Mission Report Oct 2011

PARAGUAY MISSION MONTHLY REPORT SUMMARY
Missionaries: Troy and Andrea Spradlin Mission Field: Asuncin, Paraguay Date/No. of Report: October 2011 / Vol. 3 No. 10
CONGREGATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INVOLVEMENT

Name of congregation: Address: Year established: Present number of members: Avenida Sacramento Iglesia de Cristo Avenida Sacramento 650, c/ Espaa - Asuncin, Paraguay September 2004 41 Family Units (79 Baptized)
Average Bible classes attendance: Sunday 42 Midweek 24 / Other - 6 Worship attendance: Sunday am 44 (2nd); 53 (9th); 47 (16th); 55 (23rd); 50 (30th) Sunday pm 35 (2nd); 17 (9th); 36 (16th); 32 (23rd); 28 (30th)
The final assembly of Continent Care Connection 2011. A special men's missionary conference offered every two years. Recent Bible classes: We completed our study of Revelation. This month, I taught chapters 20-22. This has ultimately lead us to the completion of a three year study of the entire NT in which the congregation has been involved. Afterward, I also taught a Survey of the Accounts of the Gospel. Next month we will begin using the book, Buscando la Verdad as a study guide with the congregation.
Recent Preaching Opportunities / Topics: I recently preached on the topics of Is the church of Christ a denomination among denominations? and also on 1 Kings 12, Like Unto Worship: Jeroboam, the Change Agent. Recent congregational developments: We recently learned that we need to have several more drawings made before we will be permitted to start remodeling the building. We are currently having those produced and hope to secure the services of a general contractor to begin the construction soon. Recent conversions / identifications / restorations: Baptized! Enrique Albera is the son of our member, Lina Albera. He is also the relative of the Yegros family. Enrique has been visiting the church for many years and was simply looking for the truth. He was a member at a local denomination but still continued to study and question all things regarding spiritual matters. His search finally led him to the conclusion that he needed to be baptized into the body of Jesus Christ in order to be saved. We rejoice in his decision and pray he never loses that zeal for studying God's word!
Enrique Albera being baptized by his cousin, Ale Yegros.
Contacts / Bible studies: Ignacio and Mercedes Ignacio just walked in off the street one day and said he was looking for a church that practices what the Bible says. He and his wife have now been visiting for several weeks and we have conducted a few studies with him. We gave him a copy of Buscando la Verdad and he came back the next week saying he had read through the entire book! Hector and Patricia Paredes He is the brother of our member, Ramon Paredes. Ramon has been talking and studying with him for some time, along with Perry Hardin, and now they are regularly visiting our worship assembly. Marcelo and Sara Sara is the mother of one of Vivian Blackmer's friends. The Blackmer's have developed a friendship with them and Andrea's English student, Mabel Ortiz after completing the first course. eventually invited them to a couple's Bible study that they host in their home. They have since come to visit a few of our worship services! Our new English students: Pedro Escobar, Jose Sanchez, Sara Sanabria, and Mabel Ortiz are all doing great! Sara and Mabel have already completed the initial English course and are now studying Searching for Truth with Andrea. Andrea and I are conducting several regular, weekly Bible studies with our members. We have merged two of our studies into one group study and we pray the group will grow. Evangelistic efforts: The youth group recently decided to go to the neighborhood of our member, Jazmine Penayo, and pass out flyers in order to promote the church and generate leads. There were 14 that participated and then afterward they held a devotional in the home of Christian, Marcelo, and Leticia Alfonso. World Video Bible School recently shipped a box to us of Buscando la Verdad DVDs with Spanish subtitles. When I picked them up at the post office, they had to pass through customs before they would release them. After inspecting the box, the customs agent asked me if I was a missionary. He then informed me that he, too, was a Some of our youth after passing out flyers Christian and that he thought it was difficult to live the in one of the area neighborhoods. Christian life. Perceiving that he was interested in what was in the box, I asked him if he would like a copy of the DVD, to which he enthusiastically replied, Yes! He then asked if his friend could have one and if he could take one to a different friend. Then, another man appeared and he wanted one, too! It is always interesting to see what opportunities the Lord puts before us! Steps toward mission goals: The mission team had their annual review and evaluation meeting for three days to update the mission strategy and all of its goals. Meetings/Efforts with fellow missionaries: Josh and I recently flew to Atibaia, Brazil which is just outside Sao Paulo, to attend a special missionary men's conference. Continent Care Connection is made up a team of preachers, counselors, missionaries, and church leaders to help and serve Our Connection Group at Continent Care missionaries who are currently working in South America. It is Connection missionary conference. designed to encourage and strengthen foreign missionaries by providing various classes and counseling; as well as, fellowship with other missionaries. It was a great week of rest, renewal, and reconnection with God. We are very thankful to the men who organized and executed such an extremely valuable and needed service for missionaries.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INVOLVEMENT

