Tuning in for Hope in Paraguay & Mexico

What is hope? Webster's defines it as "a wish or desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment" or "trust; confidence." But what if there wasn't a word in your heart language for that concept?

This is the case for the Guarani, the largest tribe in South America. But starting this summer, those in Paraguay will have the opportunity to discover the love of Jesus Christ through Project Hannah's broadcast Kuña Paraguai (Women of Paraguay).

"The Guarani woman must work hard without having hope of a good future," PH Coordinator Ruth Koepke says. "She needs to know that God loves her unconditionally and indefinitely, and that she can trust in God for today and tomorrow."

The majority of Guarani women work on the "chacara" (small farm) and maintain the home and children. Poverty is a way of life, and many families lack money for basic necessities. Because of this, men will sometimes leave the family for a time and work on cattle ranches.

This separation is always a time of temptation for both. One estimate says that 95 percent of Paraguayan men, at least one time in their lives, have been unfaithful to their wives. While the woman never has the right to ask her husband for details, the man, on the other hand, can spy on her. Because of this distrust, many women are also beaten by their husband. In the Guarani culture, the person who is mistrusted feels obligated to act in the way the other person suspected. So begins a vicious cycle, and few families are intact.

But Ruth believes the Kuña Paraguai broadcast can make a difference, since nearly everyone has a radio and they listen all day. "The programs can help women realize they do not have to struggle alone, but they can take their cares to Jesus," she adds. "Christ makes a change of attitude possible."

Ministering to Mexican Women
Project Hannah continues to develop in other countries, and the outreach was officially launched in Mexico in late March, although Mujeres de Esperanza (Women of Hope) has been airing in Mexico City since the fall of 2000. Part of Trans World Radio's ground-breaking block of Christian programming in the country, the broadcast, produced in Uruguay, is beamed from a local station, Radio Chapultepec (560 AM). In addition to the launch, the Project Hannah team participated in three days of intensive training for church leaders for other TWR programs.

"Originally, our purpose was to present Project Hannah, find a coordinator, and develop the prayer movement," says Peggy Corcoran, Project Hannah international coordinator. "But after being among the women who came to hear us, we felt that we were there to minister to them."

For instance, one woman tearfully described her life of prostitution and drugs before she became a Christian. She was involved with a man and became pregnant, but the father was later sent to prison. Left to raise the child on her own, with no money, she became involved in prostitution and drug trafficking, and ended up using the drugs herself. Other women, like the one who was sold by her mother at 16, shared stories from the past, and the hurts they must still deal with, even though they now have Christ in their lives.

"These women don't have a lot of encouragement. They don't have a lot of spiritual food," says Peggy. "These are Christian women, and yet they hurt just as much just as much as those who don't know the Lord. Women of Hope reaches out in love not only to share the hope of salvation, but also to encourage Christians to deepen their faith. Only God can heal their hurt."

Back to Archive Main Page