Oct 22, 2006
The Pryors Are Expanding
Dear Praying Friends,
Thank you for your faithful partnership with the Pryor Family through
your prayers & financial support. We are especially thankful for
those of you who have been in personal contact with us since we have
been back in the States on furlough from the Lord's work in Paraguay.
You have been a special encouragement to us.
To be honest, we have had a number of disappointments &
discouragements since our return to the States. These have primarily
involved the timing of our return to the mission field. But, our Lord
is faithful, and we are seeing His plan come together for our return to
His work in Paraguay.
In the meantime, we are seeing God expand both our family & our ministry!
OUR EXPANDING FAMILY
The Pryor Family is growing. No, we are not expecting another child. Instead, the Pryor Family is growing through marriage!
Autumn,
our oldest daughter (soon to be 20), began attending New Tribes Bible
Institute in Waukesha, Wisconsin last year. During her first semester
there she met a fine, Christian young man who is a missionary kid (MK)
himself. After a short courtship & engagement, Autumn & Justin
Bartron were married on June 10, 2006. As the old saying goes, we did
not lose a daughter, but gained a son!
Cameron, our oldest son (23), began attending New Tribes Bible
Institute this August. He had been working to get all his required
ratings to be a missionary pilot with New Tribes, but felt now was the
time to attend Bible school. This also corresponded with when the young
lady he has been friends with for several years now started attending
the Institute. She is an MK of a fine family who work with New Tribes
in Paraguay and became good friends of ours during our time there. Now,
Cameron and Katy Crane are engaged & are planning on being married
December 30th of this year. So, we are about to gain a new daughter!
Needless to say, this has been an exciting year of physical expansion
for the Pryor Family. But, we are experiencing an expansion in our
family´s ministry, as well.
OUR EXPANDING FURLOUGH MINISTRY
One of our primary goals for our time back in the States has been to
find a new home/sending church since our original one ceased to exist
while we were on the field.
Soon after arriving in Texas we were encouraged to be invited to be a
part of a new church that was started by friends & supporters from
our old church. We spent nearly a year believing this church was going
to make good on their verbal promise to be our sending church. However,
we learned otherwise as it came time to move ahead in the direction we
believed the Lord was leading us concerning our family´s continued
ministry in Paraguay. Instead of agreeing to send us out, the church
leadership told us they wanted us to wait an additional year &
fulfill a 24-point plan they developed, all without once consulting us
or asking us to pray with them about it. In addition, they would not
even assure us that they would send us out after fulfilling their plan.
That plan contained requirements that we were convinced after prayer
were unnecessary & unjustified, and not what the Lord had for us.
But, it did reveal the Reformed/Calvinist doctrinal beliefs held by the
church leadership of which we were previously unaware. As a result, we
had to part ways & begin searching anew for a home church.
But,
soon after that disappointment, we delivered a case of Bibles for
Sherri's father to a man who had moved out from North Carolina as a
missionary pastor to a small town here in west Texas. After we shared
our history as missionaries & our recent trouble with our "almost"
home church, he suggested we pray about their young church (less than a
year old) being our home/sending church! God is always faithful! After
a month of visiting with them each Sunday & discussing many things
(especially their doctrinal stand!), we felt led to move the 100 miles
to Fort Stockton, Texas. North Side Baptist Church is now officially
our home AND sending church!
We've been at our new church almost 2 months now & Sherri has been
asked to lead the Ladies' Ministry & I am teaching the Adult Sunday
School class. In addition, the church has recently decided to start a
Bible college & it appears I may have an advisory role in it due to
my past experience in Christian education & as a Christian college
administrator. All in all, it is a tremendous blessing to be involved
with a church where people are being saved & added to the church
almost every meeting!
But this represents just a temporary expansion of our family´s ministry
for the time we are in the States. What is more important is the
direction we feel the Lord is leading us into for our ongoing ministry
in Paraguay.
OUR EXPANDING MINISTRY IN PARAGUAY
Even before returning to the States last year, we were praying about
joining New Tribes Mission (NTM). After three years of getting to know
all the New Tribes missionaries in Paraguay, we felt the Lord leading
us to work with them. Not long before we discovered the doctrinal
differences we had with the first church we joined upon our return to
Texas, we became convinced it is the Lord´s will for us to join New
Tribes Mission.
As
of now, we have been accepted as candidate missionaries with New Tribes
Mission. Next August, 2007, we will move to Camdenton, Missouri and
begin our training at NTM´s Missionary Training Center. After 9 months
there, we will go to Chihuahua City, Mexico to improve our Spanish
language proficiency. Then we will return to Paraguay as NTM
missionaries.
So, how is that an expansion of our family´s ministry in Paraguay?
Quite simply, instead of being a single missionary family working
alone, we will be part of a 35 family team working to reach the
unreached Indian tribes of Paraguay with the Good News of Jesus Christ.
New Tribes Mission has been working among 6 of the 17 tribal groups in
Paraguay for 60 years. They are now poised to begin works in an
additional 8 tribes which have yet to hear a clear presentation of the
Gospel.
Our desire is to be a part of New Tribe´s mobilization efforts among
the Paraguayan churches. We will help present the importance of tribal
mission work in general & the work of New Tribes in Paraguay in
specific to local churches in Paraguay. The goal is to see Paraguayan
nationals raised up as missionaries to their own tribal people.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Justin & Autumn (Pryor) Bartron – That they would stay
sensitive to the Holy Spirit´s leading as they near the end of the
first phase of their studies and seek the Lord´s direction & timing
for additional training and future service. God´s blessings on their
marriage.
Cameron Pryor & Katy Crane – Grace to balance studies, work,
and planning a wedding. Provision for all the expenses of the wedding.
God´s blessings on their upcoming marriage.
David, Sherri, Bethany & Matthew Pryor – That God would use
our family during this year as we build relationships with our new
church family & help with the church´s ministries. Grace to balance
our time between work, ministry & raising additional support.
