Wednesday, April 15, 2020

More Good News

Dear Family and Friends:

A non-Native family sat in front of their house watching vehicle after vehicle loaded with provisions drive into the neighboring impoverished Ava Guaraní community called Yvapovondy. This family was probably a little confused to see our car drive in nearly empty and then leave filled with boxes of food. A group of Christ-followers in Yvapovondy were so grateful for the overabundant donations from different sources that they contacted Margarita and me to deliver their excess food to two other impoverished Native communities. Give thanks to God for our Ava brothers and sisters.
The community chief and Cristian with some of the food donated by Yvapovondy
One young man in Yvapovondy named Cristian teaches the Scriptures to his neighbors and relatives. In order to support his ministry, I prayed and discussed Scripture with him each week, but the mandatory quarantine in response to COVID-19 now prevents our meetings. We continue the discipleship via telephone and have already gone over the books of James and Galatians. Pray that God will work through Cristian to impact his and other Native communities.

Two weeks ago Cristian and I visited four communities to assess needs. The quarantine has hit many Natives in Paraguay particularly hard. Most of the urban Ava and Mbya Guaraní are day-laborers, and since they can’t work, they don’t have the means to purchase food. We visited one Mbya community that doesn’t receive help from other sources, and we found out they hadn’t eaten for days. They were one of the recipients of Yvapovondy’s donations. Continue to pray for the Native communities around the Asunción metropolitan area.
Giving thanks to Ñandejara (Our Lord) for three large bags of chipa donated by a local Christian baker to an urban Native community during Easter week. 
Last week, Margarita spent a day teaching our children how to make a traditional Paraguayan bread known as “chipa” that is especially eaten during Easter week. I spent a few days making our yard more kid-friendly, which has proven to be a great blessing since—when not doing homework—our children spend most of the quarantine playing there. We give thanks for our health, but please keep our household and Paraguay in your prayers. Also, pray for our colleague who has a non-COVID 19 respiratory illness.
Gabrielli, Antoine and Ana having fun making chipa at home
Cristian and I discovered 55 families in four urban Native communities with dire need of food. Margarita and I gathered provisions for 24 families and, before delivering them, we prayed. Moments later Yvapovondy notified us of their donation for 20 families. Then, along the way, another ministry partner gave us food for 30 families. Not only were we able to deliver the provisions to the 55 families and had a surplus to help two other Native communities, but we also delivered the message that Jesus is the true bread who satisfies our deepest hungers. Give thanks for the promise that Jesus will never drive away whoever comes to him.

Happy Easter!

The Revett Family in Paraguay
Sharing about the Bread who gives life after delivering provisions

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