We praise the Lord for each of you who are a part of our ministry here in Paraguay, South America.

Praise the Lord with us:

1. For safety in our travels.
2. For the  speaking opportunities this month at the missionary training center, at the kids’ school camp, at two missions conferences, and a few other churches.
3. For Hugo, who desires to help us in Mobilization.
4. For a Christian Hospitality organization, who has invited us to a 4 day missionary GetAway retreat in Brazil with all expenses paid (not travel) the 1^st week of November.

Please Pray:

1. For good health
2. For Michael Dean, who has 12 exams at school in the next 2 weeks.
3. For Mike & Trisha as they train up their children in the way of the Lord.
4. That Kaleb will understand the Gospel.
5. For Trisha, who is preparing to homeschool Michael and Lea next year.
6. For Mike and his cousin Wayne Goddard as they teach a module on Narrative Chronological Bible Teaching in a Bible Institute 2 hours from Asuncion the  2^nd week of November. Hugo plans to go with them and audit the class.
7. For Mike and Trisha as they prepare and attend an International missions event being held in Argentina the 3^rd week of January. They will be gone for 8 days, and the kids will be at home with Trisha’s mom.
8. For Mike and Trisha, as they lead a 10 day ACERCATE trip the end of January after the international missions camp with 8-10 youth.

Read below our ministry update for October 2009.

TEACHING SEMINAR

The first week of October, Mike taught a 15-hour course on Narrative/Chronological Bible Teaching at a missionary training center in Southern Paraguay. Your prayers and financial gifts have not only affected our lives, but the lives of the students who are bringing people into a saving knowledge of Christ! 20 Paraguayan students preparing to serve God either in their church, tribal villages, or outside of Paraguay. One young man plans to work among tribal people, but mentioned that first, he must help his church value their role in sending and supporting him. Our children loved the training center, as there was plenty of room to run and play. Michael learned how to play Checkers with the students.

TRAVELS

The 3rd weekend of October, we received a phone call from a missionary team requesting our participation in an effort to connect a Pai church with a local Paraguayan church. A Pastor and his church members from a town an hour away spent 2 days with the missionaries and Pai believers. Later that Sunday night, Mike shared in their church about cross-cultural ministry among animist groups like the Pai Tavytera.  This experience helped all of us see just how far we have yet to go before both groups understand one another and what steps can be taken toward that end. During the trip, Michael made a new friend, a Pai tribal boy named Roberto. He showed Michael some of his soccer moves after church.

SCHOOL CAMP

How would you teach about Cain and Abel, Noah’s Ark and Tower of Babel to 131 kids at school camp? Mike used several visuals as well as a skit to keep the kids stand in awe of the awesome God portrayed through those stories. During the camp, Michael Dean enjoyed being independent from his parents for a while and spent his first night in the dorm with all his classmates. The second evening, he wasn’t feeling too well, so he moved back in with Dad and Mom! Lea and Kaleb were a bit overwhelmed by all the big kids in the pool, but they were happy to be able to go to camp with Michael.

FAMILY UPDATE

Mike has had  a very full schedule for the past 2 months. This week, Hugo (the young man pictured on the right in the photo above) volunteered to help us in mobilization for a period of time. Currently he is compiling a database on all the churches in Paraguay that will serve to meet our goals.

Trisha looks for creative ways for her and the children to help Mike out in the ministry. Her organizational skills keep Mike from losing important information and keeping appointments.  Each month she has taken it upon herself to design and print a 2-4 page bulletin for distribution.

While on the road, Michael and Lea continued their schoolwork. In just 2 weeks, they will complete their 2nd year at the Spanish Christian school.

We praise the Lord for answered prayers and how He continues to work through us in Paraguay.

Below you can read the up-to-date Personal and Ministry Prayer Requests for October.

Praise:

1. That we were able to apply for Trisha, Michael, and Lea’s Paraguayan identification card, and Lord-willing, they will be ready to pick up in 30 days.
2. That Trisha’s mom, Linda, will be coming to Paraguay for 2 ½ weeks in January. During that time, she will watch the Goddard children while Mike and Trisha are in Argentina for 8 days at a International missions event.
3. For Mike and Randy Steel, who had the opportunity to teach the module on Evangelism and Discipleship at a Bible Institute. They taught it at 3 different churches over a 3 week period, and it went very well and many of the students were challenged and looking for ways to implement what they learned in their ministries.
4. For God opening doors to share about tribal missions at churches, camps, and Christian events.

