Sunday, June 01, 1997

'Big House' Helps Break the Devil's Hold on Paraguay Youth

VILLARRICA, Paraguay—About 40,000 people live in Villarrica. Half of the population is under 17. That’s why SIMers Tom and Kelly Stout (US) and short-termers Dan and Christy Reich minister at the Big House—a youth center with a homey environment as well as ping pong, billiards, video games, and a volleyball court.

The Big House attracts young people who would never set foot in a church or camp meeting. Kids like Richard.

"He’s a very stoical fellow," Tom explains, "doesn’t show his emotions a lot. One day, he came into my office and began weeping. He had been caught using and selling marijuana. And as we talked, I learned that he had gone to a cemetery and dug up a corpse to give the head to his old girlfriend as revenge for breaking up with him."

The conversation continued for six hours, during which time Tom saw Richard’s heart begin to harden again. Though they talked about surrendering to Christ, Richard tried to negotiate with the Lord what parts of his life he would surrender and what parts he would not.

Since that discussion, however, Richard is still moving slowly toward Jesus. Recently he brought Tom his Ouija board and some pages of occultic literature so he could destroy them.

He also admitted talking with spirits, reminding Tom and Kelly that ours is a spiritual battle that will be won only through prayer.

PRAY . . .

Only God can expose Satan’s lies and open the hearts and minds of kids like Richard to the truth of Christ’s love and salvation by grace. Please join Tom and Kelly and Dan and Christy in prayer. And ask that God would bring more young people to the Big House and more Christian workers to befriend and guide them. May God one day soon use these young people to spread the gospel to every corner of Paraguay!

Article from SIM Now Magazine