Personal HIGHLIGHT(s) of the Month: Team Retreat! Every year we take time to meet and discuss where we are in our mission goals and where we need to improve. After a few days of meetings, we then take a little time off to relax and just hang out together. This year we decided to take a road trip to see the old Jesuit Ruins near Encarnacin, Paraguay. It was a great trip and we had an absolute blast together! Personal study: I finished making some charts in Spanish and had them printed and mounted. They are now hanging in the hallway at the building to use for classes. They are about the Chronology of the Bible, and Covenants and Dispensation. I recently read Jesus Christ: The Hope of the Home by Robert Taylor, Jr. Andrea has been taking a more active role in our Spanish Bible studies. She has been diligently preparing for them through her own personal Bible study and various resources.
The Asuncion mission team at the Jesuit Ruins near Family activities: Encarnacin, Paraguay during their annual team retreat. Andrea and I went to Clorinda, Argentina together on our own in our own car! This was a big step for us because it was the first time to drive across an international border (while already on a foreign continent)! We also attended an outdoor concert. Another big step for us because we are starting to feel more comfortable with our surroundings to venture out like that. When we traveled to Encarnacion for the team retreat, it was also the first time we had driven that far of a distance on our own. We enjoyed the time together and stopped to see the sights along the way and take a bunch of pictures.
Culture and language study: Andrea taking pictures at a road side stop Although we are now communicating freely in Spanish, we still somewhere in the middle of Paraguay. continue to take classes to try and improve our language skills. Homeless street kids the situation has improved with the kids as they don't seem to come around as often as before. However, we are moving forward with installing a fence on the property to improve the safety and security of everyone at the building. Visitation: We were blessed to enjoy an evening of dinner and fellowship in the home of the Pedro Vera Family. Plans for the near future: We will be taking our annual family vacation in November. We plan to go see several towns and sights in the northern part of Paraguay. Notes:
We celebrated our 16th year wedding anniversary by going out to dinner to one of our favorite Italian restaurants! Andrea has been receiving regular physical therapy for the pain in her neck (and I already know what you are thinking!).
Terere (yerba mate) is sort of like tea and is the favorite drink of Paraguayans. This is Angel, who was walking around and offering a drink of terere to the workers who were building the pig pen at the orphanage last month.
PARAGUAY MISSION
Asuncion, Paraguay South America Troy and Andrea Spradlin
Casilla de Correo 13092 Shopping del Sol Asuncion, Paraguay (595) 0981-630-886 We seek to "equip the saints for the work of service to the building up of the body of Christ." (Ephesians 4:12)
Our Mission Team Goals for 2011:

Evangelism: We plan to make evangelistic efforts as a team through personal Bible studies from contacts generated by public advertising, targeting specific neighborhoods, hosting special events such as Teaching English Using the Bible campaigns, and Special Interest Seminars. We also want to encourage and develop a more evangelistic spirit within the congregation utilizing Friends and Family Days, VBS, Prayer Vigils, Anniversary Service, and Personal Evangelism Training. Elders (Formal Leadership training). We plan to mentor our elder candidates through personal one-on-one meetings with elders visiting from the USA, and through Skype calls. We also plan to study with them on a regular basis, as well as, mentor other promising brothers for leadership positions such as deacons, or evangelists. We hope to develop deeper relationships between the missionaries and the church leaders through regular meals and social gatherings. We will also be developing a Leadership Manual for Elders in Spanish. Edifice (Building Construction): We hope to complete all legal paperwork for construction and secure a loan for the Sacramento congregation. The Paraguayan brothers will have the responsibility of repaying the loan over the next 10 years. We will also assist them in developing detailed plans and construction phases. We also pray to begin construction on phase 1 this year.
Visit us at our websites: PARAGUAYMISSION.COM thespradlins.blogspot.com
OUR SUPPORTERS
Margaret Street church of Christ (Sponsoring Congregation) 6745 Margaret Street Milton, FL 32570 Central Avenue church of Christ Valdosta, GA Dripping Springs church of Christ Dripping Springs, TX Palm Beach Lakes church of Christ West Palm Beach, FL Poolville church of Christ Poolville, TX Clay Bond Family Chet Brown Family Virginia Guess Family

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PARAGUAY MISSION MONTHLY REPORT SUMMARY

CONGREGATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INVOLVEMENT

Enrique Albera being baptized by his cousin, Ale Yegros.

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INVOLVEMENT

Our Mission Team Goals for 2011:

Visit us at our websites: PARAGUAYMISSION.COM thespradlins.blogspot.com

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