John and Rachel McDonough
News from Paraguay January 2023
The kiddos really liked this 'Pesebre'.
It was made from recycled pop bottles with big clay figurines.
Happy New Year
May you know God's Love, Peace and Joy during this coming year.
Going back to the UK in late ‘22 was even better than we had imagined it was going to be. Nothing beats seeing people in person and hugging them after three and a half years!
We made so many special memories, including being with my (Rachel's) Mum on her birthday for the first time in 14 years. We had roast dinners, dropped scones, fake Christmas and ate blueberries till they were coming out of our ears. The kids loved going to all the indoor play areas and hanging out with their cousins. The kiddos didn’t share the same excitement as the parents about multiple supermarket visits/shopping trips but, interestingly, they did love the second-hand shops and going to the library to borrow books. They did enjoy being at church, especially because of all the toys and activities. Sitting on a ground sheet colouring in, as we do in Paraguay, is nothing in comparison although we noticed in the UK you don't get to hold a kitten, puppy or pocket monkey in Sunday School while praising Jesus! So I guess there is still a bonus to our usual Sunday school experience!
When you see watermelons as big as your torso, piled high at the market, then you know it is Christmas in Paraguay!
On our return home we hit the ground running for the Christmas party in two communities. This has become a highlight of our year allowing us to see people who otherwise don't cross our paths and so to share the gospel with them. We had a great time giving out gifts, chasing sweets and setting off fireworks. We got the chance to sing a worship song in Guarani to the tune of ‘Jingle Bells’ which we had never heard before but did make us smile a lot.
It was a wonderful party and a real joy to see how this celebration has developed over the years; how people really look forward to it and are practically blessed by it too. Thank you to all of you who give so generously and make this sort of event possible. We love you so much!
The church community wanted to celebrate Christmas and to offer their neighbours a chance to go somewhere and share a meal to celebrate Jesus’s birth. We thought this was a really cool idea. And, as they planned and prepared what they would do, we were able to supply them with a surprise gift of bags full of vegetables and many kilos of fresh meat and rice, so they would not go short and could give generously to anyone who came to their Christmas Feast.
We are so proud of how this group of believers is growing and sharing, in a very Acts 2 kind of way. Please continue to pray for them and their families.
As we start this New Year there have been so many of the usual (if not more thanks to social media) conversations like: ‘What will you do this year?’, ‘Resolutions?’, ‘Challenges?’, ‘Fresh slate, new start and opportunities’, etc. These are all great and wonderful things, but (. . . yes there is a but), but what I have been pondering this season is how to become better at doing the thing I, we, are called to be doing all year round.
In Deuteronomy 32:3-4 it says:
“I will proclaim the name of the Lord.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
He is the Rock, His works are perfect, and all His ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is He.”
To proclaim is to declare something one considers important with due emphasis! Not a sharing of faith or belief, but an announcing publicly. I feel a real challenge at the moment to proclaim my God, to shout about Him from the rooftops because He is perfect! Faithful, Upright and Just!
Amongst so much background noise drowning out or distracting people from these truths, maybe now, more than ever, is the time to proclaim the name of Jesus in a new way.
That is not easy!
However, what is definitely easier in this day-and-age, so it would seem, is to declare on social media which diet/fad you are doing or will be following; what you will be giving up or what others should be giving up in order to be better people; or what you see as needing to be done to put right the world according to your political standpoint!
But . . (yes once again it is that but!), but the truth is that what we should be doing, above all else, is declaring our Lord and Saviour. Publicly - that no-one doubts where we stand and who we stand for, and why.
What this looks like practically for each and everyone of us I don't know, but I do know that for me I need to rise to this challenge and pick up my trumpet to proclaim the name of the Lord and praise the greatness of our God.
Will you join with me?
Frustratingly we are having issues with our website and therefore our email address that is attached to it. We won't go into the technicalities of it (’cos we don’t understand it all ourselves!), but for now we would ask that if any of you are trying to get in touch with us could you use:
johnandrachelinparaguay@hotmail.com
That way we can be sure to be in touch with you.
We are so constantly amazed by God's provision for us and the ministry here provided through you, our supporters. We ended 2022 feeling such heartfelt gratitude for all we have received. Thank you!
Know that we pray for you, that you will know God's love, blessing and favour throughout this coming year!
The 4 McDs
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