PRAY FOR PARAGUAY WORK CAMP!
As many of you know, First Church has an exciting and growing relationship with the Church of God in Paraguay. Since 2004 a group from First Church has gone to Paraguay to build three new, fully completed church buildings. The amazing story behind this is that we don't just go and start something that the locals then finish. We have enough construction trades represented in our group to be able to completely construct a building, dedicate it, and present the keys ready for use in just over two weeks.
From January 22-Februrary 11, 2011 a group of 46 men and women (36 from First Church) are going to the city of Katuete. The congregation at Katuete (a new district of about 11,000 residents) has about 70 active members under the pastoral leadership of Silas and Nancy Dias, who have served as their pastors since 2009. The team will build a 4000 square foot church building. Several of our team will also add a second floor to a COG school near Encarnacion (9 hours away). Both groups will be working with skilled Paraguay construction workers to help complete the work.
Also during the trip, several of us will meet and share with the children we sponsor through COG Children of Promise ministry. We will also visit our COG missionaries, Norbert and Julie Kurie, and many other new friends we have made in that country. We will also present six new puppets and puppet scripts created by several persons in our congregation as gifts to the church in Katuete.
We request your prayers for safety as we travel and during all of the time that we are there. Please pray for the COG pastors and congregations in Paraguay and especially Pastor Silas and Nancy Dias at Katuete. May our work and efforts be a true blessing to the Kingdom of God in Paraguay.