The Hawksbee Family
Chris and Alison Hawksbee update us with their news from Paraguay:We have been preparing for our diocesan Synod recently with meetings, teaching sessions and evaluating progress made with ‘Integral Mission’ amongst the Indian communities. Several helpful examples were shared, some from the most unlikely people, but very humble and positive. Churches have started raising their own funds in order to supply their needs, starting with a very small sum of cash and increasing it in various ways. With this income they have, for example, been able to pay for the licence of a short wave radio and a new battery for it, providing an important means of communication.
I find it exciting to see this change of mentality as, at last, the dependency on help from outside is beginning to change. The willingness to share each other’s experiences has been positive. People realize they have much in common much to be gained by sharing each other’s burdens. It is important that local churches and the church as a whole have a clear understanding of integral mission that fits in with their mission statement.
The majority of the communities I work in have had a good agricultural season. The rains have been sufficient to harvest many crop. My great desire is that we can implement a no tillage system of agriculture in this coming season. Please pray that people will see the logic of this and that families will catch the vision, participate in trials and get good results for others to evaluate. Please pray for Esteban Galeano, who works with me, that he will ‘catch the fire’ for this method of farming.
In April, we continue working on well drilling. The success rate for finding useful water has been very low. People are keen to persist with it, despite frustrations. Please do pray for this work as the lack of water really complicates life.
I have also been coordinating with a government institution promoting agricultural development. They have offered me places on various courses they are running. These courses are free and mean that we are helping the government carry out their work in an area of need and promoting contacts with communities.
Alison and I are now helping with marriage counselling in our local church. I am also helping another group understand their projects, analyse proposals and write them up. Within the church, people have enrolled in groups, each with specific areas of responsibilities. This is new and they need considerable help carrying out their roles. I also continue with my share of the preaching and Alison with Bible studies. Alison has started another teaching job for two hours a day. the. Hannah and Ben are fine and working hard. Samuel is in his last year of his degree, and is continuing next year with his masters with a summer job in a civil engineering firm.
Thank you all for your continued interest and support of our work.
With greetings from all the family,
Chris and Alison Hawksbee, Samuel, Hannah and Benjamin