Coming Home.

Shaun and I spent March and April in the United States on furlough visiting family and churches.  Leaving was bittersweet, knowing that it would be a while before we would see our family again.  Our second day back in Paraguay, the children in Hogar GANAR planned a special church service to welcome us back.  They read us scripture and sang us songs that they had chosen to encourage and honor us.  It is so wonderful to realize that while we left one family behind, a much larger family was waiting for us.

I hate to brag about the children in our homes too much, but I do want to say that they are some of the world's most precious and loving children.  Thanks to those of you that support Serving Paraguay, Shaun and I were able to purchase suitcases full of much-needed winter clothing and tennis shoes while in the states to give to the children on our return.  In passing out the new items, I was overwhelmed with the selflessness of the children.  There were many one of a kind shirts and shoes and although one child desired the item, they consistently told me, "No, this shirt would look beautiful on _____," or "these shoes will be a great fit for _______."  I am always humbled to see the precious, gentle, giving heart that God has placed in our children.  We know that He desires that they not just receive but that they learn to be young men and women that look to the needs of others first.  In the end, everyone received many new things and all were grateful and excited.  I remembered many early times in our work here in Paraguay when the children would literally get into a fight over items as little as candy and I thanked the Lord that He has done a great work in each of them!

We would like to share this video with you that we put together this March.  Several of the children from Hogar GANAR share about what God is doing in their lives.  God is raising up young men and women in Paraguay to transform this nation, and we give Him praise!