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Mennonite Church Grounds Paraguay's First Family

STRASBOURG, France — Maria Gloria Penayo de Duarte Frutos, First Lady of Paraguay, and her five children are a vital part of Iglesia Raíces Hermanos Menonitas (Rooths Mennonite Brethren Church) in Paraguay. The president, Nicanor Duarte Frutos, attends whenever duties of state allow him to do so.

"From our church, we try everything to relate closely to these people so that they do not have to be alone," says Victor Wall, one of the congregation's team of pastors.

Maria Gloria, a former Roman Catholic, turned to the MB church through its evangelism efforts. She was was among the second group of converts baptized at the Spanish church, founded seven years ago as an expansion of the German-speaking MB church in Asuncion. It has 163 members, but attendance spikes as high as 600 for special events like baptisms.

The First Lady's baptism followed discipleship training and her expressed commitment to the church and its Anabaptist theology. She is active in all church activities, but especially evangelism, says Wall.

The family's eldest son, 18-year-old Jose Fernando, is also a baptized member. The four younger children participate regularly in Sunday school and youth activities.

Nicanor Duarte Frutos was installed as president on August 15, 2003. He had been Minister of Education for two terms. Wall says the president is a believer and identifies strongly with Iglesia Raíces, whose leaders have regular prayer with him.

"Politically, he pays a price for his commitment to Christ, [but] he shares his faith with his cabinet," adds Wall. "At our last baptism on November 30, the Secretary General of the Presidency was baptized." That baptism made the news in Paraguay, which is 90 percent Catholic.

The president has invited Mennonite business leaders to work with him on "a frontal war on corruption," a difficult task that he has started, says Wall, who is also MB conference moderator, conference minister and works half time for the Evangelical University.

Paraguay is one possible location for Assembly 15, expected to be held in 2009. An invitation from the Brethren in Christ General Conference, the Mennonite Church USA, and the U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches to hold the assembly in eastern Pennsylvania (USA) is also being considered. MWC officials will conduct feasibility studies of both locations during the next months.