NTM - New Tribes Mission | Planting Tribal Churches

This past Saturday (5/23) a couple of the Hispanics from La Iglesia Bautista Betel went evangelizing in a very Hispanic apartment complex.  I came home a little discouraged as we distributed sacked lunches and tracts, invited them to church…but didn’t really get much further -conversation wise.  The next day 2 of the people from that apartment complex came to church…what an encouragement despite my lack of faith!  One of these (Carlos), made a profession of faith that day.  Pray for his growth and for both of these individual’s faithful attendance to the church.  Pray for others who are searching, as God is the one who stirs hearts and brings them to Himself.  Gracias!

For several months prior to choosing a country in which to serve, I had been praying that the Lord would direct me in that decision. It was this past November when Paraguay became the country where I would make plans to serve. The decision to serve in Paraguay was made almost spontaneously as it just kind of fell into place after my friend Jenna and I had discussed working together. That to say, about all I knew about Paraguay at the time was that tereré (an herbal tea) is very much a social drink and that there remain 8 unreached tribal groups that with sufficient personnel, will open within the next several years. Learning more about Paraguay came very slowly. I did check out a couple of books from a local library to get information on the country but most of the books said something like, little is known about the country of Paraguay to it’s surrounding neighbors, let alone the outside world. However, more than anything, although I was happy and excited for the Lord’s guidance in my life, my heart was not yet in Paraguay. Just previous to making the decision, my heart had almost been set on Asia and it was just around this time that I had also told the Lord that I would serve Him single on the field if that’s what He wanted. These played into the matter and my attitude was such that it said, I am willing to go to Paraguay, but just take me there without much effort on my part. After learning my heart’s situation, I was reminded of the story of Abraham and Isaac. The Lord asked Abraham to sacrifice his son, and even though the sacrificing of his son was obviously against his will, Abraham planned for the event and took active steps of obedience. He got up very early that next morning taking all the necessary items and traveled for 3 days until he reached the place where he was to offer his son as a sacrifice. For some reason I had thought that the Lord would give me a passion for the country and the people where I would go before guiding me there, instead I think He wanted me to take active steps of obedience when my heart wasn’t yet in the direction He was guiding me.
These last several weeks through prayer and obedience the Lord has been working on my heart and sparking a desire to serve Him in Paraguay. Gaining information from the missionaries in leadership in Paraguay has been good; I have found them to be very nice and helpful. I’ve learned quite a bit about the country as I’ve several times gone to Borders bookstore to look at a South American book containing substantial information on Paraguay. Also, one missionary to Paraguay has put together a DVD that I received in the mail this past week – a well done presentation of the needs yet in Paraguay along with many testimonies given by local Paraguayans. My heart is warming up for the country and people of Paraguay.
I came across Psalm 32: 8-9 the other day. “The Lord says, ‘I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Do not be like a senseless horse or mule that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”’
Also not long ago, I heard someone explain the difference between desire and lust. Desires are good, but when it has to be that way…or that place…etc, then they become lust.
This verse and the explanation of desire vs. lust are instruments that God has used in my life as He continues to develop my heart to be more like His and as He creates excitement in my heart for serving in Paraguay!
My desire, although this isn’t easy to share, is to be honest and to accurately state what the Lord is doing in my life. Later I will share more about the country of Paraguay:-)

I was ‘back home’ in Arizona for the last 2 weeks of February. It’s so nice to have several homes- Venezuela, Arizona, North Carolina and more… temporal ones of course! I have to say that my Mom has always done a very good job of making every place we’ve moved feel like home. One of my reasons for going to Arizona was to share at my home church’s missionary conference along with one couple just retiring from Bolivia and another couple working with the Punjabi people in California. It was a real encouragement for me to see two retired couples still faithfully serving the Lord. They have so much wisdom and experience for someone such as me just starting out! Much thanks to one of these missionary couples and their connection with a church about 25 minutes away, I was able to share at that church the next Sunday. A friend volunteered to accompany me to this church of which I was also thankful for as it is the wild west you know! Both churches were a real blessing to me and I felt someone must have been praying for me especially during my speaking engagements – thank you!
Not long ago, I was reading a book that spoke about sin being a crutch and how it can taint our view of the Lord. Sometimes our view of Him can be so skewed. Of course the fact that He is God and we are finite, means that there will always be a gap in our understanding of Him. I thank the Lord that as we seek Him, He allows us  to see His character more and more so that we might gain a clearer understanding of who He is. The depth of my need for Him seems greater and greater as I know Him better and as I know myself better. This great need for Him will never change, but I don’t want it to because it creates a hunger to know Him more and to spend more time with Him. Pray that His passion is my passion and that His will and desires are mine as well!
Have you heard of the missionary to China by the name of J. O. Fraser…..the hearts of the people that he went to reach were prepared years in advance through prayer. I don’t know which people group I will one day be privileged to take part in sharing the good news with, but I know that it isn’t too early to start praying that their hearts begin to soften. At the same time, there are unsaved immediately around me and I’m sure around you that need softened hearts as well.

I’m so thankful for my sister, Sarah, that she has always been so kind as to open up her house as a place for me to stay wherever she is at! North Carolina was new to me as of this past summer, so in coming back from Missouri, I’ve now re-familiarized myself to the area. Two of my prayer requests in coming to North Carolina were a job and a church. I am very grateful that these have been answered, that I have found both.
I cherish times spent with family and although we are all spread out, we usually manage to get together at least once a year. My parents as well as my brother and family were able to make it out to North Carolina for about a week in mid-January. It’s nice that we live so close to the airport as we had to make several trips there and back that week! Liam, although not quite walking or talking yet, proved to be adorable. He is entertained by everything he can get his hands on and is such a fun little guy. We enjoyed taking them around a bit as this is a new area for them, but too bad they couldn’t stay longer!
My good friends, Motoi and Billy, are just 18 minutes away or so and that has been so nice! I love hanging out with them when our schedules permit. Motoi and I started doing a Bible study together that I’ve enjoyed. It is so good and necessary for me I think to have someone to read and pray with. They have been here for a couple of years so it’s nice to have someone that knows the area well.
This may be simple to you, but these days the Lord has been teaching me about an obedient heart. I have my own ideas at times and I don’t always feel like being obedient, but sometimes obedience is necessary without these. I can obey Him partly and I can offer Him other things, but a heart that is right won’t do that. I need to fully obey Him, wherever He has and proceeds to lead – something to pray about! I appreciate you, thanks!!

This church was recommended to me by a friend as I was looking for a smaller church – a church where I could get to know people and help out in some way.  An Awana program as well as a Spanish service were two areas of interest to me at this church.  I’ve only just begun to attend but I do plan to make this my church for now, unless the Lord directs otherwise.  Pray for wisdom as I seek to get involved here in some way.  Thanks, the Lord surely has been good to me!