During discipleship week in Paraguay, one visit brought us into the life of a precious woman named Emilia. Her story began when her son received a ticket to our festival at school. Emilia attended the festival and eagerly prayed with us to receive Jesus as her Lord and Savior!  

As we began to share with her, one of our team members, David, introduced the courtroom analogy from Lesson 1 of our New Believers Lesson Series. This analogy likened our situation to that of a criminal in court: we stand before God guilty, but Jesus took our place, bearing the sentence meant for us. This metaphor deeply moved Emilia, and she began to cry. She shared with us the heavy burdens she carried for her family. Emilia has another son, Juan Emanuel, who is currently imprisoned on drug charges, and a third son, Marcello, who is struggling with drug addiction. 

Drawing from his own testimony, David offered words of hope and encouragement, which resonated deeply with Emilia. We prayed with her, asking for strength, healing, and transformation for her sons.

During our conversation, we began to share about the Word of God. We asked Emilia if she owned a Bible. She said, “Yes” and ran to retrieve it. She eagerly brought out a Book of Mormon. We gently guided her back to the Word of God, explaining the significance of the Bible in our faith. In exchange for her Book of Mormon, we provided her with a new NIV Bible.

Emilia’s story is just one of many encounters with precious new believers in Paraguay. It is a beautiful example of how God can take your story and use it to encourage others during their own trials.   

Emilia’s journey is just beginning but we believe that through the commitment of the local church to help disciple her, she will continue to grow into a bold follower of Jesus Christ!