Paul and Rhonda Stockard

Kenya

Paul and Rhonda Stockard have worked for over 17 years in the country of Paraguay, South America. They have served as church planters and pastors, but have been especially focused on poor children and others whose lives have been turned upside down by one crisis or another. Their work with children has been through a school and feeding program dedicated to the “Children of the Dump”; children who live in and around the garbage dump of the capitol city of Asuncion. The Stockards have also been involved in the planting of seven churches inside seven prisons in the country of Paraguay (one of them a prison for minors aged 14 to 18 years old), which has resulted in many prisoners leaving the penal system as strong Christians. Paul served for several years as a member of the national council of Paraguay until he was elected by the ministers of Paraguay to serve a term as national overseer. Having finished the mission that God gave him to do in this office, he stepped down and turned the work back over to qualified national leadership in order to follow God’s leading into new areas and through new doors the Lord was opening. God was leading them into areas of ministry where they had never thought of going, and where only God could have placed them. While still maintaining their important ministry to the Children of the Dump in Paraguay, the Stockards now also serve as missionaries at large in all of Latin America—from Mexico to the southern tip of South America—as well as in Africa. The focus of ministry in these areas is training leaders and ministers in helping people in crisis. Times of crisis are dangerous, but also provide opportunities for ministry, and to show the love and power of Christ. As we see more and more people suffering from devastation such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes, and wars, we also see Jesus wanting to reach out to those who suffer because of these crises. Paul recently stated, “Working in the area of specialized outreach has allowed us to train leaders in how to enter into the suffering of others as Jesus did, bringing His message of healing, love, and forgiveness.”