Nourishing hope: Tackling food insecurity and human trafficking in rural Paraguay

Yvonne also explains, “We can’t just be bringing the gospel without addressing the very deep social needs that are there, nor do we want only to address social needs and forget that there’s an extremely necessary spiritual component that we need to bring, which is the Gospel of Christ.”

One key local pastor, meets with about 50 indigenous pastors a couple of times per week, and Greg joins with him to facilitate outreach and discipleship.

During visits, the Camerons and local pastors share simple meals and invite people to participate in Bible studies. Many local leaders have been gifted simple devices with audio Bibles to share the gospel message.

These recordings in the local Guarani dialect are particularly impactful, as it’s rare for indigenous people to hear content in their native language.

We can’t just be bringing the gospel without addressing the very deep social needs that are there.

However, challenges remain. Reaching rural locations for delivery and follow-up presents logistical difficulties due to high transport costs. The programme must also navigate the complexities of raising chicks in areas with extreme temperatures and predators. Providing education about human trafficking also requires extensive relationship-building to broach sensitive topics associated with deep shame for many.

Despite these obstacles, the potential impact is significant. With many dozens of isolated indigenous communities in the area, the Camerons have a goal to roll out the project to even more communities. By combining nutritional support, economic opportunity, and community empowerment, along with evangelism and discipleship, their programme offers a blueprint for sustainable development in vulnerable indigenous communities.

As eggs are collected and fruit trees take root, hope grows in these Paraguayan villages. Children and youth who are currently malnourished and at risk of exploitation can instead have energy to play and learn, protected by families that are increasingly able to safely and successfully interact with encroaching urbanisation.