Read in this monthly Goddard Grapevine:

(1) 9 months of Bible teaching in Caaguazu

(2) Testimonies of Rural Church Leaders

(3) Intercultural Missions Conference

(4) Children Update

(5) Prayer Requests

9 Months of Bible Teaching

November concluded 9 months of Bible teaching to rural church leaders. One man gave testimony saying, “I’ve been saved for 20 years, but finally I feel like I’m getting to know God! Mike has helped us establish a firm foundation in our lives; that foundation is Christ!”

The church leaders expressed their gratitude to each of the Bible teachers by giving a printed certificate.

Trisha’s service in the kitchen alongside the other cooks, was also recognized through a certificate. Her experiences will be very helpful as she cooks for the 2 work teams in January and February 2012.

Testimonies of rural church leaders from the 9 month Bible teaching:

“The stories of Adam and Eve and about the Church had become common to me until this year. I’m understanding things I had never known.”  – Alcides

“I have always been extremely timid and backward, but God’s Word has given me tremendous confidence!” – Manuel

“Mike wrote on the white board about who we were before salvation and who we are now in Christ. All we have to do is use the tools God has given us to live in holiness!” – Saul

Intercultural Missions Conference

A Paraguayan organization called LETRA Paraguay and NTM put together an intercultural missions conference where tribal church leaders, national missionaries and expatriate missionaries were able to fellowship together and learn from one another’s experiences and ministries. There were 11 different ministries present, numerous churches, and 4 tribal groups from both Paraguay and Argentina.

Mike oversaw the organization and logistics of the conference while Trisha handled the welcome table and NTM’s display table. It was encouraging to see so many people working together toward a common objective: to see that the Gospel is preached and lived out among the least-reached people groups of Paraguay.

Children Update

Michael, Lea, and Kaleb have finished their school year in a Paraguayan Christian School and are now homeschooling.

This next year, we will be homeschooling. The kids are very excited to have mom as a teacher again and enjoy having their own assignment books to “check” of the assignments that they have accomplisted during the day.

Michael is finishing his 2nd grade English Abeka books and will begin 3rd grade soon.  Lea is finishing her 1st grade English Abeka books and will begin 2nd grade soon. Kaleb is continuing his Kindergarten English Abeka books.

Their Spanish has greatly improved over the year and often speak it in the home. We praise the Lord for our children, who have learned Spanish as well as tidbits of Guarani and Portuguese. In fact, this next  2 1/2 weeks, we will be having a Brazilian friend stay with us.

Prayer Requests

(1) to provide our children a balanced life-style in both education and ministry.

(2) wisdom as we raise our children to walk in righteousness in their faith in Jesus Christ.

(3) wisdom as we lead two Latin missions teams to build a church building with the Pai Tavytera

(4) wisdom as we live out Christ in so many contexts and cultures on a daily basis. May His Church be built up and engage efficiently in worldwide missions!

Download a printable version here: Goddard Grapevine – November 2011

Check out our new family photos here >> Goddard family 2011

1. For Mike, who had the opportunity to teach in 3 different churches the 12 hour module course on Evangelism and Discipleship. He really enjoyed teaching and interacting with the believers in each class.
2. For the 1st missions conference at the Goddard’s Paraguayan church the last weekend of August. It was a wonderful missions-focused weekend!
3. For a missionary couple who was willing to bring 24 Spanish “The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus” books to Paraguay with them for NTM’s Resource Dept.
4. For the blessing of a Paraguayan youth, who is the Goddards’ friend. The Goddards went to get a bike for Lea, but this youth worked at the store and gave them a tremendous discount enabling them to buy a bike for Kaleb too!
5. For the recent opportunity to share their lives and testimonies with 2 Paraguayan friends, who needed encouragement and a listening ear.

Prayer Requests:

