Omaha Team Assists Paraguayan Missionaries


Compiled by Marilynn Lester


A team of eight from Omaha, Neb., traveled to Itauguá, Paraguay, from June 9–19, to assist FEBC missionaries René and Anja Ga- ona in their work with children and youth. Team members were Dallas and Marilyn Asher and Sue Hamilton of Crosspoint Bible Church, and Lawson and Debi Weihing, Kathryn White, and Doyle and Marilynn Lester of Community Bible Church. Two team members have extensive construction experience; three are teachers; three speak Spanish fairly fluently; one is with the Ne- braska Department of Correctional Services; and all were willing workers able to fill in where needed. No sooner had we arrived when the women on our team


were asked to help prepare a meal to serve the Soccer School that plays each Saturday at the El Camino Home. Te next day we were introduced to the Volunteer Network, an organization that promotes Christian service opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds and skills. Tis local ministry connects many believ- ers to people in need. We saw the volunteers in action as they led Bible Studies in the


Juvenile Detention Center; ministered as clowns in the Children’s Hospital; and assisted in the local Awana® program. Other volun- teers take coats to the inner-city slums, while evangelistic groups minister in schools and do Gospel drama presentations on the streets. One young volunteer told us, “Te Volunteer Network has changed my life as I have many opportunities to serve.” Currently, children in alternative care in Paraguay live in large


institutionalized homes with minimal supervision and no primary caregivers. Anja is working with the government to change this system. El Camino Home is one of several paving the way for that change (servingparaguay.org/childrenshome). In each of the three


8 Fellowship Focus, July/August 2016


El Camino residential homes, a Christian Paraguayan couple cares for eight to ten foster children, ages one through18. Anja does the legal work for the home and arranges training for the parents. Many children have emotional and behavioral problems due to previous abuse. Our team men, along with Craig Crook (El Camino Home


missionary), removed old kitchen cabinets and countertop tile in three residential homes and assembled and installed new cabinets and countertops. Tey also brought tools to leave with Craig to establish his new workshop. Our team was invited to speak to students at the Christian


school the El Camino children attend. We told the Wordless Book story to all grades, and led them in a craſt to help them remember the story. One noon we met with a group of teach- ers during their lunch break. Tey teach primary grades in the morning, and in the aſternoon they teach intermediate grades, making a long day — 7 a.m. until 5 p.m., but their dedication and love for the students were obvious. Many of the students from the El Camino Home have behavioral issues due to their abusive backgrounds. Te directors thanked us for coming and for the encouragement to go on. As we toured Centro Educativo de Itauguá (CEI), we saw how


Anja combines her legal work with René’s youth ministry. On Sunday aſternoon the team participated in the weekly Volunteer Network Bible study for the 18 boys who, because of their good behavior, live in the “Experanza” (Hope) zone, a non-fenced area. Aſter the Bible study, a mother asked us to pray for her son whom she was visiting. Arnoldo is suffering from a brain tumor and seizures. So this became a time of ministry to the whole family.


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