Children’s Scriptures Bring Hope
to Paraguay’s ‘Forgotten’ Communities

ASUNCIÓN, Paraguay — Hundreds of thousands of children across the country were overjoyed to receive gifts ahead of Christmas last year through a massive Scripture distribution project organised by the Paraguayan Bible Society (PBS). The series of four Vida de Jesús/Jesús Recové (Life of Jesus) bilingual Portions in Spanish and Guaraní have brought hope to remote communities who have felt forgotten by the outside world, and have sparked nationwide interest in God’s Word in a country experiencing political instability and economic hardship.

Funded through Opportunity 21 – the UBS global expansion program – the Portions are colourfully and imaginatively presented and contain text from the God Speaks Today Spanish Bible and the Guaraní Good News Bible. There are also pictures for children to colour in. Thirty thousand copies of each of the four books were printed and many distributed by October to schools, Christian organisations and churches all over the country, including remote settlements along the Paraguay River.

The response was overwhelming, with letters and stories pouring in from people eager to thank the Bible Society.

“You cannot imagine the impact the Life of Jesus books have had on the lives of the people who live here. They have never been given anything like this before,” said Martin de Jesús Ruiz Quiñonez – a naval officer based in the port of Bahía Negra, 800 km (500 miles) north of Asunción on the Paraguay River. Mr Quiñonez received 400 Portions from the Bible Society after he requested Scripture materials to take with him when he was sent to the town by the navy.

“First of all, we gave the Portions to the children, and as a result their families became interested in the Bible. From this, three Bible study groups were started, and many of the local leaders, such as the magistrate and the Commandant of the military base, attend them,” said Mr Quiñonez. “The people of Bahía Negra now live in peace. Forgotten by everyone, they have discovered that God has not forgotten them.”

When teacher Joel Riveros received 240 Life of Jesus Portions to distribute to pupils in his school in the remote town of El Solitario, he wept with joy. Like thousands of other teachers in Paraguay, Mr Riveros will find the new Scriptures invaluable, not only in helping children to learn about Jesus but also as the main tool for teaching literacy in the language of Guaraní.

Guaraní is spoken by about 95 per cent of the population but very few people are able to read and write the language. Although the government is encouraging the teaching of Guaraní in schools, very few teachers have access to written material in the language, and the Life of Jesus series looks set to play a major role in Guaraní literacy training.

The Portions have made a big difference to teachers like Juan and Lina Pedrozo who teach in a government primary school in the village of Barranquerita, San Pedro. Both are Christians with a desire to share their faith but they are not permitted to teach children about the Bible openly. The Department of Education has, however, approved the Portions because they contain no doctrinal comment, and the Pedrozos, like many teachers, are delighted to have a resource that shares the message of Jesus while also teaching literacy skills.

As well as sending Bible Society teams all over the country to distribute the Life of Jesus Portions, the PBS achieved a much wider distribution through the local media. Radio Mensajero (Message Radio), located in a town 300 km (187 miles) east of Asunción, promoted the project on air, distributing 2,400 Portions to listeners, including teachers, who phoned in after the show. The station also informed listeners about other Bible Society work.

To maximise distribution further, the Bible Society co-operated with a company called Comagro-Chacomer, which distributed 10,000 Portions from its stand at the country’s biggest exhibition – Expo 2000, held in Mariano Roque Alonso. The exhibition attracted 2 million visitors.

In addition to raising the public profile of the Bible Society, the project has boosted its relationships with churches and para-church organisations. Many churches and missionary societies wrote to thank the Bible Society for the Scriptures, which were used extensively to celebrate Day of the Child in August, and they continue to be used regularly in Sunday Schools.

Other organisations were so impressed by the quality of the Life of Jesus books that they are seeking partnerships with the PBS in similar projects. The Bible Society has already met with a German missionary organisation working among indigenous groups to share ideas about the production of more Guaraní Scriptures. (WR 357/04 - 1/2.01) [PHOTOS]