1. Wisdom and guidance from the Lord as they raise their children and train them to walk in truth.
2. For Michael, Lea, and Kaleb, as they continue studying at the Paraguayan Christian school and that they will be godly examples to their classmates. Their school year ends in November.
3. For good health.
4. For their lives to reflect Christ and that all they do will honor and glorify Him.
5. For Mike, who is traveling by bus with a group to the Chaco for the day on Sept. 3.
6. For Mike as he speaks at a church on Sept. 4.
7. For the ACERCATE mission-focused meeting overseen by Mike on Sept 6.
8. For Mike, as he attends an Ache Pastors get-together/meeting on Sept. 9 & 10.
9. For Mike as he speaks at our church on Sept. 11.
10. For Mike as he speaks to a youth group on Sept. 17.
11. For Mike who will be teaching Chronological Bible classes the end of this month in a town 2 ½ hours outside of Asuncion.
12. For Mike as he looks into the possibility of planning a trip to the training center in Bolivia sometime in September or October.
13. For Trisha as she continues to oversee the Spanish Resource dept within NTM and looks into affordable ways to bring Spanish resources from the USA to Paraguay.
14. For the months of October and November as they begin to fill up with ministry opportunities and different trips.
15. For Mike as he begins the preparations and scheduling for a Latin Mobilization conference in Brazil for April 2012.
16. For the ministry of assisting other NTM mobilization ministries in Latin America.
17. For full time coworkers in ENLACE.
18. For the Ache tribal church. They need teaching and discipleship in their heart language.
19. For LETRA Paraguay as they continue to translate the Bible in Ache.

In this month’s Goddard Grapevine newsletter, you can read about:

- Our Ministry

- Our Children

- Our Missionary Team continues to Grow

- Tribal Update: Ache, Angaite, and Sanapana

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>> Our Ministry

This year Mike continues to develop in greater detail a mobilization strategy designed specifically for the Paraguayan local church’s needs. The basic concept: disciple and train church-appointed Missions Promoters that can carry out an effective cross-cultural missions program in their fellowship. Another commitment this year is to teach and train church leaders to use Firm Foundations materials in Guarani.

Trisha continues to oversee the publicity and resource department – two crucial areas where additional energy is needed. Trisha also is a full-time wife and mother of three energetic children. Each night before tucking the children into bed, she will read a Bible story and brings practical application to their lives.

>> Our Children

Michael, Lea, and Kaleb are enjoying going to a Spanish-speaking Christian school. They are making lots of friends and continue to gain fluency in Spanish as well as a basic understanding of Guarani (national language of Paraguay) and Portuguese. Also, once a week, their children enjoy interacting with other MKs in a 2-hour-long Spanish program.

>> Our Missionary Team continues to Grow

Currently there are 5 couples and 4 singles studying Spanish and Paraguayan culture in our Equipping program. 3  additional couples and 1 single are also enroute for the purpose of meeting identified needs among the 17 tribal groups of Paraguay.

>>  Tribal Update

- ACHE: This month, Mike attended an Ache church building dedication ceremony in the village he grew up in. It was a great time of rejoicing with them, but also a heaviness as the local church is in the midst of a doctrinal struggle with the Pentecostal movement. After the ceremony, the church members called for a meeting with the visiting missionaries to make right any wrongs that may have happened in the past.  Please pray for the Ache church during these days.

- ANGAITE: This month, there was a spiritual revival in the Angaite church after having fasted and prayed for one week over 4 young people who were reportedly demon-possessed. Pray for the church during these challenging times.

– SANAPANA: This month, the Sanapana church received printed copies of the translated Bible portions available in their heart language. During the ceremony, the Sanapana were encouraged by the truth that God intensely desires to communicate with people and that He communicates through His Word and that His words are being made understandable to them. Continue to pray for the team working among the Sanapana as they translate God’s Word.

>> THANK YOU!

Thank you for your partnership in ministry. Each month we send out a brief summary of what we see God doing in and through our family. This would not be possible if it were not for people like you and your church standing behind us; providing a strong support network. God’s Word says that treasures are being stored up in Heaven for you and for us as we work together to build God’s Church among the nations.

Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your Team; and representing Christ in Paraguay.

In Christ’s Love,

Mike & Trisha Goddard

~ Praise

~ Personal Prayer Requests

~ Ministry Prayer Requests

Praise:

1. For Lea, who will be turning 6 this month.
2. That the Goddard children have recovered from chicken pox.
3. For the time with Trisha’s mom in January and that she was able to watch the Goddard children while Mike and Trisha went to Argentina.

Personal Prayer Requests:

1. For Mike and Trisha as they train up their children in the way of the Lord.
2. That Kaleb will understand the Gospel.
3. For Trisha, who is homeschooling Michael and Lea.
4. For Trisha, who Lord-willing will be taking an in-depth 30 hour course in Spanish this month with Nidia, a Paraguayan lady. Please also pray for Nidia’s salvation.
5. For good health.
6. For the Goddards as they look into buying airline tickets for their Home Assignment in the USA (end of August 2010 to early January 2011) and also for a vehicle to use during this time.