PERSONAL Prayer Requests:

1. For Mike & Trisha as they train up their children in the way of the Lord.
2. That Kaleb will understand the Gospel.
3. For Michael Dean, who will attend a 3 day camp with his school. Thankfully,  Mike will be one of the main teachers during the camp.
4. For Trisha, who is preparing to homeschool Michael and Lea next year.
5. For good health.

MINISTRY Prayer Requests:

1. For coworkers to help Mike and Trisha Goddard in Mobilization.
2. For Mike, whose schedule continues to fill up. Right now, he has 20 different events that include church meetings, camps, teaching seminars, and trips to the tribe. Pray for him as he prepares and speaks at these meetings. Below are a few of the main events that are coming up.
3. For Mike as he prepares and teaches a module on Chronological Teaching at a missionary training center in Southern Paraguay the 2^nd week of October. Lord-willing, it will work out for Trisha and the kids to go with him.
4. For Mike and Trisha as they travel the 3^rd weekend of October to the Pai tribe. They will spend the weekend with a church group of 15 Paraguayans. The church group desires to see cross-cultural missions first-hand among the Pai.
5. For Mike and another NTM missionary, Wayne Goddard as they teach a module on Chronological Teaching at Bible Institute 2 hours away from Asuncion in the  2^nd week of November.
6. For Mike and Trisha as they prepare fliers and materials for a International missions event being held in Argentina the 3^rd week of January.
7. For Mike and Trisha, as they lead a 10 day ACERCATE trip the end of January after the International missions event with 8-10 youth.

Mike and Trisha praise the Lord for His faithfulness during their first 5 years of ministry together in Paraguay. Truly He is worthy to be served!

Mike has been very busy lately do to the Paraguayan church’s steady advance in the Great Commission. In the next 4 months, he has scheduled over 20 different church meetings, events, teaching seminars, and camps, where he enjoys challenging people to look beyond their borders to a world full of tribal people who have not yet heard even once the Good News of salvation in Christ Jesus.

Trisha loves taking care of her home and family, enjoys preparing a meal for any guest that stop by unannounced. She helps Mike by doing secretarial work and running errands downtown. Next year, she plans to home school Michael and Lea (starting in February 2010), so that they can travel more with Mike as well as be prepared for later in the year, when we will be in the USA for a few months to visit our support team and family during a Home Assignment.

Michael Dean loves people and recently asked: “When do I get to go visit my Ache tribal friends again? Because when I go back, they will know who I am and they will say, “Hola Michael!” For Michael, school isn’t easy, especially when he and Lea are trying to keep 4 languages straight. AMARILLO CAMPEÓN! The soccer tournament has begun at Michael and Lea’s school. They are on the yellow team, and Michael gets really excited when he makes a goal! 

Lea is an A+ student, and she can’t get enough of languages. She is our grammar and pronunciation cop and helps Mom and Michael to conjugate their Spanish verbs correctly. She loves going to the park on the weekends, and then afterwards, she begs daddy to stop by the local ice cream parlor to buy a ½ kilo of 3 different flavors for $2.40. The dulce de leche (caramel) flavor is her favorite. 

Kaleb is believed to be the cutest, little boy by all the Paraguayan ladies, and they try everything possible to get him to give kisses on both cheeks (a traditional greeting). Often he will accept a bribe of candy for the kisses.  Kaleb enjoys  riding his scooter and once he got it down, there was no stopping him from trying to go faster than his big brother and sister.

As our children grow older, we see each of them grasping truths from God’s Word and desiring to apply them to their lives. Michael loves to read the Bible during our story-time before bed. We are now on the life of King David.

Unfortunately, the broken fellowship caused by sin tainted our ability to even know what we want or desire. The things we study, work for, purchase, and dream of are only as long-lasting as the very breath we take. But when we intently look into the historical revelation of God we gain an entirely new and clearer perspective on reality. We see that the Messiah who hung on a horrible cross secured redemption for all mankind that chooses to trust in Him. We see the triumphant King commission His newly formed church to carry that Good News to all ethnic groups. We see an initially fearful church empowered by God in the face of persecution carry the Gospel to the known world in that day.

