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Shirley Ann was a Youth from ROBC
January & February 2025 FERNANDO & SHIRLEY ANNE CABALLERO Serving in Paraguay
Glimpes of January and February: homework practice with a young neighbor; Fernando preaching in a nearby town; playing soccer with neighbor boys; participating in a worship service in the big town near us. Fall Ministry Restart As our friends up north endure frigid temperatures, ice, and snow, we are winding down summer vacation and preparing for the start of a new school year. With temperatures near 100F almost every day and little rain in recent months, it is hard to believe that it is still winter in the northern hemisphere!
We took a few months off from formal teaching and ministry in order to accommodate the flexibility of summer plans and invest deeper in relationships with neighbors. School starts on Monday, February 24th, though, so next week we will be back to our normal routine. This year, we have decided to divide the Kids' Club and Adult Bible Study between two different days since it will just be the two of us leading. Shirley Anne will lead the Kids' Club on Wednesdays while Fernando will help with games, crowd control, and snack time. On Sunday mornings, Fernando will teach the Adult Bible Study while Shirley Anne will participate and builds deeper relationships with the women in attendance. We appreciate prayer as we step back into these roles, for strength to do each thing well, for faithfulness, and for wisdom to follow as God leads.
We will also start visits with the Deaf and their families this coming week. There are a total of 6 families with whom we have been working, and our plan is to continue visits as we have been doing. Shirley Anne will be taking a refresher course in Paraguayan Sign Language with the hope that it will provide more resources and ideas for our work with the Deaf. Regarding Bible stories in Sign Language, we finished most of the book of Mark last year and are ready to create another study. Pray for the development of more Bible studies in Paraguayan Sign Language and for God's guidance as we create materials, that the lessons prepared would reach the hearts of the Deaf and their families. We recently heard of 2 more deaf individuals within an hour radius of us, but we do not have the capacity to add more visits at this point. Please pray with us for God to bring more workers to reach the forgotten and marginalized Deaf population near us. Antonio continues to recover physically from his recent surgery to remove a brain tumor and the affected eye. While there is still localized swelling, he is in good spirits and is often seen walking around town. Please pray for his spiritual growth and steadfastness. Now that he is better physically, pray that he does not stop seeking God but rather grows in spiritual maturity
Just two days ago, Antonio had to move from the place he has been staying the past several months. He is now living alone once more on the outskirts of town. Pray for firmness in saying ''no'' to the tempations of living alone, that he would not fall back into destructive patterns he had before following Christ. We are starting a group chat on WhatsApp where we will send quick prayer requests and praises throughout each month for things that don't make it on the monthly prayer update. If you are interested in joining and have WhatsApp, just scan the QR code. If you would like to join but are not sure how, send us an email and we'll help you. We are thankful for your commitment to join us in prayer for God's work here in Paraguay. Terere Discipleship Fernando continues to invest a good amount of his time working on building projects, carpentry, and repairs around the property. As he does these things, he almost always has a young man or friend helping him, giving plenty of opportunities to speak the Gospel into the lives of his helpers as they work. Even when he is not actively working on a project, there are 2-3 men from the community who often stop by for a chance to rest in the shade and drink terere. As Fernando sits and shares terere with them, conversation ranges from the local crops to spiritual matters. Sometimes, as with the case of Antonio, Fernando has a topic in mind which he wants to address, and they listen together to an audio recording of Guarani Scripture on the matter before moving into casual conversation about the topic. Other times, spiritual matters arise organically. Regardless of how the conversations take place, we covet your prayers for wisdom, the ability to respond faithfully and yet simply to our friends' questions, and for God's work in their hearts. Terere with a neighbor and her daughter; Fernando working on a project for another neighbor Are you interested in learning more about how you or someone you know can serve God internationally?
Our team in Paraguay has shrunk considerably in size over the past several years. While God is the One working in hearts, we also acknowledge that He chooses to use the Body of Christ as His hands and feet in this world. There are abundant opportunities here in Paraguay to serve in church planting, ministry to the Deaf, children's ministry, leading and equipping local church leaders, ministry to First Nations' groups, camp ministry, finances, administration, and more.
Please send us an email for more information about any of these opportunities. Pray with usPraise: Praise God for a good end to the summer break, for two months of investing in deeper relationships with friends in our community. Praise God for a time of rest, including a vacation away for two weeks. We thank God for each of you as you walk alongside us so faithfully!Prayer: Pray for the restart of formal ministries the end of February/beginning of March: Visits to 6 families of Deaf individuals the week of February 24th; Kids’ Club on Wednesday, February 26th; Adult Bible Study on Sunday, March 2nd. Pray for Antonio's continued physical recovery as well as increased maturity and steadfastness in his faith. We praise God that through your giving we are able to serve in Paraguay. God is faithful in providing for our needs, and we are truly thankful for each of you who support us not only financially but also through prayer.If you are interested in supporting us financially whether through a one-time donation or regular giving, follow the link below that says, "Click here to partner in Paraguay," or read the instructions for partnering via check. Thank you! Mail can be sent between the U.S. and Paraguay! Here is the address:
Fernando and Shirley Anne Caballero Sociedad Internacional Misionera Cervantes 1001 c/Victor Hugo C.C. 1321 Asunción, Paraguay, South America Is God inviting YOU to join our team? Click Here to Partner in Paraguay All donations are tax deductible On some mobile devices, the above link does not take you directly to our support page but to a more general page. In this case, you can click www.simusa.org/give, select "Support a Missionary," and enter Shirley Anne's name and missionary #047199
