Summer Missions 2026 Week 3: Paraguay
Hi everyone, welcome to mission update #3! We're just past the halfway point, and I can't wait to tell you all about the amazing things that have been happening this past week!
When we last updated you guys, we were still at the children's home Fundacion Unidos Por Cristo. It was raining that Wednesday, so we were unable to do any work in the garden. Instead, we got to give a fresh coat of paint to some of the buildings that needed it. The people working at the children's home were also going to hold an asado, or barbecue, for us as a thanks for our presence that week, but the rain also stopped that. Thankfully, the director's husband is an amazing chef who stepped up to make us an amazing lunch to make up for the asado. One of the surprises of our trip to this place is just how much they are taking care of us. We are the missionaries who wanted to come and help them, and yet here they are offering us extra food and washing our clothes, just from the kindness of their hearts. One of the things that stuck out to me on our initial visit last week was how one of our guides had mentioned that because of all the blessings God has given them, they want to return the favor by giving back to the people around them. It is so admirable to see that kind of heart for serving people. Even when they are already working hard to raise and nurture the children, they want to bless and serve the people helping them, too.
Thursday was probably the saddest day of the week for us, as it was our last day at the children's home. After doing some work in the garden that morning, we had lunch and then had to pack up to leave. That afternoon, the children's home threw us a despedida, or going away party, where there were a bunch of Paraguayan snacks and chocolate milk, and we got to sit with the kids and chat with them one last time before leaving. Even though it hurts to leave after such a short time, we all had a great time there working and caring for all the kids.
Friday started off quite relaxing as we took a rest day after the long week of working at the children's home. We got some much needed sleep, played card games with each other, and got to call our families since that day was the halfway point of our mission trip. Then that night, we headed to a friend's house to watch Paraguay's first game at the world cup after over a decade of not making it. We came prepared that night with Paraguay jerseys to cheer them on as we sat on the couches together and watched the game with anticipation. Even though Paraguay lost that game, it was still an incredibly fun night.
We woke up bright and early Saturday morning so that we could go on a weekend trip to visit some tourist attractions that our contact Devonna recommended. She and her two assistants actually went with us, so all eight of us got into two separate cars to make the four hour car ride to our first stop: the Itaipu Hydroelectric Power Plant. On the border of Paraguay and Brazil, it is the third largest hydroelectric power plant in the world. The clean energy it produces powers a majority of both countries, and the rest of it is sold around the world. It is an amazing sight, but we didn't get to see it in its full glory because there is a bit of a drought in Paraguay right now, so there is not enough rain to fill the dam enough for water to flow and power the plant. That night, we actually crossed the border into Brazil because that is where the next place to visit is located.
On Sunday, after breakfast at a hotel, we visited the Iguaçu National Park. This is where the Iguaçu Falls is located, which is the largest waterfall system in the world. It's hard to describe in words the size and beauty of the falls. Even though some of the pictures we took were gorgeous, they still don't compare to the real thing. After that, we decided that since we still had time that day, we would go to Parque De Aves, a bird conservation park that was connected to the national park. All the various bird species we saw were so pretty. My favorite part of that section was just being able to be immersed in the smell and sound of nature. It was the perfect end to our day.
Monday was the day we returned to Asuncion, so after eating breakfast and packing all of our bags, we piled into the cars and made our way back to Asuncion. We made a few stops along the way for food and restroom breaks, but we also made a special stop at Devonna's farm. She goes there every weekend with her husband to rest after the long work week. She says she tries to spend at least 24 hours there before getting back to work. After that, we finally got back home and spent the rest of the day just resting and getting prepared for the next week.
On Tuesday, we got up bright and early to go to the men's and women's jails. For the guys, we first got to head to the bakery and help them make rosquita, which is this cracker-like bread in the shape of a twisted donut. After that, we headed into the sewing room where they taught us how to use some of the machines. It was fun having the prisoners teach us, and it seemed like they were enjoying showing us how it all works. That day, we got to go home with the fresh rosquita we rolled out and some tote bags we made with our sewing skills.
Here is a paragraph from Jamie about the women’s jail:
“First, we handed out pairs of socks, which the women were grateful for because it is getting colder in Paraguay, and they have no heating and limited access to new clothes. Next, we did some crafts. They were making little plush keychain charms of letters, butterflies, or flowers. Many of the women sewed the letters of their children’s names. Even though we don’t speak a lot of Spanish, we were able to ask them how many children they have, their ages, and their names. Many of the women lit up when they talked about their children. It was clear how much they missed them. I was able to talk with two women that spoke English and hear some of their stories. The other part of the day was discipleship and Biblical education classes. In Devonna’s class, twelve women accepted Jesus into their hearts. In Christine’s class, which I sat in on, the women were able to let down their guard and be honest about how they were doing. I felt the Spirit in the room as we prayed together, and then separately for one woman who was particularly struggling.”
For this past week, it feels like God has been showing us the sheer scale at which He works in the world. From the way He has provided for the children's home in so many ways, to how he created something as beautiful as the Iguaçu Falls, God is continuously working all over the world to care for and bless the children He loves. It is sometimes hard to remember this fact when we are all focused on the people around us and our environment, so I'm really grateful to be able to see all of this work in person.
One last quick thing, CJ has to leave early for his brother's wedding, and as of writing this he is getting ready to leave tomorrow. We will miss him greatly and continue to do our best without him.
We have had such a blast in Paraguay, and we can't wait to see what God has in store for us next. Thank you for taking the time to keep up with us!
Love and blessings,
Henri and the Paraguay Mission team
