A Great Week

We are reaching the end of our time in Barrio, as well as our time in Paraguay.

Before we begin, Marc would like to share that yesterday he saw a monkey fight a kitten. It was pretty cute apparently.

There have been so many awesome experiences here in this neighborhood. I don't think any of us have seen as much incredible work through God as we have seen in this neighborhood. To give you an idea of of what is happening, here is the story of two different instances of how people's lives are changing.

From literally the first 10 minutes of us being here, we were circled around receiving invitations to hand out for the children's event on Saturday. Two girls immediately were in the middle of our circle asking in Spanish if they had an invitation for them. They were filthy dirty from head to toe and had mangled hair and clothes. Nothing they were fit right and they just looked like they were homeless. We gave them an invitation and they ran off.
We saw them the next day at the children's program and they were wearing the same clothes and we learned their names were Mila and Lucia. They are about 5 and 6 years old. Maybe 7 at the oldest. They had a great time. We started witnessing door to door on the following Monday and sure enough the girls were by us asking if we had anything they could have. We soon found out their living situation. The house is not a house a couple open walls with fabric helping to give shelter. There is garbage everywhere, dirty clothes just throw behind the house and re worn whenever, no running water, and no clear view of any kind of sanitation system anywhere.
We had/have shared the Gospel with the girls through tracks, bracelets, and "Carlito the worms" so many times, the Gospel has been made so clear in their lives. The only problem was the mother - she really wanted nothing to do with us. Marc and I tried to share the Gospel with us one day but she was very stand-offish. She would say 'si' after Marc would speak with no translation. She obviously wanted nothing to do with us.
However, after a ton of us have been showing love to her two girls, she finally decided to come to the main house base where we are, very close to her home. We fed her yesterday and her kids, and the girls were given a bath and shower and they got new dresses. After the theater we put on last night after being with them that day, the mother of the girls was crying and was talking to the Pastors there about the show.
Today she is back with her kids and they joined us for lunch - as Portia was just talking about in our prayer meeting, we are seeing God work in and form the lives of this family. We are praying that they would be transformed from a family of 'darkness to a family of light.' We see the work of the Holy Spirit right before our hours and it is truly amazing.

Pray for this family as we want to see them transformed and living for Christ!

Pastor Matt visited a family this morning who has kids who were at the children's program where they had heard the Gospel and received tracks. They had shared the tracks with their family, and when Pastor Matt got there today, the families hearts had been opened to the Gospel and they were ready to be talked to about the good news. They are interested in the Bible study that is starting in this neighborhood.

Speaking of which, there is OFFICIALLY a Bible study starting at the house we're at in Barrio. This is the first one, and its so exciting! People have been hungry for learning and discipleship. Pray that people come, and that a children's ministry can start on Saturday mornings. There are hundreds and hundreds of kids in this neighborhood, and I can't help but think it would flourish in this neighborhood.


The 'heart' play went very well yesterday. We were able to perform in the center square of San Lorenzo for the anniversary of the city yesterday, as well as do it again in Barrio. We were able to talk to so many people in the city yesterday morning, and about a hundred or more people showed up in Barrio again last night to see it as well, as well as hear a sermon.

On my facebook when we get back to the states, you will be able to see the video of the play and the message that it brought.

God is working TREMENDOUSLY here. Tremendously is almost an understatement.

Our God is beyond Good, and he is working in incredible ways.

I hope you found joy in these stories. I hope you are excited about Jesus and what He is doing here, what He has done for you, or what He could do for you. :)

- Victoria