TrewsNews

Here are some specific prayer requests from Paraguay for the Woman's World Day of Prayer. Please pray for the continued growth of the evangelical churches here, and for the Anglican Church and St. Andrew’s schools. The Bishop of Paraguay retires in October and the church is currently looking for his replacement. We shall be returning permanently to Northern Ireland in July and St. Andrew’s school really needs more Christian teachers willing to serve here. The next year will actually see the school short staffed. Pray for the ministry of the school to the young people and the support St. Andrew’s gives to the Annex shanty town school and rural development projects in the Chaco.

Woman’s World Day of Prayer event this year on the 2nd March is praying for Paraguay. Over 170 countries will be joining together to pray for this nation. You can read more about this and events in your area on the Woman's World Day of Prayer website .

In Asuncion at the moment there is a major Dengue Fever epidemic. Almost 10,000 people have come down with the it, which is like a severe flu, but some 400 have contracted the hemorrhagic form, some of whom died from internal bleeding. There are signs up all over the city warning people not to leave water lying that can be breeding areas for mosquitoes that carry the disease. A number of colleagues have come down with it and a couple have had a rough week in bed. Doctors are predicting that the outbreak could continue to May and cause 60,000 cases.

The new school year has just started and we are now back in normal routine. The year started with an assembly where Eileen and I played and Mags and Gwen, the principal and VP spoke on 'How God knows, and yet still loves us'. There was a very good atmosphere and the year seems to be starting very well. This year once a week pupils will be bussed to Surubií where the school sports grounds are. New classrooms are being built along with a 400m running track. There will be sports lessons and even normal classes once the classrooms are finished out in the countryside. A shortage of cement in the entire country meant there is a month delay with the building work.

We had a great Christmas and New Year, one of the best actually. We know for sure now that we are returning for good to Northern Ireland in July 2008, so we decided to make the best of celebrating this time around. There was a good crowd for church on Christmas Day and we had some good friends around for dinner. We'd been given a large turkey and the Paxo stuffing had arrived in the post, so it was a traditional dinner with all the trimmings. It was also the first Christmas when the children have had all day in their own house and time to play without rushing about. A great time was had by all. We saw the New Year in with a few more friend around and we laughed and danced, let off fireworks and played silly games. It was pretty hot and we were all hot and sweaty by 3am when we finally got to bed. It was a fantastic time and one of the most memorable New Years we have ever had.