Horse Ridding

I had never ridden a horse, before a couple of
years ago, and I still am no "cowboy", but I
want to be!

Up until a few months ago, getting on my horse
meant finding a chair, putting it down near
where the sturip hangs and climbing on board
with the prayer that my horse would not begin to
leave without me. Oh, but now I was an
accomplished rider and could mount up with little
problem and no chair. So I was ready to perfect
my mounting technique.

I had been watching some old "Bonanza" episodes
and was impressed by Hoss Cartwright's ability to
get on his horse with such gracefulness, even if
he was a big man like me. So I determined to
try out his style the next day.

Foot in stirup, then a small hop, a big push, a
graceful arc of my leg over the back of the
horse, TOO MUCH MOMENTUM, and over the other
side of the horse I fell. There, rolling away
from seemingly bigger than life size hoofs, I
realized I was no Hoss Cartwright.

Great adventures and occasionally bad mounts,
that's missionary life.

God's Word

A priest in our area told his followers that the
only reason people come to the Bible study at our
house, is because we give out money. This has
had two contrasting results. Some people don't
come to the Bible study because they are cynical
about missionaries who just give out money to
gain followers. And some people come to the
study because they just want money.

We don't give out money, but are charitable in
other ways. It is however, these kinds of
misconceptions that we come up against, and the
very reason we spend so much time developing
relationships with those in our communittee.

As our friendships grow with our neighbors, they
become our advocates before those who say things
that aren't true. These same friends are more
open to God's Word because they see that we
speak the truth and then walk it out in front of
them.

Putting together a lesson

As I put together the lessons for each Saturday,
I first do the Bible Study, then write it out in
English, and then translate it to Guarani.
During this last step I often ask a Paraguayan
to help me. One week I was working on the story
of Joseph from the Old Testament.

This week my helper was our maid, and as she
fixed the noon meal, I told her how Joseph fled
from Potiphar's wife. I asked her if she
understood, and she said yes, but she thought it
was odd that Joseph was a homosexual. She
arrived at this conclusion because no normal man,
that she knows, would ever reject the advances of
such an agressive woman. After explaining to
her that he would not sleep with Potiphar's wife
because God did not want him too, she said, "Oh,
you better make sure you explain that."

When we got to the part of Joseph interpreting
dreams, she recognized this "profession" right
away and told me that there were people who study
and use books to interpret dreams. After probing
a little more, I discovered that these people are
basically witch doctors. Once again I explained
that God had directly given the interpretation of
these dreams to Joseph and that he used no books
nor studied to interpret dreams. She said,
"You'd better explain that too."

A culture that venerates vice and witchcraft
needs these stories and the stories of God's
working in our lives to see that there is a
better and right way to live.

Toribio

I am always so impressed with the sacrificial
service of so many Paraguayan Christians that we
have the privilage to work with. One such man
is an evangelist named Toribio Franco. He was
asked to be one of our speakers at youth camp.
Like many pastors in Paraguay Toribio also has a
full-time job. After working an 8 hour day he
rode 3 hours by bus and another hour and a half
by car to get to the site of our camp. When he
had finished speaking he then turned around and
made the 4 1/2 hour trip back home in order to
be at his work by 6:00 the next morning. As
missionaries we are only a small piece in God's
plan for Paraguay. The greater work He is doing
through men like Toribio.

Wilfrido

Wilfrido was a 32 year old man who died in my
car as we raced from Yuty to a hospital 2 hours
away. I have been with several people at thier
deaths, and it is never the phisical aspect of
the person dieing that leaves an impression on
me, rather it is what happens spiritually. I was
present when Wilfrido stepped from this life into
an eternal life of torment in Hell, for he did
not know the Lord. As his mother wailed with
sorrow and his cousin shouted in anger at having
lost a friend, we made the hour trip back to his
house. Waves of deepest sorrow flowed over me and
I wonder how many must die, before the Lord will
give us our first convert here in Ita Angu'a.

Two days later while at a Catholic prayer
service for Wilfrido, a neighbor lady came and
asked me to read the Bible with the greiving
mother. I was able to talk about the importance
of not only having faith in times like these, but
to have faith in the right thing, or person, in
this case: Jesus Christ.

Death is real, but our Lord gives victory over
even this. Plead with us before the cross, for
the many in Ita Angu'a and the surronding
communites that do not know Jesus.