STARTING THIS SATURDAY – 1 week missions trip from May 26-June 2!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

(1) ACERCATE short term missions trip to the Pai tribe
(2) The preparations for the trip
(3) For Mike and Samuel, who will be teaching Ephesians in the Pai church during that week.
(4) For the 5 students from Rio Grande Bible Institute in Texas, who are on the ACERCATE trip
(5) For the leaders: Mike and Trisha Goddard and Samuel Recalde
(6) Good health
(7) Good weather

In this monthly update:
Missions Conference in Cordoba, Argentina
Video Project
Short-term Missions Trip in May

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Missions Conference in Cordoba, Argentina

During Easter break, Mike was extended an invitation to represent the work of NTM in a missions conference in Cordoba, Argentina.  Discussion took place over the organization of a large youth missions rally for 2014.

It was a tremendous encouragement to see God raising up a multitude of Latin young people from countries such as Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and many other nationalities that were present.

Video Project

2 weeks of the month of April were dedicated to filming and photographing the ongoing ministries through NTM Paraguay. A partner organization in Paraguay generously donated the time of a professional videographer to work with Mike.

The multimedia team covered 2,600 kilometers (1,615 miles) of Paraguay, visited 4 tribes, and documented the multifaceted, cross-cultural ministry of tribal church planting in Paraguay.  Mike was pleased to donate his photography skills as well.

Trisha and the children stayed for a week with the church planting team among the Pai, where Mike’s brother, sister, and cousin work. She helped “hold down the fort” while the Team was busy teaching a week-long Bible study on the book of Romans.

Short-term Missions trip in May

Mike and his coworker Samuel will be leading a team of 5 for a short-term mission’s trip among the Pai Tavytera tribal people. The goal of the trip is to provide a cross-cultural experience for the 5 team members, and they will be doing a work project for the Pai church. Mike and Samuel also plan to teach a Bible course in the Pai church. Trisha and the children will be going along, and they will be staying at the guest house to serve the team by preparing meals and will continue to do their normal homeschooling materials. This trip will be a week-long at the end of May. Please be praying for the team, the leaders, and the Pai church.

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.   Romans 15:13

Thank you for praying and supporting the Goddard family as they minister in Paraguay!

Mike & Trisha Goddard

Praise:

1. For the opportunity to celebrate Christmas with Mike’s siblings and their families.
2. For Mike’s parents, who came to visit their children and grandchildren in Paraguay for 3 weeks.

Prayer Requests:

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 wisdom for Mike and Trisha as they serve in the different responsibilities that they are responsible for.
4. For Trisha, who is homeschooling Michael, Lea, and Kaleb.
5. For Mike & Trisha as they lead the Latin short term mission trip called ACERCATE. to the Pai and oversee the building of the Pai church.
6. For good health.
7. For safety in travels to the Chaco and the East side of Paraguay

I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from?  My help comes from the LORD , the Maker of heaven and earth.  He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.  The LORD watches over you- the LORD is your shade at your right hand;  the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.  The LORD will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life;  the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. Psalms 121

Praise:

1. For the opportunity to serve the Paraguayan Christian community.
2. For the ACERCATE 2012 project that is now in full swing >> building a church for the Pai believers in a tribal location.
3. For Michael, Lea, and Kaleb, who are finishing up their school year at the Spanish Christian school mid- Nov and looking forward to being homeschooled with mom.

Prayer Requests:

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 wisdom for Mike and Trisha as they serve in the different responsibilities that they are responsible for.
4. For Trisha, who will be homeschooling their 3 children. Lord-willing, she is hoping to get 3-4 weeks of school in before the 2^nd week of December and start again end of February.
5. For Mike & Trisha as they lead 2 short term mission trips (ACERCATE) for 2 weeks each with approx. 12 Latin youth (end of January and beginning of February). These 2 teams will have a part in building a church for the Pai tribal people and see cross-cultural missions first-hand.
6. For good health.
7. For safety in travels.

From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name is to be praised. The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,  Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! Psalms 113:3-6

Building Project and 2 Short Term Missions Trips

The planning phase for the building project of Iglesia Nueva Cristiana, is in full swing! This is the Pai Tavytera church founded by a New Tribes Mission church planting team starting in 1996. After a lengthy period of pre-evangelism, a church was finally born in 2000 and has now grown into approximately 100 members.

