March in Paraguay

We were excited to be in Paraguay for two months. Initially, that sounds like a long time, but it goes by very quickly. We were happy with how things went this year, and we look forward to the possibility of being there again next year. Below is a picture of Asuncion at night.

Marriages in the Church

If we were to simplify our work in Paraguay this year, we would mention marriage, evangelism, and encouragement. Marriages are a primary foundation of any congregation. Without strong marriages and families, future generations falter and leadership fades. We have already mentioned the young couples group in the previous report. We met with them on Sunday nights to study through some marriage material. We met with them five times during our time there. In the picture below, you can see the group as we gathered for the last time for a Paraguayan BBQ.

We also planned a marriage seminar and invited the three congregations in Asuncion. We asked each couple not only to attend, but to invite at least one other couple not in the church. The seminar was held at a local hotel. The hotel set up a great location for us.

The seminar had three lessons: how to be friends, how to fight fair, and how to dream together. These were designed to inform and remind everyone of the best practices in marriage. It was not an event for couples in crisis. It was intended to be an informative date night. The hotel restaurant provided a pasta buffet for everyone.

We prepared the event for twenty-five couples. We had twenty-four signed up, but at the last minute, a few couldn’t make it. Our final count was twenty couples, with four of those being visitors. All the comments were very positive. It was simple, elegant, and informative. Some of the visitors expressed interest in coming to the young couples group and attending services. We already have plans to meet up with some of the visitors that came next time we are in Paraguay, Lord willing. Please pray for the marriages in the church and those contacts that were made.

Finishing Strong

In our last report, I mentioned the church retreat. During that retreat, we divided into groups for the BIble study. That was received well, so we continued that practice in our Sunday Bible studies after the retreat. In the picture below, you can see two of the three groups from one of our Sunday Bible studies. I also continued to help with preaching, teaching, and leading singing with the church plant in Mariano.

Our daughter Vivian joined us for our last week. She wanted to celebrate her twenty-first birthday in Paraguay with us. We got to celebrate with the people she knew from her childhood with a big Paraguayan-style BBQ.

Looking Forward

We are currently back in Florida with the Palm Beach Lakes church of Christ, making preparations for our trek out west to Salmon, ID. We will be there for about seven months or until the weather chases us down out of the mountains. Please pray for safe travels, clear weather, and no flat tires.