by Dan and Christie Reich, Paraguay
27 June 2005
Yuty, Paraguay, the town in the middle of nowhere, is where SIM missionaries Dan and Christie Reich work prayerfully to plant churches. The closest paved road is two bumpy hours away on a good day and up to four slippery hours away after a rain.

"'Small town, big hell' is the term Yuteños use to describe their town," Dan said. "Grudges run deep and last forever. Fights, even stabbings and shootings, are common. Neighbors hate each other, families quarrel, few people forgive. One family attended the birthday party of an extended family member, and no one greeted them or even gave them any cake."

"We pray that the good news of Jesus and His forgiveness will break down such barriers," he continued. "We can only imagine the influence of our future church as people see reconciliation between sworn enemies and their participation together as one Body."

On a busy morning downtown, horses, ox carts, cars, and trucks all jostle for position on the road, while people on foot and riding bikes scoot in between, increasing the hustle and bustle. With no stoplights or stop signs, they go pretty much wherever they want. The city government has established a "livestock law" that allows the police to confiscate cows loose in the street. Owners pay a fine to get their animals back. Even though dogs, chickens, pigs and horses still wander the town, the law helps reduce road congestion. People may now beautify their neighborhoods with trees and flowers without having their hard work destroyed by cattle.

Almost 4,000 people live in Yuty. More than half of them are 14 years old or under. The four soccer stadiums in town serve to keep them off the crowded streets. Almost everyone knows everybody else. Although the town itself is small, more than 30,000 people live in the district of Yuty, including the surrounding 72 villages. It is the largest district in the state of Caazapa. Currently, Pentecostal churches are the only evangelical churches in the entire district.

Yuteños are mestizos, people of Spanish and Guarani Indian descent. They speak both languages and mix them together. Rural villagers are chiefly subsistence farmers, but most people in town work as small business entrepreneurs, running a general store out of their home or small one-room shopos downtown; as educators or workers in several schools in the district; or as contractors or day laborers. Some day laborers work in the trades, some as gardeners or farmers, and others work in the local cotton factory. Daily pay averages USD $3 for the day.

The Reiches may live in the middle of nowhere, but with a growing group of believers, they are not alone. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will change the people of Yuty and that those changes would be a visible testimony of God's power to the entire community.