Local Ministry – There are many opportunities for outreach in
the community we are in here in Texas. Fort Stockton has a very large
Spanish-speaking population which is predominately Catholic. This is a
tremendous opportunity for ministry much like what we had while living
in Paraguay´s capital. Pray for wisdom & opportunity to pursue the
most effective outreaches while we are here in the States.
Additional Support – Once we start our training with New Tribes
next August, I will no longer be able to work as all our time will be
taken up with studies. Then, we will move to Mexico to increase our
language proficiency. Finally, we will return to Paraguay to work with
New Tribes Mission. All of this takes faithful prayer & financial
support on the part of those who desire to be an integral part of the
Pryor family´s ministry. Please pray with us that the Lord will provide
additional individuals & churches to partner with our family &
share the financial burden of carrying out the Lord´s work in Paraguay.
Yours in Christ,
David Pryor
Posted by David Pryor in Prayer & Praise | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Apr 21, 2005
March-April 2005 Update
FURLOUGH
-
“And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest a while…” - Mark 6:31
We
have been in Paraguay for 6 years now without a furlough. Most missionaries
return to their home country every 4 years for a time of rest and reporting to
their supporters.
We have prayed much about this and the Lord has provided the money for us to go to the States. We have our tickets in hand and will fly out of Paraguay on May 26th.
It is with mixed emotions that we are leaving. We look forward to seeing friends and family again. But, we are going to miss the new believers we have been working with to plant a local church in our neighborhood.
However, there is another assembly of believers in a nearby neighborhood that we fellowshipped with before we started meeting in our home. In our absence, the believers from our neighborhood will be able to attend meetings there. We have also discussed the possibility of one of the men from that group meeting with our people in one of their homes in our neighborhood in order to continue teaching and grounding them in the Word.
In addition to making arrangements for the ongoing care of the believers in our neighborhood, we have been working to get our personal family details all in order.
The main item has been getting our permanent residency renewed before we leave. This has meant getting documents from the neighborhood police station & their central identification bureau, and visiting the Immigration office downtown.
We have been working on renewing our residency for months now. It is just that many things, especial official paperwork, move so SLOWLY here in Paraguay. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we finish wrapping up things here.
In addition, pray for us once we reach the States on May 27th. There are many details that still need to be worked out, such as a place to live, transportation and a job.
Why a job? Quite simply, it will be difficult to live in the States on our current level of financial support; the cost of living is just too high. It has been a blessing to live in Asunción as it has one of the lowest costs of living of any capital city in the world.
FELLOWSHIP –
When we first arrive in the States we will spend time visiting family and friends, as well as, reporting to our supporting churches. Then, after getting Autumn settled in at New Tribes Bible Institute in August, we will be looking to the Lord for direction concerning where He wants us to live and work during the rest of our time in the States.
One of the main reasons for our decision to go ahead and return to the States at this time is our need to find a new church home. As many of you know, our original home/sending church, Midland Baptist Temple, stopped supporting their missionaries due to a lack of finances quite some time ago.
Since then, we have been in contact with a number of people concerning a place to fellowship. As a result, we have several local assemblies of believers with which we want to visit.
Pray with us that we will clearly discern God’s will in this very important area of a church home.
FRUIT -
Remember Nicasia? She was the first lady to accept Christ through our Home Bible studies. In our last newsletter, we reported how she had visited her family in the northern part of Paraguay in January. While there, she won her father and sister to the Lord.
Well, last month Nicasia went to visit her family again. We were somewhat surprised since she had just visited them and it is expensive (in her economic condition) to do so.
Never the less, it was worth the expense. Nicasia tried to witness to an uncle who has lost his mind apparently due to witchcraft. Sadly, he can no longer understand anything he is told. But, there were other family members listening. In fact, three of them, two ladies and a man, accepted Christ through Nicasia’s witnessing!
Remember Andrea? She is the believer in our group whose husband is Lazaro, the atheist Cuban. Andrea’s mother-in-law from Cuba is here for an extended visit in order to see her new granddaughter. Unlike her atheist son, this lady was a devout Catholic.
I say WAS a devout Catholic because she
accepted Christ through Sherri & Andrea’s witnessing! In fact, she was so
convinced of her need to trust solely in Jesus instead of the Catholic Church,
that she said she is going to throw away all her Catholic idols as soon as she
gets back to Cuba!
PRAYER REQUESTS
Furlough - Grace in finishing our preparations to leave. Discernment of God’s will concerning where to live, work, and which local assembly of believers we should fellowship with.
Cameron - Endurance, safety, grace and wisdom as he works and continues his flight training.
Autumn - Grace as she begins her studies at New Tribes Bible Institute in August.
As
always, thank you so much for your faithfulness in praying for us. We truly
depend on it. May our Lord richly bless you in return for your faithfulness in
praying for our family.
Yours in Christ,
Posted by David Pryor in Prayer & Praise | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Dec 18, 2004
Prayer & Praise - December 2004 Update
PRAISE
PROVISION -
"I am the Lord thy God, ... open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it." - Psalm 81:10
This was one of George Müller’s favorite verses. We mentioned him in our October newsletter as a modern Hero of the Faith whose life spanned Victorian England. Müller believed that Christians should never ask for money, but trust directly in the Lord for everything. On the basis of this Scriptural principle, Müller was able to build up an immense work in orphanages & Gospel literature distribution to the glory of God alone.
Also in October's newsletter, we shared with you our family's commitment to trust the Lord alone to provide for us financially, as well as, in every other way.
With the example & witness of numerous faithful servants of the Lord in both modern times & in the Scriptures, we are convinced that this is how we are to "walk by faith, not by sight."
From personal experience, we also know that when we make our petitions known only to the Father in secret prayer, and according to His will, He provides the exact sums we need, when we need them, and God, not man, gets all the glory.
