Linn's News May 2012

Linn’s News May 2012

Thanks for all your prayers this month.  Prayer has been a great support to us through a difficult time.

The Country

This month we have had unseasonal, torrential rain all over the country. This has led to flooding in vast areas of the Chaco and also some parts of Asuncion.

The government declared an emergency situation and then people in Asuncion began a “solidarity campaign”, collecting food, clothes, bottled water and medicines. Helicopters have been evacuating people to higher ground, where they are now living under plastic sheeting.

Teams have been taking food into central collection points. Helicopters have dropped food into inaccessible areas.

Things seem to be much more organized than they were fourteen years ago when this situation last occurred, soon after I arrived here.

Last week a famous celebrity came to Paraguay for the first time. Sir Paul McCartney brought his “On the Run” concert to Paraguay. Sir Paul played and sang for over three hours, almost non-stop and the Paraguayans loved it, joining in with many of the songs that they know by heart in English.

Luis Palau is here this week with a big evangelism Festival, with bands for the young people. 30,000 attended last night.

The Churches

 The Easter services in the churches were very special. On Maundy Thursday the cathedral congregation shared a “Last Supper” with a time for reflection. On Good Friday in the English chapel we had a time of reflection about the people at the foot of the cross. It was very moving. Afterwards we gathered for homemade hot cross buns and hot cross mince pies (different!).

This weekend there is a team here from St. Mark’s church in Liverpool. They are sharing their experiences of church growth, with the church here.                                                                                     

The school                                                                                                           On Easter Sunday we received some devastating news. One of our pupils, Gabi Duarte, in the lower sixth form, was tragically killed in a motor accident. Gabi was a talented singer. She had been filming for an appearance on a popular TV talent show and she was returning home with a producer and another contestant, who were also killed. We were all deeply affected by the loss of such a promising young student.

Our first group of students went off to Brazil this week on an international Sports camp. They had a great time and we are proud of their sporting attitudes.

This Friday was Teachers’ Day. The students showed their appreciation by bringing in a live Mariachi band for breakfast and there was dancing.

The children produced a show for us and also we received many gifts.

There was a lunch for the staff and everybody received a beautiful, Spanish, personalized Bible with our names on them.

Personal news

Thank you to those who have been praying for my health and well-being over the last few weeks.  Last week I had a small operation on my gallbladder. In answer to prayer everything went very well and I am now well on the mend.

Prayer points:-

1. We give thanks that the Lord is here when we call out to Him and that he is a merciful and loving God.
2. Please pray for our indigenous brothers and sisters in the Chaco. Pray that all their emotional and material needs will be met during the current emergency and for as long as they need help. Pray that they will be able to return home soon. Pray for the government to continue to help where needed.
3. Please pray for our students and staff as the term continues, as pupils come to terms with the grief of losing Gabi. They are all much better, but these things take time. Some exams have begun and the students need to be able to concentrate.
4. Please pray that after all the rain there will not be any major dengue outbreaks or other epidemics. Please pray for the protection of our staff and pupils too.
5. Pray for our congregations to be inspired by the visit of the team from St. Mark’s.

Linn Tedman working for the Church Mission Society, Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ email:- ltedman@hotmail.com You can read more detail and see more photos on my blog:- http://www.linninpy.blogspot.com

Linn's News April 2012

Linn’s News April 2012

Thank you so much for your prayers and support this month. It has been a very busy time for the Primary department in the school. In answer to prayer, after some torrential rain this week, we are now enjoying much lower temperatures. Mind you, a couple who arrived on a visit from Ireland yesterday are finding it hot at around 25C.

The country

Surprisingly, glancing through the headlines this morning, the journalists are having to manufacture news, principally about health issues. Dengue fever is at epidemic levels once again, mainly in the metropolitan area. Our Primary head of department is just recovering after being kept in hospital for a few days with it.

The BIG news is that Paul McCartney is coming to give a concert on 17^th April. I am disappointed as I may be in hospital then so I decided not to buy a ticket. I was eighteen years old the last time that I saw him in concert..... many moons ago.

Apart from that the country still plods on in the same vein with the same old problems.

The churches.

The churches are now preparing for Semana Santa (Holy Week). It is a busy time. There is a shared “Last Supper” planned for Thursday evening, a time of reflection in the English Church on Good Friday and then the Easter celebrations.

  The schools

The beginning of the month saw the team captain elections, all “above board”, even down to the finger printing.

With the run up to the Easter break the schools have been very busy.  The Annexe School held it Easter service yesterday afternoon.

On Wednesday there was the annual Easter egg hunt. This year it was held in school as torrential rain had made the Sports Ground inaccessible.

On Thursday we held the Easter hat parade in Primary. Last year the theme was Paraguay because of the bicentenary celebrations. This year with the Queens’ Jubilee and the Olympics in London, the theme is “Great Britain.” The children came in hats in various categories, such as “The Queen,” “The guards,” “Afternoon tea,” “The Beatles,” etc. etc. They were spectacular. There is never a lack of imagination.

Friday was hectic. Early in the morning the whole school took part in a presentation of the history of England. The Pre-School produced an amusing film of themselves as cavemen, with the Flintstones music as backing. The upper Primary gave us information about the Anglo-Saxons and the lower primary told us about the Vikings. The secondary department brought on Julius Caesar and the Sixth form produced an excellent film about the kings and queens of England. The entire thing was a lot of hard work but in the end it was all worthwhile.

The end of the term came with the final service. This was focussed on the Cross this year and what Jesus did for us. The third grade gave us a “dramatic” explanation of the Old Testament reading of Aaron standing in the gap for the Israelites. Pastor Ronnie helped that along.

The most moving part of the service was a dance drama by the sixth form about Jesus breaking our chains of sin to rescue us, and his forgiveness, through his suffering on the cross. It was a wonderful production and the children were all touched by it. Many of the secondary pupils had been reluctant participants in the service to begin with but by the end they were all moved by the gospel message. They were still talking about it later, after the service.

Prayer points:-

1.       Please continue to pray for Paraguay. There is still so much work to be done to relieve the plight of the poor. Pray for guidance and wisdom for the government and pray for those who struggle daily to get a meal on the table.

2.       Give thanks that we have reached the end of the first term this year. Pray for the teachers to get some rest in the week of holiday. Pray for safety for those travelling, especially the Hickmott family and Hannah Taylor and her parents. Pray for healing for Profe Mati, after a second heart operation and for Profe Eva, recovering from dengue fever. Pray for everybody’s health to improve. Many have flu and chest infections, including our school director, Gwen Carlisle.

3.       Pray for our churches here in the run up to Easter. Pray that it will be a time of reflection and of celebration that will extend into the local community to bring others to know the truth that Jesus is alive and with us today.

4.       Please can I ask for personal prayer. I am due to go to the hospital on Monday 9^th April for a colonoscopy. Depending on the results of this the surgeon may operate on me the following week. Please pray for me to have confidence and to take one step at a time. (My confidence is running thin at the moment.)

I wish you all a Blessed and Happy Easter as you celebrate our Lord’s Resurrection. Linn Tedman working for the Church Mission Society, Watlington Road, Oxford, OX4 6BZ email:- ltedman@hotmail.com You can read more detail and see more photos on my blog:- http://www.linninpy.blogspot.com