Update from Efrain (April - June 2024)

I am sorry for being late with the report of these months. We are very grateful to the Lord for his work in us and in the ministry during all this time.

Recent Events

Activities

On April 6 we were invited to the birthday celebration of a girl from the church in Boyuibe. They invited me to preach. We went with the whole family and a couple of students from the Bible Faculty, taking advantage of the fact that the next day we had to visit the church in Santa Rosa. We hope that our presence and participation has been a blessing to the girl as well as the preaching of the gospel has led the guests to believe in Christ.

The next day we went to Santa Rosa and shared a nice meeting with the local brothers. There was also a large class with the children in Sunday school, and they celebrated Children's Day. We brought some small gifts to cheer them up. The students of the Bible Faculty as well as our children were also very helpful.

In Camiri, during April we have strengthened friendships with the group of students that we have had to encourage and guide them in the Biblical Faculty. We meet every 15 days, have dinner with them and we share a time of talk and reasons for prayer. We usually do it in the patio of the house where we live, also next to the stove in the living room when it is cold and we have also gone to the beach to share next to a bonfire.

With this same group of six students we traveled to support the church in Santa Rosa in the month of May. It was a time of many opportunities for them to meet the local brothers, as well as to practice many things learned during the modules at the Biblical Faculty. We visited different families for mealtime and took advantage of getting to know them more as well as sharing some of the Word during that time. A 3-day Bible club was also held to establish a weekly Bible class, and despite being a very religious town and closed to the gospel, many children came during the three days and heard the Word of God. We pray that many will believe. A film was also shown one night and separate meetings of women and men were held.

On Saturday of that week we visited another community about 3 km away, Camatindimí, and the brothers and children of the place came and we had meetings for both groups and lunch before returning. On Sunday we all went to have a meeting in Yaperenda, another Guaraní community, and several brothers gathered. Many of the brothers from Santa Rosa walked through some shortcuts, and arrived in an hour and a half. The visit to Santa Rosa was an experience that greatly encouraged the students, many discovered their abilities and gifts and were able to see that they can be used by the Lord. 

At the end of April, the Bible Study Course for Elders and Workers (CEBAO) was held. Brother Bret Nazworth brought a Bible study on the danger of false teachers based on the book of 2 Peter. Brother leaders from many churches attended. During those days of the course, enjoying the teaching and fellowship, they also shared reports and reasons for prayer from the different churches.

With the youth group of the Aposento Alto church we have begun to rehearse songs on Wednesday nights, so that they can learn to play songs with the guitar or some other instrument, and to learn new songs that support the teachings in the meetings, as well. Some of the students from the Bible Faculty became interested and are learning to play an instrument which is very useful to support the churches. With the youth ministry we have shared some activities with the Camireña Christian Church. We prepared a drama and united meetings, it was a nice time.

In the month of June I had to do maintenance on the front bearings of the vehicle and found a broken bearing so I had to change both bearings because then I had to travel to a conference in Yaguapúa. At that conference most of the brothers gathered spoke Guaraní. The Lord provided a brother who translated what I had to preach. It was nice to see the brothers eager to learn and serve. The Lord gave us a good climate because in that place it is very cold and I slept in a tent. There were brothers from various places and I could see a spiritual awakening in many of them, and we can support the work among the Guaraní brothers in prayer.

At the end of the first semester of the Biblical Faculty, a women's retreat was held, and the sisters from various churches enjoyed the fellowship as well as the Word of God, which was a great blessing.

We appreciate your support and prayers.

Prayer and Praise Points

1) For the opportunity to serve at the Biblical Faculty, and teach the Worldview module
2) For our life, health and spiritual growth
3) For the conference in Yapacaní, I am invited to preach in the month of July
4) For the plans during the month of July
5) For the school education of our children
6) For the ministries we carry out in the local church
7) For the church in Santa Rosa, to consolidate leadership