Let us share a testimony that illustrates just how our Lord moves His people to provide financially for His workers, without a direct appeal ever being made.
This week, Sherri received an email from an old friend & fellow church member with whom we have lost track of and have not seen or talked to in several years. In addition, they have not been on our mailing list since relocating to another state about 2 years ago. Here is an excerpt from that email:
"I know you guys are doing great things in Paraguay thru much sacrifice on yours and your family's behalf. We would like to be a part of your ministry. We have sent a check ... in the amount of 2,400. We also would like to give to you guys on a monthly basis in the amount of $200."
Isn't that awesome! This is totally the Lord's handiwork. God moved the hearts of these people to give the amount He wanted, not some amount we were trying to raise. In fact, now we are seeking the Lord's will concerning how He wants us to use these funds.
God is SO good! He truly can fill our mouth's when we open them wide & let our requests be made know to Him alone.
Of course, our faithful Lord has provided for us in more ways than just financially since we last wrote you.
PROGRESS -
Sherri finished teaching a 6-month Ladies Bible Study on "Practical Christian Living" & all but one lady completed the course. Sherri rewarded the ladies by taking them on a day trip to a beautiful part of the country near the little town of Piribebuy. Piribebuy was founded in 1628 and was the third capital of Paraguay.
Along the river outside of town, the ladies enjoyed a cookout next to some of the many small rapids & waterfalls. Even though it began to rain during their meal, they were able to shelter under a thatch roof, have their meal & a devotion. Driving back home they sang hymns all the way. It was a great time of fellowship & bonding for these growing believers.
PUPPETS -
The first week of December we were invited to the annual conference for New Tribes Mission here in Paraguay. It was a great time of fellowship with the 35 or so New Tribes families working in this country that we have come to know & love over the last couple of years.
This year they asked us to perform one of our Puppet Plays. Autumn, our 18-year-old daughter, wrote the script which she entitled, "Mikey Monkey." The play was based on a bedtime story Sherri made up 20 years ago for our first-born, Cameron. The story became a family tradition as each of our children in turn has been told the tale.
Autumn adapted the original bedtime story to be a Christian Puppet Play by highlighting the concept of obedience to God & parents that ran through the original story.
Four other missionary kids helped Autumn as puppeteers (there are 7 characters in the play), and we mixed our own soundtrack that included the voices, music & sound affects. The play has four parts, the first 3 of which have cliffhanger endings. We performed one installment each night of the conference at the beginning of evening chapel.
Next we are translating "Mikey Monkey" into Spanish as we are using it for Vacation Bible School the week of January 10th.
PERSEVERANCE -
While we were out of town at New Tribes´ conference, we were not able to be at home for our Sunday meeting with the church that meets in our home. We were concerned that the believers learn to meet on their own. So, we sought the Lord's direction on how best to handle this aspect of their Christian growth.
The Sunday before we left town, we suggested to the assembly that that get together in our absence for a time of Bible reading, singing & prayer. We didn't plan it for them or tell them where to meet, we just left it up to them.
The day we left, one of the ladies in the group told us several of them had talked about it & decided to meet in her house. We were thrilled! We gave her the songbooks & suggested some Scripture they might want to read.
When we returned from the conference, we were anxious to find out how things went. What we learned was a joy & encouragement to our hearts. The most faithful of our regular attenders DID get together in the one lady´s house. They reported that it was a real blessing & they thoroughly enjoyed it.
This is a tremendous step of growth in the spiritual maturity of these precious people. Please keep the church that meets in our home in your prayers.
As always, thank you so much for your faithfulness in praying for us. Without your fellowship with us, our work for the Lord would greatly suffer.
May you have a blessed holiday remembering that our Father not only sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to be born in a humble stable, but also to die on a cruel cross to pay for our sins.
Yours in Christ,
PRAYER REQUESTS
OUR FAMILY:
- David - Grace in learning Spanish. Wisdom in teaching the believers in the assembly meeting in our home. Wisdom & direction in planning additional outreaches.
- Sherri - Patience & wisdom in preparing varied & numerous details of the upcoming Vacation Bible School. Grace & wisdom in continuing to disciple the women in the assembly.
- Cameron - Endurance, safety, grace & wisdom as he works and pursues his flight training. In addition, Cameron will arrive here in Paraguay on January 6th to help us with VBS & will be staying for about a month. Pray for a safe trip & a time of spiritual refreshment with our family.
- Autumn - Grace & wisdom in finishing her Senior year, taking the SAT test, & preparing to move to the States to attend New Tribes Bible Institute next year (around May). Grace as she helps with her last VBS before leaving for college.
- Bethany & Matthew - Perseverance in their schoolwork, ever-increasing dependence & growth in the Lord, & grace as they help in the various ministries.
MINISTRIES:
- Assembly Meetings - Faithful attendance by all the believers (some let work & activities get in the way of meeting together), and for continued spiritual growth. Reproof, repentance, & restoration of those who have made the choice to continue in disobedience to God concerning their personal relationships (living together outside of marriage).
- Puppet Ministry - Grace & resources to finish preparing our latest puppet show for Vacation Bible School in January (we have to edit it & rerecord it in Spanish).
- Vacation Bible School - Wisdom & creativity in preparing for VBS the week of January 10th, 2005, and the resources to carry it out. Our VBS is geared to present the Gospel through Puppets & daily lessons. It is open to all neighborhood children, so pray that many will attend. Last year we saw 8 come to trust Jesus as their Savior.
- Lending Library – Wisdom & resources in putting together a library of Biblically-sound books in Spanish to help disciple the believers here.
UNSAVED:
There are 17 people on our prayer list for salvation. We will mention specific ones from time to time for special prayer. Here is one we've mentioned before who is greatly on our hearts:
- Lazaro - The atheist Cuban husband of Andrea, one of the first believers in the assembly. Sherri & I will soon start meeting with this couple to teach them English. Pray that the Lord will give us opportunities to share Christ with Lazaro & that his heart will be open to the Truth.