Today, in 2009, we are nearly aware of every people group that exists on face of the earth and yet His comfortable church turns and looks the other way. Over 2,500 ethnic groups HAVE NEVER HEARD THE GOOD NEWS EVEN ONCE, that the forgiveness of their offenses against a Holy Creator is found in Christ’s finished work on the cross. We need a new and clear perspective on life. We must invest in eternity; NOW. If you cannot go, please continue to do everything possible to mobilize and send others who can through your teaching, training, prayers and financial support.

Pray with us that God will move powerfully in hearts here in Paraguay and around the world for the sake of those whom have not heard!

Find out here what the Goddard’s are praising the Lord for as well as what their Personal and Ministry Prayer Requests are for September.

Praise:
1. For Michael Dean, who did well on his school exams last month.
2. For the 2 great ACERCATE trips to 2 different Ache villages with 12 youth in August.
3. For the ACERCATE a las tribus monthly meetings. These meetings have opened up other opportunities to share in churches, missions events, and build relationships with the people who attend.
4. For the opportunities that Mike had to speak at a missions conference and a youth camp this past month.

PERSONAL Prayer Requests:
1. For Mike & Trisha as they train up their children in the way of the Lord.
2. For Trisha, Michael, and Lea’s Paraguayan paperwork. Their permanent visas are finished, but they need what is called a “cedula” or identification card.
3. That Kaleb will understand the Gospel and that he is starting to speak Spanish and become more friendly with others.
4. For Michael and Lea, as they study at the Paraguayan Christian school.
5. For Trisha, who is preparing to homeschool Michael and Lea next year.
6. For good health.

MINISTRY Prayer Requests:
1. For coworkers to help Mike and Trisha Goddard in Mobilization.
2. For Mike as he shares about Mobilization in the NTM Field committee meetings on August 31st and September 1st.
3. For Mike as he teaches on Missions in your Church at the ACERCATE meeting on September 1st.
4. For Mike as he meets with a Pastor on September 3rd to discuss how to help mobilize their church and start a missions committee.
5. For Mike as he speaks at our church (Renuevo) on September 6th.
6. For Mike and another NTM missionary as they prepare to teach a module on Evangelism and Discipleship at a Bible Institute. They will teach the module 3 times in 4 day segments – September 8-11, 15-18, and 21-24.
7. For Mike as he prepares to teach a module on Chronological Teaching at a missionary training center in Southern Paraguay the 2nd week of October.
8. For Mike and Trisha as they prepare fliers and materials for a international missions camp being held in Argentina the 3rd week of January.
9. For Trisha’s mom to be able to come to Paraguay in January, because Mike and Trisha just found out last week that they can’t take their children as they had planned to the missions camp, and so they have started “the Nana project” to get Trisha’s mom to Paraguay to watch their children for 8 days as they go to Argentina. Mike’s family would be willing to help if they were in Paraguay, but they are all in the USA on furlough and the first ones to arrive back is early February.
10. For Mike and Trisha, as they lead a 10 day ACERCATE trip the end of January after the international missions camp with 8-10 youth.

THANK YOU for being a part of our ministry!

Mike and Trisha together have committed to participate in an international youth missions event where there will be the opportunity to challenge 2,000 Latin American young people to be a part of reaching tribal people with the Gospel. This event will be held in Argentina during the 3rd week of January 2010.

Mike and Trisha had planned on taking their 3 children with them, but they found out this past week that this event is closed to children.

Who can meet this ministry need and watch their 3 children for 8 days?

Nana is willing to meet this ministry need, yet the round trip ticket that she needs will cost around $1,250.

Therefore, we have started “THE NANA PROJECT”, to fly Trisha’s mother (Linda Jennett) to Asuncion, Paraguay for 2 weeks to care for our children during the 8 days that we are in Argentina. Mike’s family would have been more than willing to help watch the kids, but they are all in the USA on Home Assignment and the earliest that one of them will return to Paraguay is the beginning of February.

Contributions to “The Nana Project” can be made through Mike & Trisha Goddard’s website: www.ntm.org/mike_goddard/give/

Thank you for your prayers and your help to make this possible for Mike and Trisha to participate in this international youth missions event.

They will teach the module 4 times this week:

1. Sept. 8th – Tuesday

2. Sept. 10th – Thursday

3. Sept. 11th – Friday

4. Sept. 14th – Monday (because class was canceled on Wednesday due to Paraguay vs. Argentina soccer game).