Ministry Prayer Requests:

1. For wisdom as Mike and Trisha plan out the 6 ½ months of ministry before their Home Assignment.
2. For Mike as he will be speaking at a camp on February 20^th.
3. For a tentative trip scheduled for the end of February to an Ache Pastors conference.
4. For a tentative trip planned to Brazil to visit and share at our training institutes in Brazil.
5. For Mike, who will be traveling out of the country in June to attend a conference.

Please read below for our latest e-mail newsletter!

4 DAY VACATION IN BRAZIL

In November, we were delighted at the opportunity for a brief vacation in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil organized and funded through the Christian Hospitality Network and very generous donors. The children took swimming lessons and had a blast in the game room. One of the highlights was a trip to the Iguazu Falls between Brazil and Argentina. We returned home rested and ready to tackle the year-end responsibilities.

MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES

Mike was invited to speak on “Animism in the Paraguayan culture” as training for a large group involved in evangelism and church planting in rural Paraguay.

Attendance for the monthly Acercate meetings has been encouraging.

Another invitation that Mike received in November was to teach a course on Narrative and Chronological Bible Teaching in a Bible Institute 2 hours from home. The students were 3 Ache, 2 Ava Guarani, and 1 Paraguayan.

KIDZ KORNER

Lea graduated from Kindergarten. She is also pictured in the above header with her best friends from school. Michael graduated from first grade. Next year, Trisha will be homeschooling the children.

Kaleb will often dress up as either Batman or Superman, drawing the smiles where ever he goes.

Michael Dean learned to play checkers from some Paraguayan Bible students and now just can’t get enough chess! He’s been teaching Lea and Kaleb how to play too. When no one is around, he’ll challenge himself to a game and always win!

THANKFUL HEARTS

Each year, a Paraguayan women’s association that cares for missionaries organizes a Christmas party and gives each missionary  a care package.

In December of each year, our mission board organizes an annual missions conference for 5 days.  We were blessed by a church group from Wisconsin.

LOOKING FORWARD to 2010

- Youth Missions Conference in Argentina

- Linda (Trisha’s mother) will be visiting us for a couple of weeks in January.

- Trisha will take an in-depth Spanish course starting in February.

- Mike will take part in a mobilization conference in Columbia.

- Home Assignment (Lord-willing, late August to early January 2011).

A Merry Christmas from Paraguay!

Mike & Trisha Goddard

Mike and Trisha praise the Lord for His faithfulness during their first 5 years of ministry together in Paraguay. Truly He is worthy to be served!

Mike has been very busy lately do to the Paraguayan church’s steady advance in the Great Commission. In the next 4 months, he has scheduled over 20 different church meetings, events, teaching seminars, and camps, where he enjoys challenging people to look beyond their borders to a world full of tribal people who have not yet heard even once the Good News of salvation in Christ Jesus.

Trisha loves taking care of her home and family, enjoys preparing a meal for any guest that stop by unannounced. She helps Mike by doing secretarial work and running errands downtown. Next year, she plans to home school Michael and Lea (starting in February 2010), so that they can travel more with Mike as well as be prepared for later in the year, when we will be in the USA for a few months to visit our support team and family during a Home Assignment.

Michael Dean loves people and recently asked: “When do I get to go visit my Ache tribal friends again? Because when I go back, they will know who I am and they will say, “Hola Michael!” For Michael, school isn’t easy, especially when he and Lea are trying to keep 4 languages straight. AMARILLO CAMPEÓN! The soccer tournament has begun at Michael and Lea’s school. They are on the yellow team, and Michael gets really excited when he makes a goal! 

Lea is an A+ student, and she can’t get enough of languages. She is our grammar and pronunciation cop and helps Mom and Michael to conjugate their Spanish verbs correctly. She loves going to the park on the weekends, and then afterwards, she begs daddy to stop by the local ice cream parlor to buy a ½ kilo of 3 different flavors for $2.40. The dulce de leche (caramel) flavor is her favorite. 

Kaleb is believed to be the cutest, little boy by all the Paraguayan ladies, and they try everything possible to get him to give kisses on both cheeks (a traditional greeting). Often he will accept a bribe of candy for the kisses.  Kaleb enjoys  riding his scooter and once he got it down, there was no stopping him from trying to go faster than his big brother and sister.

As our children grow older, we see each of them grasping truths from God’s Word and desiring to apply them to their lives. Michael loves to read the Bible during our story-time before bed. We are now on the life of King David.