<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><
The Pryors of Paraguay
Web: http://www.pryors.net
Email: david@pryors.net
Mail: Casilla 13154, Asunción, Paraguay
Tel: (595) (981) 170-367
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Oct 28, 2004
October 2004 Update
PROVISION -
The Lord has truly blessed us in many ways over the last year and a half. We've seen Him bring over 35 people to salvation through Bible Studies & outreaches we have held. We’ve seen Him bring these new believers together into a new local New Testament assembly in our home. We have also seen the Lord faithfully take care of our family’s health & basic needs. God is SO good!
Nevertheless, most of you know that we receive less than $1,000 per month in financial fellowship. Admittedly, it is not easy to take care of a family AND carry out ministry efforts on that amount of money each month. But the Lord always provides just when we need it, and our family never truly lacks.
In relation to that, some of you have wondered why we do not make specific appeals for funds for our personal support. Or, why we do not return to the States to go on "deputation" in order to raise additional commitments for monthly support. The reason is simple. A thorough search of the Scriptures reveals NO New Testament precedent whatsoever for a missionary or Gospel worker to publish their personal needs or to appeal for funds for themselves.
The prime example of this is the Apostle Paul. He and those who worked with him are the Lord's example and model of how missionary work should be carried out. Paul often reminded God's people of the needs of others (Romans 15:26-27; 1 Corinthians 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8:1-5). But he never once suggested that he personally had needs which money could meet.
Instead, Paul was willing supported by those who sent him and by those to whom he ministered. (Romans 15:24; 1 Corinthians 16:5-6; 2 Corinthians 11:8-9; Philippians 4:10-19) Moreover, there was no form of agreement as to any of this -- no salary, no pledge, no promise.
In addition, in Thessalonica, Paul supported himself and those with him by working in his learned trade of tent making (1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8-9). He did this to be an example to the new believers of how they should work to support themselves and not depend on the church to support them. Indeed, the church is to support qualified widows and the truly poor among its number, not those who can work.
One hundred and seventy years ago there was a devoted servant of God named Anthony Norris Groves. He was determined to set out from England to Baghdad without any salary and simply trust God to meet his needs as they arose. Groves and his family lived for many years trusting God amid the most trying circumstances. Yet they found God utterly faithful. Groves literally lived by faith.
It was from the Scriptural example of Groves that George Müller was prompted to trust God alone for the supply of several large orphanages in Bristol, England, 17 missionary journeys, and the Scriptural Knowledge Institution which distributed more than 100 million Scriptural books, pamphlets and tracts.
It was from Müller's example that James Hudson Taylor was prompted to set forth the faith principles of the China Inland Mission (now the Overseas Missionary Fellowship), which became the first of many "faith missions. Sadly, these principles have been so "improved" upon that there is very little of the simplicity of trusting God left in much of "modern" mission work around the world today.
So, with the example & witness of numerous faithful servants of the Lord in both modern times in the Scriptures, we are convinced that our approach to our personal financial support is purposing to do “God’s work in God’s way.”
Does this mean that we do not want the financial support of our friends and like-minded brethren? NO! We simply want it done according to God’s plan & in His will.
As always, we earnestly covet your prayers for us. If, while in prayer for us, the Lord burdens you with a desire to fellowship with us financially, then we are confident that the Lord will also lead you as to an aount to give. Those funds will then be exactly what the Lord wants us to have, not what we think we should have.
Do you see the difference? God’s way is totally by faith and glorifies Him alone. Man’s way glorifies the method instead (i.e. the better the appeal, the more people are moved by it). We trust this makes it clear as to why we don’t solicit funds for our own personal needs.
On the other hand, we DO feel it is appropriate to share with you the needs of the outreach ministries our family and the local assembly are carrying out. In that regard, here are the current projects we would ask you to pray about. Not just for possible finances, but for their completion & fruitful outcome.
PROJECTS –
- Puppet Show - This month we have been busy building props, making new puppets & finishing the audio for a new Puppet Show we will be putting on at New Tribes Mission's annual conference at the end of November. It is amazing how much time and effort goes into one of these shows. But it is worth it as each show has a strong Biblical message & can be performed many times over.
- Vacation Bible School - We are also beginning to gear up for Vacation Bible School. We are planning on holding it the week of January 10, 2005. Last year we had more than 60 kids attend, with 8 trusting Christ as their Savior. We are praying for at least that many to attend this year. The theme is African Safari, & like last year, we are developing all the lessons, handcrafts, games, activities & snacks ourselves due to the high price of pre-packaged VBS material.
- Lending Library - Another project that is in the works is the Lending Library. Good, Biblically-sound books are difficult to find in Spanish. Even here in a Spanish-speaking country. We have searched high & low on the Internet and have found several publishers of excellent Spanish-language fundamental books. In the Lord’s timing we are trusting that we will be able to purchase them all & ship them down so that this project may move forward.
As always, thank you so much for your faithfulness in praying for us. Without your fellowship with us, our work for the Lord would greatly suffer.
Yours in His Service,
PRAYER REQUESTS
OUR FAMILY:
- David - Increasing proficiency in Spanish. Wisdom in teaching the believers in the assembly meeting in our home. Guidance in planning additional outreaches.
- Sherri - Patience & wisdom in preparing various aspects of the upcoming puppet show & Vacation Bible School. Grace & wisdom in continuing to disciple the women in the assembly. (Eight ladies just finished a 25 lesson series with Sherri that lasted 6 months. 100% of those that started finished the course!)
- Cameron - Endurance, safety, grace & wisdom as he works full time and pursues his flight training. (Cameron recently soloed & will soon make his first cross-country flight by himself.)
- Autumn - Grace to finish her Senor year, take the SAT test, & prepare to move to the States to attend Bible college next year. Guidance as she helps with the puppet ministry & VBS.
