Evidence for Immanuel

Dear Friends and Family:

On a recent return visit to Paraguay’s rough border town, Pedro Juan Caballero, a Christian school principal shared a testimony that shows the power of Christian education.  One of his elementary students was the daughter of a known drug-trafficking family.  After picking her up from school, her parents noticed that two men on a motorcycle were following them, which is an ominous sign in a city where mafia-style hits regularly occur.  As the motorcycle made every turn they made, the parents tried to conceal the situation from their daughter by discussing what they should do in Guarani.  To their surprise, the daughter interjected: “I know what we need to do; we need to pray."  Right there in the car, she lifted her hands and prayed, just like she had learned in school.  At the next intersection, the motorcycle turned on another street.  So powerful was this experience that a number of the family members later gave their lives to Christ and left the drug-trafficking industry.

Pray for Margarita’s 2016 homeroom class—the New Horizon School’s 4^th graduating class—as they start a new stage in life.

Education plays a vital role in Paraguay’s recovery from a repressive, four-decade dictatorship and the nation’s former status as the poorest in South America.  Christian education allows this recovery to proceed in a manner that teaches Paraguay’s future leaders of their—as well as their neighbors’—invaluable worth as created in the image of a loving God. Thank you for participating in this transformation through your support and prayers for Margarita and me, as we serve with Paraguayans in educational ministry.

Margarita and I also thank you for donating toward making our house “liveable.”  We’re applying for grants for funding to finish the rest of the construction after we move in.  Please pray for our house.

Even though we are now on summer break, it doesn’t entirely feel like a break.  While visiting Pedro Juan we organized a teacher training for local Christian schools.  From there we traveled to another town to meet with a pastor who will help us coordinate evangelism in northern Paraguay.  Furthermore, we’re studying the Gospel of Mark in Guarani at the Cerritos church plant.  Please pray for our summer activities as well as for a trip we’ll take in January to southeastern Paraguay.  Thank you for praying for Margarita and the baby. They both are well, and we eagerly await Gabrielli’s birth in March. 

The phrase “a decree went out from Caesar Augustus” in the Gospel of Luke shows the place of Christ’s birth in recorded history. Christ’s coming into this world is not just written on paper, but also on human hearts.  Christ followers, like those who work in education, contribute to the transformation of societies.  Individuals caught up in destructive lifestyles, like drug-trafficking, find new life through believing in Christ.  God is still with us indeed, and is very much at work.

Merry Christmas!

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli

What Happened at a Fake Police Checkpoint

Dear Friends and Family:

The police once stopped me for what seemed to my Paraguayan passenger and me as a fake checkpoint.  I promptly presented my registration and international driving permit, the likes of which the officer had not seen before.  The permit included the text of the 1949 United Nations agreement that allowed for my U.S. license to be valid in Paraguay.  According to him, I had to pay a fine because even though Paraguay was part of the U.N. agreement, his town wasn’t.  Not knowing how to reason with the official, I replied in Guarani: “Ipora la kuatia, che ra’a.  Ndajapoi mba’eve vai” (“The paper’s good, my friend.  I’m not doing anything wrong”).  He stared at me for a moment, and then smiled.  Thanks to God and to a little bit of Guarani I was freed me from an unpleasant situation.

Services in Cerritos take place under a mango tree.

I’m a little ashamed that after 8 years in Paraguay I can only say a few phrases in Guarani, which is the Paraguayans’ “heart language.” I am thankful for an opportunity that might change this by the end of January.  After classes at the New Horizon School end in early December, every Tuesday afternoon I will go to the “Cerritos” church plant site about 1 1/2 hours away to help local leaders with a Guarani-only discipleship, utilizing an audio Bible given to me by SIM.  Pray for safe travel, language acquisition, and for new followers of Christ.

Two weeks ago Ana and Antoine learned that they will soon have a little sister.   Ana is excited; though, Antoine seems reluctant to give up his status as the baby in the family.   The child’s name is “Gabrielli Ester.”  Margarita has liked “Gabrielli” ever since she saw it on the side of a Brazilian tractor-trailer.  We chose “Ester” because her birthday will be near the Jewish holiday of Purim.  Join us in giving thanks for her life as well as for Margarita’s health.

