PARAGUAY MISSION MONTHLY REPORT SUMMARY

Missionaries: Troy and Andrea Spradlin Mission Field: Asuncin, Paraguay Date/No. of Report: July 2011 / Vol. 3 No. 7

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 40 Family Units (74 Baptized)

Average Bible classes attendance: Sunday 42 Midweek 27 / Other - 6 Worship attendance: Sunday 55 (1st); 40 (10th); 59 (17th); 60 (24th); 59 (31st) Recent Bible classes: We only lack one book in order to complete our congregational-wide study through the New Testament Revelation. We began this month and the study is going great! I had the opportunity to teach on Revelation chapter 1 and 4, this month. I also taught classes while in Meteti, Panama. Recent Preaching Opportunities: I recently preached at Sacramento Avenue on Revelation chapter 3.
I got to travel to Panam a for a short term m ission trip this m onth! Our 2011 Panam a Mission Team (L-R) Preston Silcox, Andrew Atchley, our Panam anian sisterNia, Tanya Silcox, Ashton Fillingim , John Blake Tem ple, Ed Tem ple, Molly McCool, Panam a City preacher Raul Alvarado, Billy Hudgens, and m e.

Recent congregational developments: The ladies of the congregation held their Annual Ladies Conference, known as "Mujeres de Fe," on July 15th and 16th. They invited a special guest speaker to come to Paraguay just for the event, Ms. Rhonda Thompson, a Spanish professor at FreedHardeman University. Despite a few obstacles thrown in the way, such as the conference sign being stolen, the ad in the paper not being published, and Paraguay playing in the championship soccer match during the scheduled time on Sunday, we had a very pleasing turnout both days! In all, sixty-six ladies came with twenty-seven visitors in attendance! Recent conversions/identifications/restorations: This month there weren't any additions to the Lord's church in Paraguay. We continue to pray, plant the seed, and water while we conduct our Bible studies. We know that God will again provide the increase according to His own time frame.

Our sister and special guset speaker at the Annual Ladies Day Conference, Rhonda Thom pson

Contacts made and resulting studies: As already mentioned, there were 24 visitors at our Annual Ladies Conference! We have already begun to contact them, as well as, encourage our fellow Paraguayan brethren to contact them. During my recent mission trip to Panama, (more details in next section), I was blessed with the privilege to study with several new contacts. One of them was Maria Gonzalez who had served as our team cook during our mission campaign last year. She had been recently contemplating the condition of her soul and after a few studies, decided to put on Christ in baptism! Amen!

Visitation: Andrea held a Weekend Party for the young ladies of the congregation. Thirteen attended and, as you can imagine, they had a blast! (There are more details in the next section). We continue to travel to emby every week to visit and conduct Bible studies with our brethren, Vicente and Zully Martinez. They have also been inviting their neighbors to come to the studies! Meetings/Efforts with fellow missionaries: We are planning our upcoming Team Banquet and Retreat for 2011. We had a 4th of July BBQ together at the Blackmer's. Evangelistic efforts: Our studies with Maria Teresa Vaesken are continuing to go well and some of our earlier contacts have returned to continue studying. We have also been developing several contacts from friendly relationships. Our teammate, Josh Blackmer, has three personal contacts now coming to some of our church events! Brittnea Dye is following up on several contacts we have been developing that look promising. God is working in the lives of many here in Asuncion!

I had the privilege to study with Maria Gonzalez, while I was in Panama, at the time she was deciding to be baptized!

Andrea and I participated in the Winter Break VBS

Special activities of the month: Vacation Bible School !! During our Paraguayan winter break, the ladies of the congregation organized a Vacation Bible School. We had many kids in attendance and our USA visitor, David Hardy, built us a few new props. It was a lot of fun and some new contacts were developed from the effort! Steps toward mission goals: We are focusing on mentoring our Paraguayan brethren by planning some upcoming personal Bible study and personal evangelism methods which we will implement in August. Upcoming events and future plans: Mission group campaign with Margaret Street church of Christ. Mission team banquet and retreat.

Our Annual Ladies Day Conference with special guset, Rhonda Thompson

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INVOLVEMENT

Personal HIGHLIGHT(s) of the Month: Missionary Campaign! This time, it was to Panama, Central America. I was blessed to be able to travel to and join my fellow brethren from Maragaret Street church of Christ on a mission campaign to Meteti, Panama in the Darien jungle from July 2nd through the 12th. It was a wonderful trip where we had several great classes, numerous Bible studies, lots of visits, and I got to serve as one of the translators! Our focus was to help the church develop the idea of mentoring or partnering in order to teach others how to get involved in the Lord's work. Personal study: I have been studying Revelation and several resources for our weekly Bible classes. I read More Than Conquerors by William Hendriksen and Selected Studies from Revelation by Wayne Jackson. Currently reading The Seer, The Savior, The Saved by James D. Strauss. Culture and language study: Andrea brought a little American Culture to the Paraguayans this month. She introduced some of them to the idea of Pajama Party. While I was away in Panama, Andrea invited all the congregation's young ladies to come stay for the weekend where she treated them to some of her great cooking, some card and board games, a Spa Treatment, some crafts, and devotional time. It was a big time for many of them and they are already asking when they can come over again! Andrea was in the newspaper again! During the recent 4th of July weekend, Andrea helped organize a fundraiser event with the Las Amigas women's club. The local newspapers were there and took the picture we have included below. Family activities: We enjoyed a Date Night and a movie! We also now have a little tradition we try to keep every week ... dinner together after Wednesday night Bible study at Papagos, a little Mexican restaurant we have grown to love. Plans for the near future: Our team banquet and retreat. Notes:

Andrea with our young ladies after their pajama party, getting ready to go to church.

Andrea treated the Paraguayan young ladies to a Spa Treatment and they loved it .... even if they did look like aliens!

We hope to meet with a car dealer this next month to choose a replacement for our dead Honda. One dealer has said he would take it as a trade in, so we are happy to recuperate a little something from our old car. Margaret Street is going to front the money for us, but we need to raise a couple of thousand dollars to complete the purchase. Please help if you are able! Andrea with some of her Las Amigas friends during their
American Independence Day Fundraiser BBQ

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 Randall Hunter Family