Mark and Janet Case

Scripture Celebration Among the Manjuis

Posted in News Article on Mar 29th, 2008 | Discuss This Post

It is a thrill to walk by some of our friends houses in the morning and see them reading their Bibles. The nights that phase one (evangelistic teaching) is being taught have also been packed out, which is a change from the smaller number of participants earlier. Not that there has been a revival, but we are thrilled with a renewed interest in God’s Word by quite a number.

Satan is not so thrilled. The chanting, drinking, and immorality seems to have escalated as well. There hasn’t been one night this last month that we haven’t heard one of the local witch doctors chanting. We would love your continued prayers for the Manjúi church as they learn to stand on their own and reach out to the lost.

Because of Him,
Jeff and Stacy Hunt

Scripture Celebration among the Manjui

Posted in News Article on Mar 14th, 2008 | Discuss This Post

Less than half of the New Testament is translated but the Manjuis are eager to read what they have received.

They were using several spiral notebooks and are thrilled to receive the translated Scriptures bound into one volume.

After learning the volume was coming, the believers decided to celebrate the arrival of God’s Word. They planned and carried out a ceremony.

Since a meal followed the program, the main speaker, a Manjui leader, explained that God’s Word is more important than food. He told them that God’s Word nourishes us and we need to take it in to be beneficial in our lives. Missionaries and other Manjui church leaders also shared about the influence of God’s Word in their lives.

Several newly literate women stood up to read verses from the Bible. It took a great deal of courage for them to read in front of so many people. Typically Manjui women are easily embarrassed when they make a mistake in front of others. To give each other moral support they decided to read in unison.

Pray that more Manjui people will learn to read. Pray also for those who have received translated portions with a printed portion of God’s Word and to draw nourishment from the truths they read.

March 14, 2008
by Dena McMaster

Finally there is Rain!

Posted in Paraguay on Jan 26th, 2008 | Discuss This Post

One week, this place looked like a desert, and the next week it looked like a swamp! This area of Paraguay is very flat with clay soil so the water just sits and doesn’t drain off. Some of our families got stuck in the mud trying to get back to our MK school after the Christmas break. We ended up cancelling school for one day since the students couldn’t make it out for classes. You could call it a “mud day” instead of a “snow day.”

The tribal people are especially thankful for the coming of the rains so that they can plant their gardens and crops. This can be a harsh land for the tribal people who depend on hunting and gathering for their survival. Pray that the tribal people will respond to the truth of the Gospel as it is presented to them. Pray for continued progress with teaching, discipleship, and ongoing translations of the Scriptures in the various tribal works. We consider it a privilege to be part of the team to see the 17 tribal groups here in Paraguay reached with the Gospel.

Life in Paraguay

Posted in Paraguay on Oct 14th, 2007 | Discuss This Post

We are hopefully nearing the end of a very long dry season.

There is no town water here where we live, and we collect rain water in underground cisterns. We have two cisterns that are about 9 feet (3 meters) across and 12 feet (4 meters) deep. Since there has been no rain for nearly 6 months, our cisterns have run out. So, we took the opportunity to clean out the mud and dirt and then patch them for cracks and leaks.

We have had to purchase truckloads of water, and we are hoping for the rains to come soon. There are very few wells in this area since the wells often contain salt water. The water then has to be desalinated and delivered by trucks to homes for consumption.

We are still getting used to conserving water with short showers and outhouses.

Education Camp Activity

Posted in MK School, Ministry on Oct 14th, 2007 | Discuss This Post

Our goal is to provide a field-wide educational support structure for the nearly 50 NTM MK’s here in Paraguay.

To accomplish this goal, we have started a traditional MK School for students in grades 4-12, and we also provide homeschool assistance. One of our strategies is to provide Education Camp Activities which will bring both the homeschooling and MK school students together for educational activities two or three times a year.

We just completed our first Education Camp for the 7-12th grade students. We praise the Lord for an excellent time together. We started each day with a Bible class where we focused on overcoming life’s challenges. By looking into Scripture and by hearing the testimony of a Christian man born without arms and legs, we were challenged in our faith to trust God for power to overcome difficulties. Then we had various classes including wood-working, speech principles, story-telling skills, tone chimes, study and time management skills, and volleyball. We then were able to enjoy swimming, horseback riding, and other fun activities.

We are hoping that in the future these Education Camp activities can become short-term missions projects for churches or teams to come and actually offer the classes to the MK’s.

Hello from Paraguay!

Posted in Paraguay on Aug 14th, 2007 | Discuss This Post

Hello from Paraguay! We have so much to praise the Lord for these days! We praise the Lord for a safe trip to Paraguay and for His help as we have been going through this time of transition getting used to a new country, new ministry, and new co-workers.

You may ask, “So, what is it like there in Paraguay?” Well, here are a few ways to describe our new home:

Climate: Changeable—This is technically wintertime down here in Paraguay south of the equator. The temperatures have been down in the 30’s F (less than 5 C), and we have been all bundled up trying to keep warm around our little wood stove. Then, amazingly, the wind direction can change, and the very next day the temperatures can soar to above 95 F (35 C). Then, in another day or so, we are starting the wood stove again. Quite amazing!