We're thankful for Antoine's 2 years of life.

Last weekend’s Ministry of Evangelism and Missions event in the city of Mariano Roque Alonso resulted in a few decisions for Christ and a couple of families beginning to attend the local church.  Likewise, about 10 inmates made decisions for Christ at the evangelistic service in the Esperanza Prison.  We thank God for his work and you for your prayers.  

As much as Margarita and I give thanks for the privilege to serve in Paraguay, a more humbling reason for joy is that our names “are written in heaven.”  Pray that many more people, not just here in Paraguay, but everywhere, will experience this gratitude for the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and Gabrielli

*Our summer project to complete the first part of house construction is on stand-by due to a $2,000 shortfall, which would make the house “livable.”  Pray for the construction to be completed soon.  If you are able, please prayerfully consider making a Christmas donation of any amount to www.uwm.org/missionaries/tim-revett to help us with the expenses.

**P.S.:  Remember seasons are opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, and that's why there is so much talk about "summer" in our update.

Immediate Prayer Request

Dear Family and Friends:

6-year-old “Veronica’s” constant drowsiness and inability to concentrate in class concerned her teachers.  They referred her to Margarita for learning disability testing.  Margarita suspected Veronica to be underweight and urged an immediate visit to a pediatrician, but for two months her mother neglected to comply. Margarita, however, kept insisting.  Veronica finally saw a doctor and was diagnosed with serious malnutrition.  Veronica now regularly sees Margarita as well as a pediatrician and a nutritionist.  She’s gaining weight and improving academically.  Please give thanks to God for his work not only in Veronica’s life but also in Margarita’s 22 other elementary students who are overcoming obstacles to learning. 

Veronica hard at work

As the Paraguayan school year nears its final month, Margarita and I finalize reports and grades, which cause us to reflect on all that’s happened over the year at the New Horizon School.  During my time serving in the chaplaincy I’m grateful for having been able to see many students become more serious about their spiritual walk.  Some made decisions to follow Christ for the first time.  A few teenagers, who previously declared themselves as atheists, are now giving belief in God a chance and attending the Fuente de Vida Church.  Continue to pray for the spiritual formation of the students and youth with whom we work.

Last month we requested prayer for an outreach event in the city of Mariano Roque Alsonso.  Even though there was a small turn out, its setting in a public plaza enabled the message of hope and transformation through faith in Jesus to be heard by numerous attentive neighbors and bystanders.  The local church leader later commented that the event had stirred up a spiritual “hornet's nest,” as there has since been a lot of buzz and questions in the community about the church’s renewed activity.  Please pray again for the city of Mariano Roque Alonso as we conduct another outreach event there this Saturday (October 22nd).  

This month we celebrated Margarita’s birthday.  She and the baby are doing very well.  By the next update you may find out what the child’s gender is.  Additionally, by the next update Antoine will have turned two.  He’s dizzyingly active and very talkative.  Interestingly enough, he prefers English, unlike his sister, who prefers to speak mainly Spanish.

Antoine watches as Ana presents a Bible verse with a Sunday school class at a church we recently visited.

Through your prayers and support for our nearly decade of service in Paraguay, you reach out to students like Veronica, to youth like the former atheists, and to cities like Mariano Roque Alonso.  Through you and by his power, thus far the Lord has helped us, which is a promise for anyone who chooses to take refuge in him.

Sincerely,

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and...

Some Shocking News, and then Really Exciting News

Dear Friends and Family:

While Officer Riquelme waited for his wife in front of the school where she worked, two individuals passed by on a motorcycle and opened fire on him.  He was shot twice, but fired back, hitting one of the assailants in the head.  The other escaped on foot. As if that wasn’t enough violence for one city in one day, in the evening there was a bombing at a radio station.  This occurred last Friday in the Paraguayan border town of Pedro Juan Caballero where three visiting pastors and I taught a week-long seminary session for pastors and church leaders.