- Bethany & Matthew - Perseverance in their schoolwork, ever-increasing dependence & growth in the Lord, & grace as they help in the various ministries.
MINISTRIES:
- Assembly Meetings - Faithful attendance by all the believers, and their spiritual growth to continue.
- Puppet Ministry - Grace & resources to finish preparing the puppet show we've been asked to perform at the New Tribes Mission conference here at the end of November.
- Vacation Bible School - Wisdom & creativity in preparing for VBS the week of January 10th, 2005.
- Lending Library - Last month we shared with you our burden to build a library of Biblically-sound books in Spanish to help disciple the believers here. Pray for the Lord's provision for this project.
BELIEVERS:
- Luis & Grego – This couple had lived together for several years before they both accepted Christ last year. Through the teaching of the Word, they have realized they need to be legally married & have a clean testimony. Pray that they will soon be able to earn the money necessary to take this God-honoring step (Luis doesn’t have a steady job). They have set a tentative date of late November.
- Deo - She's delaying forsaking an improper relationship with her unsaved boyfriend. As a result, we've had to ask her to stop attending the assembly meetings. She's in the middle trimester of her pregnancy (which started before her salvation) & keeps hoping that her boyfriend will eventually marry her. However, he shows no interest in committing to her in any way. This is very typical here in Paraguay. Pray that the Lord will convict this young Christian of her need to do His will in this matter.
- Ramon & Sonia - Another couple we've had to ask to stop attending the church meetings due to their failure to commit to either stop living together or to get married. Pray that the Lord will get hold of their hearts & help them see the damage this is doing to both their testimonies and the Lord's Name.
THE LOST:
There are 17 people on our prayer list for salvation. We will mention specific ones from time to time for special prayer. Here is one we’ve mentioned before who is greatly on our hearts:
- Lazaro - The atheist Cuban husband of Andrea, one of the first believers in the assembly. He has asked that Sherri & I teach them English. This is a tremendous opportunity to build a relationship & begin to share the Gospel with him. Please pray that the Lord will open Lazaro's heart to the Truth.
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Sep 22, 2004
Prayer & Praise - September 2004 Update
ENDURANCE - It's official. Spring has arrived here in South America. We have really enjoyed the milder temperatures of winter (60's & 70's). But now it's time to endure hotter, and more typical sub-tropical weather.However, hotter weather is not the only thing we must endure in the months ahead. As believers, all of us must endure spiritual battles, as well.
Personally, we have just finished enduring a very real spiritual battle. For two months I suffered with constant headaches. My doctor ran blood tests & performed a CAT scan, yet nothing was found amiss with my health.
Finally, about 3 weeks ago our oldest son, Cameron, called from the States. He suggested that I was facing a spiritual battle, not a physical one. With this renewed focus, I began to pray with Ephesians 12:6 in mind: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
What a difference this made! My headaches began to lessen & totally went away in a few days. Now I am virtually headache free! More importantly, I'm able once again to concentrate on my walk with the Lord and the ministry He has for us here.
As we continue to press forward with the ministry here, however, I know we will be needing to endure even more. Please keep our family in your prayers.
Considering this particular aspect of the believer's walk with the Lord, let me share with you some Scripture that has been meaningful to me:
Seven Things Believers Are Called To Endure
1. Affliction. "But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." - 2 Timothy 4:5
2. All Things. "Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory." - 2 Timothy 2:10
3. Chastening. "If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?" - Hebrews 12:7
4. Contradiction. "For consider him [Jesus] that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." - Hebrews 12:3
5. Grief. "For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully." - 1 Peter 2:19
6. Hardness. "Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." - 2 Timothy 2:3
7. Temptation. "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." - James 1:12
I pray that you will remember these things we are called to endure as believers. They are not sent into our lives as punishment. Instead, they are for our benefit and blessing. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)
Thanks once again for your faithfulness in praying for us. Without your fellowship with us in prayer, our mission "team" would be incomplete & our work for the Lord would greatly suffer.
Yours in His Service,
PRAISE REPORT
Marielsa: Overcoming Shyness to Obtain Salvation
by Sherri Pryor
It’s not uncommon for new Christians, when worldly cares creep into their lives, to drift away from their walk with the Lord. This is what had happened to Zuni, a young mother of three, who after taking two jobs, stopped coming to our meetings.
I was making my way around the neighborhood that day to visit her and some of the other new believers in our group. But I didn’t find Zuni home that day. Instead, I found her 14-year-old sister-in-law babysitting the kids.
As is the custom in Paraguay, I clapped my hands to announce my presence at the small, ramshackle house that stood only a few feet from the street. This teenaged girl, who was working in the open kitchen area in the front of the house, looked up with a terrified expression. For a moment I wondered if I really looked that scary.
I could only see the left half of the young teen’s small body. The other half, which was concealed behind a wall, just stood there seemingly frozen. I smiled. She didn’t move. I said, “Hola” (hi). She didn’t move. I spoke to the children that played at her feet and they smiled a hello back at me. She still didn’t move. I thought, “I’d better get to the point before this poor girl dies of fear!”
So, I asked if Zuni was home. Finally, she shook her head so slightly I could barely detect it. I introduced myself and asked her to let Zuni know I had come by to visit. Again, she moved her head only slightly, this time in an up and down motion. She had yet to move one inch from where she stood, or utter a single word. I said goodbye, thus concluding my first meeting with Marielsa.
I continued to see Marielsa each time I would visit Zuni. With each visit, she became more vocal and more mobile. After a while she and I would have what could be considered more normal conversations. Sometimes Zuni would be home and I would try to encourage her to continue walking with the Lord. When Zuni wasn’t home, I would spend a few minutes visiting with Marielsa hoping to gain her trust and an opportunity to share the Gospel. By this time, she seemed to appreciate and look forward to my visits.
