event with Ava Guarani children on August 17^th.  

  

The young Mbya man who you prayed for last month lives in the community where we organized the presentation.  “Eli” is a follower of Jesus, and Margarita and I spent a considerable amount of time with him in July talking, listening to the Scriptures, and praying.  Next week I hope to deepen the discipleship, perhaps even moving toward starting a Bible study at his house with his family.  Please pray for this young man as well as for his community.

Most of July was focused on English classes at two different church youth groups run by Alaina, a high school student from Amarillo, Texas.  Impressively, she had never been on a plane or left the U.S. prior to this trip.  At one English class, three youth prayed to place their faith in Jesus and two of then began attending the church.  At the other class, the youth group grew and became more unified.  They also learned how to play ultimate frisbee.  Keep the Nueva Esperanza and Trinidad youth groups in your prayers.

Alaina with Ana and Gabrielli

After Alaina’s classes ended, 19 other people came from Paramount Baptist Church for a short-term mission trip.  They taught the Nueva Esperanza and Trinidad youth how to share the gospel.  They did a scavenger hunt-outreach project in Asuncion’s sprawling downtown market.  They told hundreds of public school students as well as residents of a village near a church plant about hope and new life in Jesus.  The group also visited two urban Native communities.  Give thanks to God for his work through Alaina and the Paramount team.

The Paramount Team with the Ava Guarani Community at Yvapovondy

Next Monday we will start a groundbreaking tutoring and lunch outreach to a Mbya community where Margarita took the Paramount team.  During our first ever gospel presentation there, a few of the children asked who Jesus was.  How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?  Because of your partnership in the gospel in Paraguay.  Pray for the new tutoring outreach, and continue to pray for the Mbya to clearly hear the message that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 

Sincerely,

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli