How can a small country like Denmark give so much money in aid to developing countries? Why do the churches run mission in so many parts of the world? I think I have found the answer. Your country is developed in such a way that you have the strength to reach out to others, and when you donate money you do it with the heart.

These words are spoken by Nestor Raul Medina Flores, deputy-chairman in San Ignacio Paraguay, after visiting Denmark for 15 days. Tomorrow Friday he is on the plane back to his poor hometown.

San Ignacio is a town with 20.000 inhabitants situated in the south of Paraguay. The Unemployment is sky high and a lot of men abandon their families, mostly because of the shame of not being able to providing for them. It forces the wives into prostitution and the children to live of filching.

But now the church Filadelfia has launched a day centre for single mums and their children with help from Danish money. Danish Pentecostal Churches have given through their organization, International Aid Services, and Danida has supported with an amount of one million kroner. Now more than 100 children are able to be taken care of in day nursery and kindergarten, while mum are being trained in cooking, tailoring and how to start a small business.

The local authority has been so impressed that the deputy-chairman has come to meet the generous Danes. Flores has visited three local authority offices in Denmark and seen everything from kindergarten to incineration and even seen the Danish Parliament. He has visited many Danish churches too:

- I am surprised that the churches have eye for the distress in the world, that you have different projects on your agenda in which you are donating money. I am looking forward to see that day in Paraguay.

One and a half year has now passed since the Day Centre in San Ignacio became a reality. The first participants in the courses - 289 single mothers – have ended in the human tide of the town and have already started small businesses. And it brings pleasure to the deputy-chairman:

- It is a long-term way of being lifted out of the poverty. At the same time there is a circulation in the finances of the town which means that the taxable income can lift up the local authority.

The deputy-chairman Flores has also benefited personally by his visit in Denmark:

- I sense a great peace here, he says. – It is hard to describe. Home I am quite nervous, but here is an atmosphere where I am able to relax.

Is he a Christian? - Yes, I am a Christian, meaning I am a catholic as most people in Paraguay. Previously as Catholics we were not allowed to interfere with other church denominations, but now the president has eased the circumstances which please me, says the deputy-chairman.

The Day Centre Filadelfia is connected to the local Pentecostal church, whose buildings have been rebuilt for the purpose. The church Filadelfia has 1300 members distributed on 60 satellite churches. This great workmanship originates from the Danish-Paraguayan couple Liselotte and Esteban Laniec’s 32years of work. Their daughter Mariana has a Master of Arts in theory of education and is the leader of the day centre.

Solfrid Bracher Project Coordinator solfrid.bracherias.nu