One Sunday morning, as we prepared for our Believer’s Meeting, I looked up to see Zuni’s children walking through the door. But it was not their mother that led them. It was shy, little Marielsa. I can’t imagine what it had taken for her to brave coming into the North American’s house that day. Something much stronger than her fears had broken through all her timidity and caused her to be willing to come to our house. I believe it was the Holy Spirit. We had, after all, been praying that somehow we would be able to reach this timid, young teen with the Gospel.
Marielsa seemed to enjoy that first meeting and came back week after week. Since we are meeting as a local assembly of called out believer’s, all of our people are saved. As far as we knew Marielsa had never been saved and much of what she was hearing she obviously didn’t understand.
One day after our meeting, I told Marielsa that she was welcome to come by the house any time to talk about what salvation means. She smiled and nodded and then left for home.
Later that afternoon, Marielsa came back to our house. She wanted to know how to be saved from an eternity in Hell! I spent a couple of hours going over Scripture and explaining how we are all lost and in need of a Savior. I explained how God provided our salvation through the death of His own Son.
Understanding the Gospel did not come easy for Marielsa because of the many wrong ideas she had been taught by the Catholic Church. I took each wrong doctrine, one by one, and showed her how the Catholic teaching was contrary to God’s Word. We talked about God’s loving ways and how different it is from the methods used by the Catholic Church during the Inquisition.
Then, we talked about all the consequences that could come about if she got saved. One being, that her Catholic family would probably reject her. Two hours later, I finished by telling Marielsa that the decision was hers. None of us would or could force her to trust Jesus as her Savior.
Her face fell, as she said, “My family will not like it if I get saved.” She paused pensively and said, “But I want to accept Jesus as my Savior.”
Marielsa had counted the cost and knew the consequences. But, she also knew the consequences of remaining lost and made the right choice. She bowed her head and in her own words asked Jesus to become her Savior!
I gave her a Bible and in the front we wrote the day’s date. It would be a date to remember; the day she made the best and most important decision of her entire life. Now, we are excited about teaching Marielsa more about her Heavenly Father and her wonderful life ahead.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Our family:
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David - Increasing proficiency in Spanish.
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Sherri - Patience & wisdom in dealing with the women attending the Ladies' Meetings.
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Cameron - Endurance, safety, grace & wisdom as he works full time and pursues his flight training.
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Autumn - Grace to finish her Senor year, taking the SAT test, & preparing to move to the States to attend Bible college next year.
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Bethany & Matthew - Perseverance in their school work, & ever-increasing dependence & growth in the Lord.
ASSEMBLY OF BELIEVERS IN OUR HOME:
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Encouragement & edification for those who are growing in their faith. Conviction & correction for those who are not faithfully walking with the Lord.
Ministries:
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Ladies' Bible Study - Grace to continue growing spiritually in spite of cultural hindrances.
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Men's Bible Study - Conviction in the hearts of the men so that they will persevere in coming to the classes & not let work & sports interfere.
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Sunday School - faithful attendance by the kids, and additional workers to help teach them.
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Puppet Ministry - Wisdom & creativity in creating a puppet show for an upcoming missionary conference here in December.
New Ministry:
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Lending Library - We are burdened to build an library of Biblically-sound books in Spanish to help disciple the believers here. We desire to have Bible concordances, dictionaries, almanacs & study helps, as well as, Christian biographies, Biblical "answer" books dealing with various issues, and much more. These will then be available on a lending basis to believers both in our group & outside. Pray for the Lord's provision for this project.
New Believers:
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Deo - She's struggling with forsaking an improper relationship with her boyfriend;
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Marielsa - 15-year-old who just came to Christ knowing her Catholic family will reject her.
The Lost:
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There are 17 people on our prayer list for salvation. We will mention specific ones from time to time for special prayer. Here is one that is really on our hearts:
Ever - This boy attended both Kid's Club & Vacation Bible School. He expressed an interest in getting saved to his mother, a new believer herself. Sadly, she encouraged him to wait until he "understood it better." (we believe he fully understands his need for a Savior!). After that, her Catholic husband & family apparently began putting pressure on her. She has since been avoided us & we seldom see Ever.
Posted by David Pryor in Prayer & Praise | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Aug 20, 2004
Prayer & Praise - August 2004 Update
INFERNO - Sunday, August 1st, was a black day in the history of Paraguay. That was the day a supermarket fire snuffed out hundreds of lives in the worst disaster outside of war this country has ever suffered.
Around 11:30 that morning, during the Sunday lunch-hour rush, a fire broke out in the chimney of the bakery's oven. At first it appeared minor. The store owner ordered the exits locked to prevent people leaving without paying for their goods. But then, due to a variety of circumstances, the fire exploded in what is known as a "backdraft." Within 3 minutes it totally filled the entire 3 story supermarket complex with smoke & fire. Because the exits had been locked, almost 400 people perished & hundreds were seriously injured.
[You may read our coverage of this tragedy by reading: Paraguay Mourns Hundreds Killed in Supermarket Blaze]
PRAISE REPORTS
OPPORTUNITIES - On the following Friday, we visited the scene with 2 other missionary couples & 2 visiting pastors (David & Mary Helen Wise, Clint & Tangie Conner, Jerry Whitlow & John Shelly). We passed out tracts to the workers & bystanders around the site. Two days later on Sunday, the one-week anniversary of the tragedy, our family took 17 believers from the church meeting in our home & returned to the supermarket. In a matter of just a few minutes we passed out 500 Chick illustrated tracts. The people eagerly received the tracts but we did not have enough for everybody. There were more than 2,000 people milling around.
Most were hurting emotionally, whether or not they had loved ones affected by the fire. And they were looking for answers to why so much suffering had occurred.
[We recently posted 2 articles dealing with suffering on our website: Why Does God Allow People To Suffer? & Why is There Suffering in the World?]