Seminary Class in Pedro Juan

Despite the epidemic of violence in “Pedro Juan,” locals boast that it is a thriving city where God is at work.  Most of its streets are paved and there are a very few shantytown areas, making Pedro Juan appear more developed than other Paraguayan cities.  It also has about 75 evangelical churches, which is an impressive number for Paraguay.  Since Pedro Juan is a full day’s drive to the nearest seminary, many pastors there don’t receive biblical training.  Unhealthy doctrines have infiltrated churches and created divisions. 

Pray for the churches in Pedro Juan Caballero to be united as they share the message of reconciliation in their violence-stricken city.  Praise God for working through Pastors Gil Lain, Ted Gross and Fredy Pavez to equip 27 church leaders and share the gospel with 200 teenagers there. Additionally, please pray for a good turn-out and effective follow up for an evangelistic event that Margarita and I are leading in the city of Mariano Roque Alonso on September 17th (tomorrow). 

Before I left for Pedro Juan, we celebrated Ana’s 5^th birthday.  There were actually three celebrations: with her new classmates at Asuncion Christian Academy, with her family, and with her former classmates at the New Horizon School.  At the latter party, her attention-starved little brother drew a roomful of laughter when he managed to sneak up to the cake and blow out the candle before Ana could do so.

Prior to Ana’s birthday, and just as Margarita and I were feeling confident in our ability to raise two children, it was confirmed that we now have our third child on the way.  Join with us in giving thanks for new life, and please keep our family in your prayers.
 

Yours truly,           

Tim, Margarita, Ana, Antoine and…

Happy Friendship Day (late)!

Dear Family and Friends: 

One missiologist considers a short-term mission trip successful when those who travel can say, “We did not ‘go on a mission trip,’ but we visited family members, brothers and sisters we had not met or had not seen for a very long time.” Through the love that Christ’s followers show for one another, whether at the neighborhood church or across cultures and international borders, others will catch of glimpse of God’s love for them.

Most of the Montavilla short-term mission team who came to Paraguay last month from Portland, OR were high school students who left their home culture and comfort zone for the first time.  We had a full week of activities planned, but as anyone who’s spent time in Latin America knows, plans change.  While Montavilla was here, plans changed a lot.  But the team members were amazingly flexible, allowing themselves to be taken from one place to another.  On one occasion the only mother on the team was asked without notice to give her testimony to a group of local mothers.  A few moments later, some of them prayed to accept Christ, guided by the translator, who was a Montavilla youth.

The team painted one public school and gave presentations to hundreds of students.  They connected with the local youth between the presentations and while playing soccer at the church in evenings.  During the last few days of work they traveled on bumpy, un-cleared roads to arrive at church plant sites in rural villages.  By the end of their trip, the team had co-labored with and encouraged two youth groups, two church plants, three local churches and one children’s ministry.

This past week Ana started kindergarten at Asunción Christian Academy.  Her new school follows a U.S. educational program and English is spoken there all day. We are thankful for your support, which allows for Ana to receive a quality education from the mission field.

Classes also started back at the public school painted by the Montavilla youth and a local church.  As the students daily see the new appearance of their school, they see a reminder of the message that if anyone is in Christ, the old has gone and the new is here.

Happy Paraguayan Friendship Day (July 31st)!

Tim, Margarita, Ana and Antoine

For the Young at Heart

Dear Family and Friends:

A recent census reported Paraguay as the youngest nation in South America with 75% of the population under 40 years of age (DGEEC, 2013).  This not only highlights the importance of Christian schools and youth ministry in Paraguay, but also identifies Tim and Margarita’s ministry target group.  Your prayers and support enable Tim and Margarita to disciple hundreds of youth and young adults each week through educational ministry, Bible studies for young incarcerated men, youth ministry for teens and college students, children’s Sunday school, a home group for young adult couples, and evangelism for countless additional youth.  Thank you for standing with us, and continue to pray for this emerging generation of Christ-following leaders in Paraguay.

  

Margarita with her senior class at the New Horizon School.

From the three previous evangelistic events we organized at the Siloe Church, a group of young “missionaries” emerged.  In June, the Siloe youth, as well as two other youth groups, helped carry out outreach at another church in the city of Ñemby.  Nearly a hundred people heard the gospel with a few making decisions for Christ.  A highlight of the event was watching these youth accepting the challenge to leave their homes to share the gospel in another area. One young man, Richar, who is Tim’s former student, overcame nervousness to give his testimony for the first time in public.  Pray for us to find more opportunities for youth to be active in ministry.  

