TrewsNews

Eileen and Hannah joined her team of helpers from preprimary to paint a shelter for sexually abused girls. Hannah just loved getting stuck in with the pink paint. The girls did a fantastic job brightening up a home that provides such a worthy service.

We just drove home in the worst tropical rainstorm we have ever seen. The water was two feet deep in places and was raging down the road like rapids. Cars everywhere had their hazards lights on and were stuck in the middle of traffic. Our wee car rapidly filled up with prayer as we surfed home. The wipers struggled to let us see the four wheel drives ploughing water on top of us. We made it home safely and came into the house to find what is in the attached photo - yes a scorpion. Eileen and the kids rapidly jumped onto the sofa while I gave it the business with my trusty DM. Quite a night...  

I'm in the opening service of the Synod. There are representatives from all over Paraguay - from Asunción, Concepcion and the Chaco. We've just had the reading from 1 Timothy in Guarani. The theme is the Church of the Living God. Prayers are said in Spanish, Guarani and Enxet. The worship is profound - it is always amazing to worship Christ with others from such different cultural backgrounds, it really helps you understand the worldwide Kingdom of God.

We've had a busy couple of weeks (what's new).  With all the activities of family life plus teaching full time and organizing church.  Last week we seemed to leave school then head straight to a birthday party, or after school activity, or the doctors...  Hannah had a mild infection.  It was also Stephen's birthday on Sunday we we though a wee party for that. This weekend sees the Synod which runs from Thursday through to Sunday.  We shall be giving a wee report on our church over the last two years and outline our vision for this year .  It's a good time to get an overview of the work of the Anglican church in Paraguay as there are reports from the Chaco, Concepción, Asunción and even Formosa in Argentina. We'll be having some visitors this Sunday in church from the Synod.  It's a family service which will be interesting.  Especially as our services are in English and the visitors only speak Spanish.  Meanwhile school con...

  View of Asunción and the River Paraguay   A road in the Chaco   Paraguayan flag   A Toucan, native to Paraguay 

Paraguayan harpist Guarani Indian boys in the Chaco Guarani Indian elder Sunset in the Chaco 

This morning in church we outlined our vision for the year. We we want to do until July is raise the profile of the church and invite as many new people as we can to come to special events or services. We're going to produce a wee leaflet explaining about St. Andrew's and use it to invite people. Then we'll start praying and preparing for an Alpha course starting September. So if you pray for us you can include those things in your prayer list. In school Eileen is preparing with some colleagues to offer a Bible Study course for parents. In Secondary we are praying for a breakthrough in the pupils' shallow nominalism that is often found in those from Christian families . Your prayers for these things are greatly valued too.

Today all the missionaries and the Bishop met at Suburií - the school's sports ground. It's about 30 minutes out of the city in fields near the Paraguay River. We had a time of worship and sharing things that have encouraged us over the last while. It was good to hear of other work outside school. There have been successful small group Bible studies in the Chaco, and young people who have made commitments are growing into leadership at the Sunday evening Youth Service. We had a lovely afternoon as families together - the kids rode their bikes, enjoyed playing around the grass and tree stumps. It was a great day out. It was interesting to learn remote parts of the Chaco that are still without electricity and water, now have mobile phone coverage. One of the Indian pastors now has a phone he charges with solar cells.

Thursday was the Woman's World Day of Prayer , this year for South Africa. Eileen was asked if she could play the piano for the worship as the musician had been injured in a car accident! It was all a bit last minute and in the end she did not have to as another Paraguayan lady stood in. It went very well with good attendance and interesting news from South Africa where the major prayer issues are Aids, Rape of women and girls (witchdoctors recommend it as cure for AIDS), and Malaria. Next Year the country being looked at and prayed for is Paraguay. We have had contact from Marlene Moore in Northern Ireland who is on the UK committee. She asked for photos showing life in Paraguay. Some of them might be used for WWDOP publications. I'll post the photos we've sent as they give a good over view of what Paraguay is like.