Meeting Jesus on the River’s Edge

River communities in Paraguay see, hear, and experience the gospel of Jesus

The Paraguay River is a major river that runs through most of the country of Paraguay. Along these river banks, thousands of Paraguayans have made their home.

But many of these fishing families struggle to survive. They live in deep poverty. They lack healthcare, education, and safe housing. And they suffer diseases, shortages of food, and displacement due to flooding.

The Paraguayan Bible Society has been helping riverside communities since 1999. Through their amazing boat ministry, medical, educational, and spiritual aid is being provided to isolated communities. Praise God, thousands are hearing the name of Jesus for the first time!

Jesus for Paraguay

Sharing Jesus with Paraguay’s riverside communities is no small task. Using the ‘El Amanecer’ (The Dawn) boat, a dedicated group of men and women take a 15-hour boat ride up the river, often sleeping on the boat in tents.

Through the years, they’ve built schools. They’ve brought doctors and technicians to develop these communities. They’ve also provided medical services.

To address the spiritual needs of these riverside communities, the End-to-End ministry was introduced. End-to-End helps people in hard-to-reach places experience the life-giving message of the Bible in a language and format that speaks to their heart. Riverside residents are able to hear God’s Word in their own language through an audio device called a Proclaimer.

A 78-year-old man said, “The Bible awakens us when we listen to the Scripture in our language. We don’t know how to read because we are illiterate. For us it is very important to have this Proclaimer.”

We thank God that hearts are being awakened to the power of Scripture! To date, 3,000 riverside residents have experienced God’s love. Pray with us, that many more riverside residents will also hear, see, and experience the gospel message of Jesus.

Pray for:

  • Paraguayans. Pray for open hearts as God’s Word is shared in riverside communities.
  • Protection. Pray for the staff and volunteers making the long difficult trips to these remote areas.
  • Church leaders. Pray for the training of local leaders in the riverside communities so they can reach more people.
  • Repairs. Pray for the resources needed to repair the boat’s motor.

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Nena Podbury
Nena Podbury

Nena Podbury is a Prayer Mobilization Associate at American Bible Society. Originally from the Bronx, she served in children’s ministry for 12 years doing Sidewalk Sunday School. Nena is married with two children, Noah and Emilia.

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