HARVEST IS READY, BUT WORKERS ARE FEW

At the weekly church leaders meeting one lady, Alva, spoke up with a sense of urgency in her voice. “There are so many that have asked to study the bible and I cannot do it all! I don’t watch soaps and I don’t travel a lot, yet I still don’t have enough time to study with my neighbors, and the women across the street and the family up the road.”

Alva has the heart of an evangelist. She is involved with several studies already. Two weeks ago two youth came for the first time to a study. As the story started, they had several questions. Then they asked (why can’t it always be this easy?), “What must we do to be saved?” So, Alva explained the plan of salvation and told to story of Nicodemas and the two youth prayed to receive Christ as their personal Savior!

We have a team of 7 Paraguayan leaders that have been on the “front lines” – meeting in weekly prayer, leading bible studies, preparing for events, and leading church services. We hope that they will disciple new Christians and train them to join them as leaders. Over the last two years we have seen the little San Francisco church come alive. We have a packed house Sunday mornings, more and more people are requesting to study the bible, and there has been a steady stream of baptisms. We have seen church growth and now we need church maturity.

The baptisms Sunday were very special. All 4 of them are all from the same barrio and just a year ago they didn’t show any interest in our group. A bible study began in their barrio and they (plus several others) began attending. Soon after that they also began attending Sunday prayer services. During Paulina’s testimony she said, “Before I studying about Christ, I was angry all the time and would nag my husband until her was angry. Now Christ has brought peace into my family and He has made me happy.” Before her baptism she gave an invitation for everyone else to consider baptism too.

Group of leaders, plus our team mates