Sadly, we were not the only people passing out literature. The Catholic Evangelists of Mary were there in force. And they had more literature than we did. But, their tracts contained little or no Scripture. They basically encouraged people to think peaceful thoughts. Pray that the tracts we shared will lead people to the Lord.
GROWTH - The outreach experience of passing out tracts was a real blessing to the people in the church. It was the first time most of them had done anything outwardly for the Lord & it greatly encouraged them.
Then last Sunday, these new believers experienced another first. We took up our first offering to help another believer. His name is Miguel & he's a national missionary we know who works in a remote region of the Chaco (the western half of the country). His brother had been in an accident in which a tree fell on him, crushing a leg & an arm. He was in a hospital just outside of Asunción where they amputated his crushed foot. The family needed money for food & medicine & our group was happy to help out.
[Read Miguel's testimony: From Maniac to Missionary]
PUPPETS - August 16th was Kid's Day here in Paraguay. The Saturday before, we were invited to perform one of our Puppet Shows at a church in the adjacent town of Lambaré. Seventy-five children & adults were present to watch the Salvation-oriented show. The next day, Sunday, we put on the show again for the people meeting in our home.
Puppets are a very effective way to reach children & adults alike. Pray that we will have more opportunities to use this outreach.
PRAYER REQUESTS
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- Our Family - Pray for the work our Lord has given us here in Paraguay, for increased financial support for our family, wisdom in working with the believers meeting in our home, & guidance about further ministries.
- Cameron - Pray for the Lord to give Cameron endurance, safety, grace & wisdom as he works full time and pursues his flight lessons. Also pray for his finger & knee with which he still suffers discomfort from previous injuries.
- Local Church - Faithfully hold these new believers up to the Lord as they grow in their faith & understanding of their new life in Christ. Pray for them to have the grace & boldness to reach others for Christ.
- Sunday School - We are holding Sunday School classes while our regular believers meeting is going on each Sunday morning. Our 11-year-old Bethany teaches the 2-3 year olds, & our other daughter Autumn (17) teaches the 4-12 age group.
- Other Ministries - Even though we are focusing more on establishing the new believers here as a local church, we still have our other ministries. Please remember to pray for our weekly Saturday outreach of the Ladies' Bible Study, Men's Bible Study & the Puppet Ministry.
- New Believers - Remember the new believers we are discipling, & pray that their new-found joy in the Lord will not diminish & that they will continue to desire to know Christ better. Especially pray for the newest believer in our group, Deo.
- The Lost - There a number of people we are praying for who are not saved. Please remember those listed here specifically as it seems they have genuine interest in knowing more:
- Lázaro - the atheist Cuban husband of a believer in our group.
- Maria - sister-in-law of a believer in our group.
- Mariana & Karina - family members of a believer in our group.
- Lázaro - the atheist Cuban husband of a believer in our group.
- Deoliria: “Ill never touch your Bible!”
by Sherri Pryor
Deoliria (Deo for short) recently came to Asunción from her home in the country seeking work. The relatives with whom she is staying are new Christians in our group of believers. Over the last year, all 12 members of that family have accepted Christ as their Savior.
Deo, a staunch Catholic, did not like that one bit. She strongly voiced her opinion by warning them that we, “the non-Catholic family”, were leading them astray. She tried to get her family to stop attending the weekly believer’s meeting and Bible studies.
When her newly believing relatives tried to show her the Truth from one of the Bibles we had given them, she turned it away saying, “I will not touch a Bible that is not Catholic”. This is when we first began to hear of Deo, and her speaking out against our outreach efforts in the neighborhood.
Deo was particularly concerned about protecting her niece, Gregoria, from our influence. Gregoria had come from Deo’s household in the country a few years ago to live with the same family in Asuncion. The 13 year old was one of our fastest growing new Christians. (See article on Gregoria)
But Deo did not want her niece around us. Deo soon managed to convince the family back home of the “danger” we were to Gregoria and arranged to take Gregoria back to the country and out of our reach.
Since Deo continued to work here in Asunción and live with her believing relatives from our group, we began to come into contact with Deo often. Each time she was very reserved and cold toward us. But, we didn’t attempt to reach her with the Gospel immediately. Instead, we tried to reflect God’s love through our attitudes and actions.
Deo saw us bring food to the family when they were sick. She was there when we rushed Nicasia, (the matriarch of the family), to the hospital when we suspected she was having a stroke. She overheard our prayers with other family members. Above all, she witnessed the changes in her relatives who now called Jesus their personal Savior. What Deo didn’t know was that we were all praying that God would open her eyes to the Truth and save her.
Before long, Deo told her relatives that the next time they went to our believer’s meeting she was going, too. One of her cousins told her---correctly, if not tactfully--- that the meetings were a gathering of called-out believers coming together to worship and that she, not being saved, was not a part of this group. Deo adamantly responded saying, “If it’s a meeting of Christians, then I can go!” Her motivation to attend our meetings didn’t seem to be from a desire to know the truth, but rather a desire to prove us wrong.
Deo didn’t let a little thing like not being invited keep her from coming. Although somewhat surprised by her presence, we welcomed her as a visitor into our believer’s meeting. One could tell by her demeanor and haughty confidence that she felt she had nothing to learn from us. Regardless, she heard the Truth that first Sunday morning and each Sunday thereafter. And, she continued to come and sit quietly in our meetings.
After a while, Deo began to come to our Ladies Bible Studies on Saturday afternoons. Everyone was friendly to her and we tried to make her feel welcome. But, it was necessary to explain that the group of ladies were all saved and that the course was designed to help believers grow after their new birth. We didn’t want to confirm Deo’s wrong thinking that she could work her way to Heaven. Deo looked skeptical and didn’t say much, but continued to come to class.
