Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from chilly Paraguay.  It is beginning to feel a lot like winter with the occasional low temp in the 30’s recently.  We are so thankful for each of you who take the time to read our prayer letters and pray for our family and ministry.

The Fall semester of the Bible Institute finished last week, and the men are enjoying a winter break.  Jim enjoyed his discipleship class, which in reality became a one-on-one discipleship with Gabriel.  This man came to church months ago at the invitation of his brother who is a faithful church member.  He was saved and has been faithfully attending.  It was a joy to see Gabriel follow the Lord in believer’s baptism two Sundays ago.  Please pray for his wife’s salvation (Zenia Gonzalez).  Old Testament Survey also went well, although the men learned that a final exam is something for which they must study.

We have hosted five sets of visitors in the last two months. Four preachers from Houston, TX, visited and preached a conference while here.  It was a blessing to see people on the altar each service as people were saved and hearts revived.  Another group was from two supporting churches of the Rodriguez family.  While they were here, we were involved in a construction project at the church in Villa Elisa as well as tract and Roman’s distribution and preaching in a plaza downtown.  Last week a fifth group arrived from the Rodriguez’s sending church.  A family of seven stayed in our home during their eight day stay.  It is always a blessing when others see firsthand what the Lord is doing here in Paraguay.

It is hard to believe that we leave for our furlough in just eight short weeks.  We look forward to seeing friends and family and reconnecting personally with the church families who faithfully pray for us and sacrificially support us.  We could not serve here without you all holding the ropes for us.  Please pray for us as we have a lot of ministry yet to do, as well as many tasks to complete in preparation for leaving our home and vehicle for eight months.  We are thankful for dear Paraguayan friends who will live in our home and care for it and our pets while we are in the U.S.  Specifically, would you please pray for our children.  They are excited to see family and friends but are struggling with the thought of leaving home for eight months to return to a place that has changed as we have been here.  Sophia said today “It is hard to know it (life) has changed, and I haven’t been there.”  We do covet your prayers on our behalf

 

Your Missionaries to Paraguay,

Jim and Kari Showers