The Hagermans

Encarnacin, Paraguay

Ken, Christie, Camille, & Caroline

August, 2012

As youre enjoying your vacations and getting ready to go back to school, we in Paraguay are going through a chilly winter and the middle of the school year. In fact, the two-week winter vacations in July were prolonged an extra week to give time for the gripe (contagious virus) to settle down. Our girls were quite unhappy not to be on a Paraguayan school schedule when they heard that! ;) You may have seen Paraguay in world news lately, as weve had quite a bit of political upheaval. The president was impeached, tried, ousted, and a new one in office in one tumultous 30-hour period. Things have settled down as far as everyday life over the past couple of weekswe havent seen any riots or demonstrations latelybut the bigger effects are still rippling. Rumors of trade problems, gas shortages, more inflation, and border problems abound, but we thank God that in the height of it all, with much potential for violence and bloodshed, the situation remained mostly peaceful, and no one was killed. God answers prayer! Encarnacin! If youve been following our blog, you know that Christies leg is in a bit of a holding pattern, and theres not much more to be done by way of treatment until the next surgery in early 2013. So with the doctors permission, we decided it was safe to get further away from the capital and back out into the thick of Paraguayan life. After lots of driving and praying and visiting and praying and researching and praying, we decided on the city of Encarnacin. So at the beginning of July, we said goodbye to our friends in Itaugu and headed to this city on the southeastern tip of the country. It was a tough goodbye, as the folks of Hogar Ganar and CFA church were very, very good to our family during this year-and-some-months of recuperation. They allowed us to jump into ministry where possible and cared for us in many ways. Since arriving here in Encarnacin, we are getting a feel for how different it is to live on the border next to Argentina, in this small city surrounded by the Paran River. In the last few years, the city has been redefined, after flooding the older, lowest section and making the city basically into an island, only accessible by bridges. Boardwalks are being constructed to wrap around the edges of this island, and many young people are moving here for the opportunities and jobs this is creating. Some of them are coming from other, more developed nations, but many come from the interior of the country, and are used to a more rural lifestyle. The challenges facing the youth of this growing city are many. We are in the phase now of recognizing and studying these challenges, and finding how God would use us to minister to these youth. We invited a friend from Brazil to come spend a week with us and share his insight. Hes a YWAMer, trained in using creative arts for street evangelism to youth and children, focused in urban settings. Right up our alley. We explored the city with him, participated in some community outreach, learned some of his tricks, and had lots of brainstorming sessions. Were all very excited about what God is up to!

Update on the Kurrle Family and Elias

We want to say thanks to all of you who responded with prayer and messages of condolence when our fellow missionaries and friends were killed in a horrible automobile accident. Julie and her husband Norb were on the way to the capital, a five-hour drive, to sign the final adoption papers on their new, 18-month old daughter, Anahi. On the way, Julie and their 6-year-old son Timmy were killed. Norb is trying to pick up the pieces and continue in the work God has for him here, supported by his tight-knit family. They are also missionaries, who, thankfully, live very close to him and Anahi. I was able to share that many of you had contacted us to say you were praying, when I spoke at Julie and Timmys memorial service the weekend following the accident. Please continue to remember Norb, Anahi, and their extended family in your prayers. Also, our neighbor in Itaugu was badly burned while cooking, and this 15-yr-old young man spent a week in the ICU of a burn hospital. God worked miracles during this time, with a rapid healing time, less scarring than expected, and various financial and emotional situations that arose. Elias is now back at home and continuing his training as a runner. Hes shown in the picture to the right at a birthday party we hosted for him a few days before the accident.

country, which is only possible through your prayers, support,

Thank you again for helping us to minister in this beautiful

Prayer Focus
--Guidance in where to focus our ministry efforts in this new city, and that God goes before us preparing hearts. --Healing and pain relief in Christies leg. --Good friends for the girls, and strategic contacts for us all. --Financial provision for expenses in this area with a substantially higher cost-ofliving. --Gods intervention in continuing legal battles and paperwork issues.

and giving. We cant explain how much your messages of

encouragement and reminders that you are praying for us, really mean to our family. May God richly bless you for the part you play in the growth of His Kingdom in Paraguay! Your partners in the mission, Ken, Christie, Camille, and Caroline

God bless you! Dios le bendiga! andejra tanderovasa!

tap (tah PAY), n. a way or path
(Guaran)

Jesus said, I am the way. --John 14:6

Telephone in Paraguay: 595-985-782-928 Skype number: 864-343-1731 Email: hagerman100@yahoo.com Webpages: www.hagermans.blogspot.com www.tapemissions.com

CONTACT INFORMATION

Donations through our local church: Carolina Heights CoGoP 2900 Anderson Road Greenville, SC 29611 (Please write Hagerman Missions on check memo. All donations are tax deductible.)

Our mailing address in Paraguay: Ken Hagerman Fulgencio Yegros 661, Barrio San Roque Encarnacin, Itapua, Paraguay 6000

**(If you are receiving this through the US Mail and have an email address, please send it to us so we can get our newsletter to you in that way. It is much quicker and more efficient. If you dont have an email address, or if you just prefer the regular mail, dont worry. Well keep sending it to you that way.)