People: Friendly—The people in the town we live in are very friendly and seem to know everything about everybody. It takes us off guard when we walk into a store, and the store clerk seems to know who we are, what we do, where we live, and what we’ve done for the past twenty years. Ironically, we have never even met them! We do praise the Lord for our new friends and neighbors and look forward to getting to know them better. We praise the Lord for our wonderful co-workers who have been a huge help and blessing as we have gotten settled.

Scenery: Well, …not exactly lush and green—The area of Paraguay we live in is called the Chaco. It is flat and dry. Presently, it is dry season, and there hasn’t been any measureable rain for the past few months. Everything is quite brown and dusty. We kind of miss the color green! There are some green cactus though!

Water: Scarce—Everyone collects rain water and stores it in underground cisterns and hopes that it will last for the 5 to 7 months of dry season. There is no town water system. Everyone is very conscientious about conserving seemingly every drop of water. Showers are short, and outhouses are regularly visited.

Traveling: Dusty—Driving around the Chaco is like driving in a dust storm. The roads are dirt and sand. When a vehicle goes down the road, it stirs up a thick cloud of dust that at times cuts visibility to nearly nothing. In the evening, after everyone goes home from work, there is a ominous cloud of dust that hangs over the town and reflects in the street lights.

Ministry: Exciting!—We are busy getting ready to start classes in the MK school at the end of August. We have been busy setting up the school, sorting books and materials, making lots of plans and preparations for the opening of the NTM MK school which will serve as the central hub for assisting with the care and education of the over 50 NTM MK’s here in Paraguay.

• Please pray for daily wisdom and guidance as we make plans to start the MK School and develop a field-wide educational support structure.
• Pray for physical strength. Janet has been having quite a bit of back and neck discomfort with all the moving, unpacking, and sorting.
• Pray for all of our adjustments here to Paraguay.

Thanks so much for your prayer and part in our lives! We thank God daily for your partnership with us! God bless you richly!

MK School getting an Extreme Makeover!

Posted in MK School on Apr 4th, 2007 | Discuss This Post

We are in the process of setting up a field-wide educational support structure to assist the more than 50 MK’s in Paraguay. As we go to Paraguay, our goal is to assist all the families with their educational needs so that they can be more effective in their particular ministries.

One part of our support structure will be the establishment of a MK school. We are presently doing renovations on a small property. A dividing wall has been installed making two classroom areas. An additional classroom has been added. Everything is getting a fresh paint job. Land is being cleared for an area to play sports. Check out the photos of the progress on our Photo page in the album called MK School Renovations.

You can read more about this project by downloading a small Adobe Reader file:

MK School Renovation Project >>

We also plan to assist families who will continue to homeschool by providing advice, resources, activities, workshops, and much more.

Thanks for your prayers for us as we assist families with their educational needs.

MK Care and Education

Posted in MK School, Ministry on Feb 6th, 2007 | Discuss This Post

Explore NTM MK Education>> www.ntm.org/education

During January, Mark attended the New Tribes Mission MK Care and Education committee meetings in Missouri.

As a mission, we are very concerned about the care and education of our MK’s (missionary kids). You can probably imagine that living overseas provides many exciting learning experiences, difficulties, and challenges. Educating our children overseas is often complicated by living in remote situations and by challenging ministry responsibilities.

It is our desire to provide assistance and direction to the fields and families around the world in order to ensure quality care and education. As a family’s educational needs are properly met, they are then able to be more effective in their particular ministries. The ultimate goal is that church planting efforts among tribal people will be more effective as a result of a proper educational support structure for families.

During our committee meetings, we heard reports of what is happening on various fields around the world. We evaluated a variety of issues affecting the education of our MK’s such as different learning styles and learning disabilities. We discussed the impact of internationalization in MK schools and the blessing and challenge of having children and teachers from various countries. We looked at homeschooling issues and ways to support and provide assistance to homeschoolers. We brain-stormed various ideas of assistance that can be provided in the future such as mission trips going to the fields to put on education camps. We discussed child protection efforts, the care of graduating and adult MK’s, and TCK (Third Culture Kid) issues. The week was a profitable time with the goal of equipping our fields and families to be even more effective in addressing MK care and education issues.

We have been privileged to serve MK’s and their families over the past 18 years in Panama, and God is now directing us to serve in Paraguay. Our vision is to provide a field-wide educational support structure for the over 50 MK’s living in Paraguay. We will be providing assistance to all the families whether they homeschool, attend an international Christian school, or attend a small NTM MK School.

We plan to go to Paraguay this coming July. We will be living in the northern area of Paraguay. The area is semi-arid and called the Chaco. Presently, renovations are being made on a property to accommodate a small MK school with multi-grade classrooms. Pray for continued progress so that classes can begin by the beginning of September.

NTM