Missionary Blogs The latest Christian mission news from around the world
This has been an exciting month for Mike in ministry with the invitation by two different rural church associations asking him to provide teaching and training for their outreach programs.
In both cases, the Guarani language has been the primary communication tool. Paraguayans are generally bilingual, speaking both Spanish and Guarani. This creates many complexities in evangelism and discipleship for the Paraguayans and thus the importance for practical equipping at the church level.
A ministry to the deaf in Paraguay… shared in the monthly meeting at NTM about how they are approaching Bible Translation and church planting among the 316,214 deaf in Paraguay.
An amazing ministry completely run by Paraguayan believers! If anyone is interested in more information, you can adopt this ministry by praying and giving through an organization called Letra Paraguay.
We have prayed in the past for an Ache girl named Rosalina who is deaf and have wondered how she will ever know Christ…
International Missions Conference 2012!
In July, the Mission Agencies in Paraguay hosted an international Missions Conference for the Southern Cone (Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, and Chile).
New Tribes Mission contributed by inviting a key speaker to talk about the centrality of the local church in tribal church planting.
Tribal church leaders…were present in the Conference to encourage and to experience the Latin missions movement. Mike’s brother Mark, accompanied Carlos, an Angaite church pastor and leader of a new intercultural association of tribal churches of Paraguay.
Hearts soared with excitement as he passionately shared his heart for the least –reached people groups of Paraguay!
Alcance Una Etnia means Reach One Tribe and is a program Mike introduced during the Conference as a practical way for Latin churches to adopt an unreached ethnic group to pray, give, and go and to ensure the presence of a mature local church that is proactively reaching their entire tribe.
The Tribal Hut… was an attraction for people at the Conference as a glimpse of what is involved in tribal church planting, including photos that showed different areas of tribal ministry. People have already asked that we set it up in their church for upcoming missions conferences!
Praise:
1. For the Southern Cone Missions Conference that took place in July here in Asuncion.
2. For the opportunity that Mike had to teach the book of Ephesians and about church government in Guarani to the Christian leaders in Caaguazu the last weekend of July.
3. For a refreshing time with their Paraguayan family, Ramon and Marciana Diaz. The Goddards were blessed in the time that they were able to spend with them!
4. For the 3 day Education camp that the Chaco Christian Academy is providing for the mks in mid-August.
5. For Trisha’s mom Linda, who is coming to visit us for 2 weeks the beginning of September.
Prayer:
1. Wisdom and guidance from the Lord as Mike & Trisha raise their children and train them to walk in truth.
2. For their lives to reflect Christ and that all they do will honor and glorify Him.
3. For Trisha, who is homeschooling Michael, Lea, and Kaleb.
4. Safety for the Goddards as they travel to the Chaco the 2nd weekend of August, where Michael, Lea, and Kaleb will participate in a 3 day Education camp.
5. For 2 Missions Conferences this month: (a.) the Goddards will be partipating in one from August 10-12 (b.) the Goddards are helping in planning, preparation, and participating in the 2nd missions conference in their Paraguayan home church RENUEVO from August 31-September 2.
6. For the Goddards and Recaldes (Mobilization team) and the different ministry projects this year.
…Mike is sharing for 10min at a Missions Conference on Monday evening.
…the missionaries from our Paraguayan church are getting together for a meal on Tuesday evening.
…Mike is sharing at a youth camp on Wednesday morning.
…Trisha has the opportunity to spend with missionary friends on Thursday evening to celebrate one of their birthdays!
…Homeschooling is going on Monday – Friday!
…Trisha is doing all the preparations necessary to start a Proverbs 31 Spanish Bible study with a group of ladies – starting July 23!
…playing catch up after the big Missions Conference last week! There are emails to answer, paperwork, ministry responsibilities, and definitely some family time to enjoy!
That is just a tidbit of what is happening this week! We thank you for praying for us!
Prayer Requests this week:
(1) For the big Missions Conference from Thursday night to Saturday evening.
(2) For all the preparations that we need to do over the next 3 1/2 days for the Missions Conference. Mike is overseeing a 2hr morning session on tribal missions, has 2 classes, and we will be in charge of NTM Paraguay’s display table and resources.
(3) For Trisha as she homeschools from Mon-Wed this week.
(4) For Gugui and Allison, dear friends who are getting married on Saturday afternoon.
June 22, 2012 – Completing 8 years of ministry in Paraguay!
Upon arrival to Paraguay in June 2004, we never imagined that today we would be in the ministry in which we find ourselves today. God has tremendously blessed us by granting ministry within a diversity of cultures and languages.
Our heartbeat is to see the Body of Christ working in unity, toward a common purpose within the vast complexities of diversity. Please don’t stop praying for us as we assist Paraguayans, foreigners, and tribal ethnic people to send, support, and coordinate church planting efforts in Paraguay.
