Dear Friends,
Matthew 28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Greetings from Paraguay, land of lace and harps. We hope this letter finds you rejoicing in the many blessings of our Heavenly Father.
Thank you very much for your prayers for us in our new ministry with the New Tribes Mission mobilization department, which involves challenging the National Churches here in Paraguay to become more involved in reaching Tribal People for Christ and also assisting the local churches in training, equipping, and sending Paraguayan missionaries to plant churches among the unreached in Paraguay and around the world.
Please pray for this team from the Rio Grande Bible Institute which is located in Texas.
They are coming to spend a week among the Pai Tavytera Tribe this coming May. They plan to help us with several projects including a cement floor for our little church out at the Indian Colony.. We are really excited!
Recently, Samuel was able to make a trip along with our co-worker, Mike Goddard to visit our little Church out at the Indian Colony where we worked during our last two terms.
We weren’t sure what they would find, since we have been in the U.S.A. for the last two years. What a joy it was to find that the group of faithful Tribal believers have continued meeting together to worship God and to study the Bible and they even saved from the little that they have to buy paint and they painted the little church building.
Matthew 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
The weekly ladies Bible study group, which Tracy started several years ago had become discouraged after we left and stopped meeting for awhile, but then God spoke to the heart of Mamila, who had helped Tracy for so long with the teaching and she encouraged the other ladies to begin meeting together again on Saturdays to study God’s word and Pray together. How exciting to see how God has been working in the hearts and lives of the believers in our absence!
This is Justino. He is holding in his hand a little audio bible which missionary Mike Goddard just presented to him. The only reason that you cannot see on his face the excitement and joy that he is feeling is because in his culture, they do not want to show their teeth by smiling for a picture.
Justino is one of the faithful believers from our little Church at the Indian Colony where we ministered for several years.
Over the years several missionaries (including Samuel) have tried to teach Justino how to read without success. Up until now, Justino has had to rely on his wife and children to read the Bible to him.
Recently Samuel and our new co-worker, Mike Goddard, went to visit the Indian Colony and were able to give Justino this little piece of new technology which is an audio Bible in the Guarani language.
Now Justino can listen to the Bible all he wants and doesn’t have to wait until someone has time to read to him. He is so excited and thankful to God for supplying this answer to his prayers!
News from NTM Paraguay:“New Tribes Mission missionaries here in Paraguay are evaluating whether to begin a church planting ministry among the Guarani Nandeva people. A group of our missionaries recently went and visited several Guarani Nandeva communities and were very encouraged. Please pray for wisdom for our leadership team and the missionaries who are evaluating the information gathered, discussing options and seeking God’s will about ministry among the Guarani Nandeva people.” http://usa.ntm.org/field-news/a-successful-visit
More news from NTM Paraguay: http://usa.ntm.org/field-news/pai-prayers-answered “The Tribal church at one of the Indian Colonies (many of you will remember this work that we opened up several years ago along with another missionary family, Steve & Sarah Holmes) has a new brick building to meet in, and a group of Paraguayan youths got a closer look at church planting among remote people groups. The believers had been praying for a brick building for years, and putting aside money from their weekly offerings, but were still far short of what they would need. Our coworkers, Mike and Trisha Goddard launched out by faith with the project. They wrote, “The Lord supplied $5,065 toward the building materials and 16 volunteers to get the majority of the project finished in a three-week period.” The Tribal believers helped with construction, and stepped in to finish up after the short-term team left. Thank God for His provision for the Pai church. Pray that the young people who went to help will grow in their understanding of God’s work among unreached people groups and in their desire to serve Him.”
(pictured is our new co-worker, Mike Goddard handing over the keys to the new church building to one of the Tribal believers)
Thank you VERY much for your prayers, encouragement and support! We are so grateful for your partnership! You are an important part of what God is doing in reaching Tribal People for Christ.
“For we are laborers together with God.” 1 Cor. 3:9
In Christ’s Service,
Samuel, Tracy and family