Ana was wrapped up in toilet paper by Richar and a youth leader, Juan Carlos, for a game during the children’s time.

June has been a very busy month for us.  In addition to the preparation for the Ñemby event, it was the end of the semester, which meant that Tim finalized his students’ grades and Margarita wrote reports on her students’ progress in the face of learning disabilities.  We were also preparing for a visit from the youth group from Montavilla Baptist Church in Portland, OR.  During their week in Paraguay, they will help three churches build up their children’s and youth ministries.  The group will additionally work with two church plants.  Two of Tim’s students will help with translation for the first time, and local youth groups will accompany the mission team.  Pray for safe travels, good weather, and for God to reach many people through Montavilla this week.   

Antoine fixed his attention on the instruments during the worship. 

*You can see the video of him drumming on our Facebook pages.

We always thank God for all of these Paraguayan youth who are becoming local missionaries, and ask that you continually mention them in your prayers.  Only he knows where they might be serving in the future.  Our hope is that many, many more will respond to Jesus, who calls to everyone, saying “Come to me." 

Happy Independence Day!

Tim, Margarita, Ana and Antoine 

A Newborn Child Reminds Us

Dear Family and Friends:

Pastor Eligio and his wife, Cynthia, endured three miscarriages and the death of one newborn child prior to the birth of their son, Elías Josue (for whom many of you prayed) last week.  In a sad, yet, faith-filled message, Pastor Eligio informed us of Elías’ death, stating “He is now in a better place.  He accomplished his mission, but we who remain haven’t.  Continue praying for those who remain.”  Please pray for Pastor Eligio and Cynthia as they mourn the loss of their fifth child.

Eligio and Cynthia:  Two of the strongest people we know

Even though infant mortality in Paraguay has been cut in half in recent decades, the nation still holds the second-highest rate in South America (Ultima Hora, 2015).  UNICEF (2013) reported that 65% of Paraguayan newborn deaths are preventable.  Lack of access to and maintenance of well-equipped, sanitary facilities providing pre-natal and neonatal care by well-trained, available personnel stands among the chief contributing factors.  The insidious issue of corruption is also undoubtedly connected.  Margarita and I know too many families that have endured preventable newborn tragedies.  In fact, problematic childbirths contributed to many of the learning disabilities among the students with whom Margarita works.  Pray that Paraguay’s leaders will care for mothers and newborns, especially in poor urban areas and among rural native populations.

The New Horizon School students continue to show remarkable talent.  One of Tim’s former students now teaches elementary English at the school and regularly serves as a translator for visiting short-term missionaries.  Another former student will enter Grace College in Indiana next fall on a scholarship. Tim’s current students received high scores on their interviews with native English speakers.  English is a skill that will open educational and employment doors for them.  Furthermore, through chaplaincy, Tim provides spiritual support for them as they endure many challenges at home.  Please keep the students as well as their families in your prayers.   

Tim and Ana

Earlier this month we carried out the third outreach event at the Siloe Church.  About thirty youth showed up for fun activities and music.  They heard the testimony from a youth leader who remained strong in a struggling church.  They also heard the gospel along with the challenges to pray more for their community and serve more faithfully in their local church.  Last week we visited a church in the city of Luque, where we saw the need for a new round of outreach events, perhaps starting next month.  Pray for us as we visit churches to form teams to serve in needy areas.  

Elías Josue reminded a mourning congregation last week of Jesus’ teaching that the kingdom of God belongs not only to the little children, but also to anyone who believes in him with the faith of a child.  Right before the service’s invitation was given, a young man, for whom the church had been long praying, walked in.  We’re not sure how he responded, but we know that tragedy and death can strangely bring salvation and freedom.  Fallen soldiers remind us of this on Memorial Day, as does Jesus’ death and resurrection.  

Happy Memorial Day!

Tim, Margarita, Ana and Antoine

Margarita and Antoine