Chruch & Eye Clinic Support Paraguay

By Teresa LaPlante

Forty-two people from First Church of God and Great Lakes Eye Care, both of Saint Joseph, Michigan, recently completed a two-week mission trip to Obligado, Paraguay. Working alongside the people of Paraguay, a 4,500-square-foot church building was erected in Obligado by members of First Church of God. Dr. Ron McKey led four people from Great Lakes Eye Care to conduct an eye clinic in Encarnación. Working with local eye doctors, they provided needed cataract and other eye surgeries in a poor section of the city where these services are usually not available.

Church members used personal vacation time and paid their own way to accomplish this mission, and the people of Paraguay were grateful. Even a national newspaper, El Nación, took note of it:

“A group of North Americans built a modern church in two weeks in the locality of Obligado, Itapua. Instead of vacationing, they used their time and money to do work that the Christian community needed. This work makes the fourth building done in Paraguay by these people from the Church of God in Michigan, in the northern United States.”

Led by Arden Bradley, Eric and Don Fiskars, and Rev. Bob Confer, this trip was another step in a relationship with Paraguay that began in 2004 with the construction of a church building in Ciudad del Este.

In 2005, a group from First Church of God worked on finishing the interior of a Christian radio station in Obligado, FM Alternativa. Then in 2006, they returned and built a second church building in Bella Vista. Planning is already underway for another work camp in 2010.

These trips are considered a partnership, not charity work. Parishioners at the churches in Paraguay sacrifice and raise part of the money for the construction materials, and they work hard alongside the members of First Church. Total cost for the church building in Obligado was $65,000, with First Church contributing about $50,000 of that out of a faith promise program.

Over the years, a number of people from First Church have participated in multiple missions trips to Paraguay and have developed meaningful friendships with individuals and families in Paraguay. One of the ongoing ministries in Paraguay is carried out by Children of Promise, the Church of God child sponsorship program. Through Children of Promise, First Church families provide monthly food, medical, and education funds to help the Paraguayan children they sponsor. During each work camp trip, time is set aside to allow participants to spend time with their sponsored children and meet their families.