You Bandage Their Wounds

Dear Family and Friends:

One of our students at the Mbya Guaraní school didn’t show up to class last week. The other students said that he had been sick for a few days, and they took me to his house to see him. We found the boy by himself, curled up on a sheet-less and torn foam mattress on the concrete floor. He was in and out of consciousness and burned with fever. Instead of taking him to a doctor, his family had given him natural medicine that produced no effects. His situation was beyond our abilities to alleviate, so we prayed for him.

Our literacy class and lunch keeps these Ava Guarani children and their mothers off the streets two days a week.

Jesus tells the parable of a man beaten and left half-dead on a road. Two people passed by who should’ve stopped to help, but didn’t. In a similar manner, Native children in Paraguay are legally entitled to protection, education and health services, but too often suffer frequent illness, exploitation, and various forms of abuse. A large part of our work aims at developing skills to leave such oppressive conditions. At the same time, Margarita and I teach about the hope available to anyone who walks in faith with the Creator. A young Ava Guaraní man with whom I meet with three days each week also is now teaching this hope in his community at home gatherings. He wants to start bringing the message to other Native communities.  Give thanks for “C,” and please keep him in your prayers.  

Additionally, give thanks for, “P.,” a young non-Native man who’s growing in his faith. He’s the son of the woman who sells us tereré (cold yerba mate tea) along the road out to two of the Native communities we visit weekly. During a recent conversation with him, he decided to place his trust in Jesus. Even though our focus is on reaching out to the Mbya and Ava, it is important to be open to whoever we meet along the way.

“P.’s” step of faith was one of numerous causes for celebration in the past month. Ana, Antoine, Gabrielli and I took Margarita out to our city’s only Mexican food restaurant for her birthday. I’m spending a few afternoons a week on finishing the vine arbor that’s her gift. Additionally, after months of building anticipation, Antoine turned five last week. The day started with him receiving his first bicycle. Then, he had a party at his pre-school. The day finished with dinner at his favorite pizza restaurant. Give thanks for Antoine, as well as for Ana and Gabrielli, who was quick to try to “test out” all of Antoine’s gifts.

Margarita's "Mexican Birthday"

Everything changed for the man in Jesus’ parable when the “Good Samaritan” arrived. He bandaged his wounds, and, when he couldn’t look after him any longer, he left him in the care of someone else. The situation of our seriously ill Mbya student changed, too. We brought him a plate of food—provided weekly to his community by two foundations and a volunteer cook—that gave him energy to stand up and climb into our car. At the hospital, when we could no longer stay with him, we left money for gas and food with the Mbya school teacher’s husband, who remained until the boy recovered. Yet, we’re not at all touting ourselves and our colleagues to be the “good Samaritans of Paraguay.” Our outreach is the result of teamwork, in which you play a critical role. It is your support that enabled us to be at this boy’s community that day and that brings us to multiple unreached communities each week. Of course, this outreach is possible because of Christ, who challenges his hearers to “go and do likewise.”       

Giving thanks for your being on our team,

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli Revett   

A Mbya chief's special needs son, who had previously been using our old baby stroller, celebrated receiving a mobile chair last month from our colleague.