The small property where the NTM Team built their houses was named “Light” in the Guarani language. Truly light has shown in the midst of darkness in this corner of Paraguay as this small group of believers grow in maturity and seek to impact their sphere of influence with the Light of Jesus Christ!

For 2 weeks in January and 2 weeks in February, we are combining this building project with the short-term missions program we lead called Acércate. We are planning for two separate work teams originating primarily from the capital of Paraguay and will be completely in Spanish. Many lives have been challenged into full time Christian work through these types of short-term missions trips. The cost of the project is as follows:

• Church building: $7,500 USD

• Cost per person for the two-week trip: $100 USD

Please pray with us and the Pai Tavytera church, Iglesia Nueva Cristiana, as we raise funds for this building project and trust God to bring the right young people as volunteer workers.

If you would like to have a part in Acércate 2012, you can visit our website.  Be sure to indicate that this is a one-time designated gift.

Neat Experience in the Southern City of Encarnacion

This month, we had a neat experience when visiting a small church in the southern city of Encarnacion. We shared with their youth group and adults what God says about cross-cultural ministries. Their response was tremendous and expressed desire to support a Paraguayan church planter! They also put us up in a hotel, treated us out to dinner, and gave us a tour of their city. What a joy to experience interdependency in ministry!

While in southern Paraguay, we took advantage of the opportunity to visit the ancient Jesuit ruins from over 300 years ago! We also stopped in for a quick visit with a missionary family working with the Mbya tribe.

4 Teaching Sessions on how to implement a Missions Program

The missions mobilization manual that Mike developed for the churches associated with an organization called FEMIPA is slowly making progress. With each step forward, there are overwhelming challenges to overcome.

In November, Mike will be providing 4 training sessions and discussions on how to implement a missions program within strategic churches.

Please continue to pray for us and with us as minds are retrained to think cross-culturally.

Thank you for your prayers and support which make it possible for us to serve on a full-time basis here in Paraguay.

Download pdf format of our Goddard Grapevine (Oct. 2011) and Praise & Prayer (Nov. 2011) here >> Goddard Grapevine – October 2011 (pdf format)

MINISTRY // CHILDREN // YOU CAN BE INVOLVED

MINISTRY NEWS

A tremendous blessing from the first Missions Conference in our church here in Asuncion was that it brought the missionaries closer together in unity. Recently after church, the six missionary families had dinner together and discussed ways that we can continue to encourage our church in missions throughout this year and the next.

Each month we invite the Christian community to NTM Paraguay’s Acercate meeting. This has been a tremendous opportunity to build relationships and share about tribal missions around the world!

Mike continues to meet with the members of a Paraguayan Mission Board called FEMIPA. Currently, they are working their way together through the Mobilization Manual that Mike put together for such an occasion. The objective is to assist FEMIPA to equip their church association to handle both local and cross-cultural ministries.

The Pai Tavytera church where Mike’s brother and sister are working, have been praying about a new church building. FEMIPA has adopted the church project, and therefore, several short-term missions trips are being planned for early 2012, to build a church building and to see young people challenged into cross-cultural ministries!

Mike has 2 more teaching sessions (last weekend of October and last weekend of November) to teach the church leaders of an association called CEMP. Out of 68 Bible lessons, he has taught through 12! When offered the option of moving rapidly toward the end, they said “No! We want to savor all the truths we are learning from the book of Genesis!”

Trisha recently had brightly colored t-shirts made; each designed with a missions challenge designed to show the need for more missionaries among tribal people.

MICHAEL, LEA, AND KALEB

Michael continues to plug away at learning different languages and doing really well. He is happy that they recently started their Soccer tournament at school. He, Lea, and Kaleb are on the “Blue Shark” team! When his team didn’t win, he said, “That’s alright, we did our best and had lots of fun.”

Right now in school, Lea is learning cursive writing and has been practicing a lot. She is praying that mommy will be her teacher next year, because she says “Mom is the best teacher and doing school with her is easy!”

Kaleb loves using the different languages that he knows and especially mixing them together to make new words. He has definitely outgrown his shyness. He now enjoys talking away, being his teachers’ helper, and motivating other classmates in their schoolwork.

YOU CAN GET INVOLVED!!

Would you like to sponsor a Paraguayan youth to be a part of building the Pai Tavytera church? The estimated cost per person for one week is $100. This includes transportation from Asuncion and food. Any remaining funds will be given as an offering toward the building project.

Thank you for your prayers and support which make it possible for us to serve on a full-time basis here in Paraguay.

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

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.