At the end of November, the Lord gave me the awesome opportunity to travel to another part of Paraguay. From those of you that remember any of my church presentations, it it the part of the country where 5% of the population of Paraguay lives, but it’s land-mass is more than half of our beloved country. On this map, it’s the light green part:
I was able to go for 2 weeks, and I had a wonderful time. I’m thankful that I was able to go. I came back a little more fired up and ready to get this work of planting a mature tribal church done! I mean, I’m always working towards that goal, but it’s easy to forget the “real” reason why I am here while I am living in the capital city, studying Spanish day in and day out. Anyway, it was interesting to see how the Lord used that to encourage me and give me extra excitement for being here in Paraguay.
I was able to go first with some friends to visit the people group, the Manjui (pronounced Mon-who-e) that they used to live/work with, but are now currently phasing out, praise the Lord! That means that the church is healthy enough to continue on without missionaries having to live among them! The missionary family moved a little bit away to give them some space to learn/grow on their own, but they are still close enough to be available if the people need them.
This Boa was longer than I am tall!!All packed up and ready to head out.
Visiting on the porchEveryone all visiting around the new babyHe was so sweet. And just about an hour or so old. I was lucky enough to hold him. 🙂 Made this Auntie heart happy!!Great-great grandma holding her new grandsonA cool frogThe skies out there were MARVELOUS! It made this Michigander/country girl’s heart happy too. 🙂The Manjui men playing a game (that lasted basically all day, and I’m not joking).
One of their homesA lizard…and if I’m remembering right, that’s a small one!
This woman is making a table runner (I think! haha) and in the background is her home.
A major part of any Paraguyan’s life: Tereré.Who knew a dog and an anteater could be such good friends? 🙂Look at all those treasures he found!Yet another gorgeous sky. God’s creation is wonderful!
From there, my friends drove me to another part of the country a few hours away so that I could stay with other friends and get a glimpse of what the people group that they work with, the Nivacle (pronounced like Knee-va-clay), is like.
The road on the way out. Sometimes traveling is tricky out there, especially just after a big rain.We picked up a passenger on the way out. He helped us get more weight in the back of the truck, and we helped him not have to stop every 15 minutes to get the caked-on mud out of his wheel-well.
A beautiful lizardThese girls came with their mom to visit my friend one afternoon. They’re looking at books in English. 🙂We painted nailsWe beaded necklaces, too. This is the woman with her other daughter that came for the visit.LOVE that they are so interested in books, even though they can’t understand them!🙂 happyI was able to go to 2 nights where he was teaching through the Chronological Bible lessons to a Nivacle family group. You may not be able to see it well, but he was COVERED in bugs! That would be one of the not-so-glamorous sides of missionary life.Couldn’t stop taking pics of the scenery/skies!A typical Nivacle set-up. They have bigger plots of land and brickish style of houses. I wasn’t able to take a close-up.<3
The Nivacle people all are pretty into gardening!Another gardenOne of my friend’s Nivacle friends walked us through her garden, pointing out what was what.A cute heart she planted.
Siiiiick! Thankfullly, not my shoe. But even worse? It peed in there…I kept my shoes inside…Haha!This woman made me that purse from yarn and pop can tabs! SO creative!
Don’t worry, it’s my last sky pic. Can you tell I miss seeing so much sky? 😉
It was a great trip to remember why I’m really here: to be a part of planting mature tribal churches. I was reminded again of what an ENORMOUS task this is, but also what a GREAT GOD I serve, and that He is the one accomplishing the work! I just have to be willing to be used by Him, however that looks.
