The Weekend Update

Saturday was a day without any Internet access so I apologize for the delay in writing. It was a very full and fun day.

First off, Matt is feeling much better. His color has returned, he could eat again today, and he was excited to have lost about 20 lbs in 20 hours.

We did an outreach for about 100 kids today in a poor area near the church. We had brought about 30 pairs of tennis shoes with us Chile to give to the kids, along with a bunch of candy that our team brought from the States. We set up a bunch of carnival games to play with the kids (spin the umbrella, squirt out the candle, bounce the ball into the cup, etc). But I think the funnest game was when the kids would climb the tree, point at one of our guys and jump into their arms. No Paraguayans were harmed in the relating of this story.

When the carnival was over our outreach team performed a couple of skits, one of which was done by our students from Boise. I have an confession to make here; I promised several years ago, before we even started the school that I wouldn’t have our students do the typical outreach, pantomime, sin sketches that every youth group has learned the last 20 years. No masks, gloves, or felt hearts for our school- no way.

Trevor and I even witnessed a horrific skit by a youth group a couple of years ago that was using one of Bonnie Tyler’s songs, “Turn Around, Bright Eyes” that should never, ever have been played after the 80’s let alone have an outreach sketch written about it.

I don’t find these skits to be particularly moving or communicative. I find them to be scary and fear based. (I’m also afraid of clowns, mime’s and French midgets.)

So apparently yesterday, while I was tending Matt at Pastor Pasquels and sending you all an update the team took instructions from one of the Chilean leaders, as I had asked them to do, and learned a skit for today. Linda looked at me with amusement this morning when I realized what was happening. I think God was having a laugh too.

Isaiah was the man who was tempted to sit in the chair of sin, which was marked, “do not touch” in Spanish. All of the kids yelled at him to stay away and Isaiah really hammed it up. Once he sat down and got stuck other students showed up with potential remedies – Alyssa with education, Andrew with brute strength, and finally Elyce with her Bible. The kids cheered when Isaiah was freed from the sin chair with the help of the scripture. The students did a great job with the skit, the kids enjoyed it, and so I chose to grin and bear it.

After lunch our team gathered at a mall, near the place we have been meeting for lunch. We found a coffee shop and sat down to check-in like we do at home. It was a much needed time together. Although we love being a part of the bigger team, it is also good to get the students together and reconnect. As a whole they are all being stretched, in good ways. They also are showing their strengths and giftings. Linda went around the table and affirmed each student for the areas she saw them showing great strengths.

We went back to the church, fueled by our espresso, and scrubbed down the church from top to bottom. Then we decorated it with streamers and balloons for the 10 year anniversary celebration. It really was a wonderful meeting. The pastor that planted the church was invited to come to Paraguay and give a greeting. We had an amazing time of worship, of which Isaiah got to participate as part of the band. He is loving that!

We continued the party again this morning at church, we all were introduced to the church after the worship time and then two of the team members from Chile gave testimonies. After that I got to teach a message. God really gave me a good word for this morning and I really enjoyed teaching it. I had a great interpreter and it was followed by a ministry time where we got to lay hands on every person in the church and pray for them. I still find it hard to believe that they gave me this honor.

The whole team is in the mall right now after lunch. It was supposed to be siesta time, but now all the Chileans and several of the Paraguayans are hanging out with us at the mall. It is too expensive for us to buy anything, but we enjoy the air conditioning and the espresso bar.

Tonight we are heading back to the church for a meeting. The men are going to play football in a local park (soccer), and the women are holding a prayer and counseling meeting at the church. I explained to the group that this church had figured out how to minister to the felt needs of the people. The men needed athletics and the women needed counseling and prayer. That joke only got laughs from half of the group.

Tomorrow is another day of outreach around the church. Honestly, this is a very easy place to be. These people and this culture is very easy for us to love. I think some of the students would stay, but I have told them they have to finish the school first before moving here.

That is all for now. Thanks for your prayers. We can feel them!

Chad