With the passing weeks Deo had the opportunity to hear the truth of God’s Word many times. She experienced the evidence of changed lives. She heard us talk to our Heavenly Father in prayer. She witnessed the camaraderie of sisters in the Lord as we shared burdens, confessed faults and gathered around God’s Word. In the hymns we sang she heard the touching words penned by Christian writers hundreds of years ago, of the Savior they knew personally.
Deo’s confidence in her false religion started to crumble as the Holy Spirit convicted and the two edged sword of God’s Word began to pierce through her wrong philosophies and traditions of men.
Although Deo wasn’t very vocal about it, you could tell that her heart was softening to the Gospel. She seemed to be drawn to the Truth. Without anyone trying to convince her of anything, the light of God’s Word was slowly dawning on her mind.
One night after class, I told Deo that our home was always open to her if she ever wanted to come and talk more about Jesus and how He could save her. She just nodded slightly as she left, without committing to anything. Weeks went by and Deo, although coming to our various meetings, never came to talk to me about salvation. We continued to pray.
Then, last Saturday night after class, Deo stayed behind after the other ladies left. She finally wanted to know how to accept Christ as her personal Savior. I eagerly opened God’s Word and we began to read Scripture together.
Since she had been indoctrinated into the false religion of the Catholic Church, we went over the Biblical truth of the Gospel until she understood clearly. Once she understood that salvation was by grace and through faith alone in Jesus’ substitutionary death to pay for her sin, she was ready to trust in Him alone. She prayed and began to cry as she asked Jesus to forgive her sins and become her Lord and Savior.
Deo had been so opposed to what we believed that we couldn’t have known where to begin in order to reach her. But that didn’t matter. God knew. He knew exactly what it would take to soften her hard and prideful heart. Because of His love and through His Holy Spirit he drew Deo to himself, even when she was resistant to it.
God’s Word is so powerful and convicting that we need do nothing but be faithful in presenting it for others to be convinced. Deo now realizes that no religion or life of good works will save anyone. She knows that although all her goodness is as filthy rags, God now sees her white as snow because of what Jesus did for her. Deo finally knows how much God loves her.
Before Deo left Saturday night, I told her that we would like to give her a Bible if she wanted one. She eagerly said, “Yes, I want a Bible!” As she walked away from our house with the true Word of God in her hands, I couldn’t help but remember how only a few months earlier the same woman vowed to never touch our Bibles!
I was in awe of the transformation God had brought about in this one life. God truly cares about each of us and continues to call us to salvation even when we are busy going our own way. I’m thankful God was not willing to give up on Deo.
"The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9
Please pray for Deo as we begin the discipleship process of grounding her in her faith. Also, pray that if it is God’s will, Deo might be instrumental in bringing Gregoria back to Asunción where she can continue to be discipled through our Bible studies and believer’s meetings.
- Our family - Continue to pray for the work our Lord has given us here in Paraguay, for increased financial support for our family, wisdom in working with the new assembly of believers meeting in our home, & guidance about further ministries.
- Cameron - Pray for the Lord to give Cameron endurance, safety, grace & wisdom as he works full time and pursues his flight lessons.
- New Local Church - Faithfully hold these new believers up to the Lord as they grow in their faith & understanding of their new life in Christ.
- Sunday School - We are holding Sunday School classes while our regular believers meeting is going on each Sunday morning. Our 11-year-old Bethany teaches the 2-3 year olds, & our other daughter Autumn (17) teaches the 4-12 age group.
- Other Ministries - Even though we are focusing more on establishing the new believers here as a local church, we still have our other ministries. Please remember to pray for our weekly Saturday outreach of the Ladies Bible Study, & the Puppet Ministry.
- New Believers - Remember the new believers we are discipling, & pray that their new-found joy in the Lord will not diminish & that they will continue to desire to know Christ better. Especially pray for the newest believer in our group, Deo.
- The Lost - There a number of people we are praying for who are not saved. Please remember those listed here specifically as it seems they have genuine interest in knowing more:
- Lázaro - the atheist Cuban husband of a believer in our group.
Cecilia - the new wife of Nicolas.
Fabio - a friend of Derlis.
Thank you once again for your faithfulness in praying for us. Without your fellowship with us in prayer, our mission "team" would be incomplete & our work for the Lord would greatly suffer.
Yours in His Service,
Posted by David Pryor in Prayer & Praise | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Jul 02, 2004
July 2004 Prayer & Praise Update
July has started off with a "bang" in reference to our work here in Paraguay. Just before the month began, we saw the glorious answer to a long-standing prayer. For those of you who have been praying for Deo, the aunt of the young teenage believer, Gregoria, you will be able to rejoice with us. You see, Deo was born-again last Saturday! (Read Sherris story below to learn all the details)
In addition, we have begun making audio tapes of the New Testament in Guaraní. These are destined for the husband of Nicasia (our first new believer), who accepted Christ himself some time back. He lives in the countryside on their farm many miles from here. He also only speaks Guaraní. He has a deep desire to learn more of his Savior, & these tapes will be a great aid in that regard.
The Guaraní language is very different from Spanish. To give you an idea of what it is like, here is John 3:16 in Guaraní:
“Oime Tûpâ Ñandeyára voi ojayjú tuvichaite gui umi ubypóra cuerape omeê Tayia peteî jaeñomivape. Icatu jaguâ opa oyeroviáva guive Jesé anichene ocañý, ojupitýnte jaguâ pe Tecove ivapyraýva.”
Thank you so very much for your faithfulness in praying for us. Without your fellowship with us in prayer, our mission "team" would be incomplete & our work for the Lord would greatly suffer.
Yours in His Service,
* This article may be freely reprinted provided it is used in its entirety without modification and includes the following sentence:
Article reprinted from Pryors of Paraguay [http://pryors.net/] - Gods Work in Gods Way! The Pryors are missionaries to Paraguay, South America who are purposed to pursue the Biblical plan for missions and prove that New Testament principles still work today.
Posted by David Pryor in Prayer & Praise | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
