Part of: The AmericasSouth AmericaSouthern Cone
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The identity of the nation
Paraguay is a country small in territory but with an intense spiritual heart. Landlocked in the middle of South America, with no coastline, the country holds a unique identity: it is one of the few truly bilingual nations in the world, where the Spanish of the law lives every day alongside the Guarani of the heart, of music and of family life.
Nearly the entire population identifies as Christian, a legacy of more than four centuries of history that began with the first contacts between the Guarani and Catholic missionaries and passed through the Jesuit reductions, communities where indigenous people lived, worked and learned the Christian faith alongside the priests. This deep root explains why today around 95% of Paraguayans identify with Christ, even though for many this faith is more a family tradition than a personal, living decision.
Paraguay’s greatest spiritual challenge is not a lack of churches, but nominalism (a faith in name only, without life transformation) and the blending of devotion to the saints with ancient beliefs tied to Guarani cosmology. At the same time, the country has experienced steady evangelical growth in recent decades, with churches multiplying in the cities and a growing number of Paraguayans reading the Bible in Guarani, their language of the heart.
One missionary frontier that remains open is the Chaco, the vast dry region west of the Paraguay River, home to a good part of the country’s indigenous peoples. There, small groups such as the Chamacoco Tomárahos and the Guaná still have little or no access to the gospel in their own language, often isolated by distance, poverty and the mistrust that centuries of ill intentioned contact have left behind. Outside the Chaco, other groups carry this same challenge: communities of Japanese immigrants and Spanish speaking Jews, and the country’s deaf community, scattered across its cities, which faces communication barriers to understanding and living out the Christian faith.
At the same time, Paraguay carries a calling that reaches beyond its borders: its history of resilience, its bilingual culture and its proximity to Brazil and Argentina make it a natural bridge for reaching other peoples of South America, if the Paraguayan church is strengthened in the Word and in discipleship.
- The Guarani have inhabited the region for centuries, with a rich oral tradition and a strong bond with the land.
- 1537 Founding of Asunción by the Spanish, which becomes the center of colonization of the Río de la Plata basin.
- 17th-18th centuries Jesuit priests establish the reductions (communities where the Guarani lived, worked and learned the Christian faith) until being expelled in 1767.
- 1811 Paraguay declares independence from Spain, one of the first South American nations to do so.
- 1814-1840 An isolationist government closes the country's borders, keeping Paraguay away from its neighbors' civil wars.
- 1864-1870 The War of the Triple Alliance, against Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, devastates the country and kills a large part of its population.
- 1932-1935 The Chaco War, against Bolivia, disputes control of the dry region in the country's west.
- 1954-1989 A long dictatorship rules the country for 35 years.
- 1989 End of the dictatorship and start of the democratic transition.
- Today Paraguay is a stable, bilingual democracy (Spanish and Guarani) and one of South America's most important agricultural and energy economies.
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SpanishOfficial language used in government, commerce and formal education.
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GuaraniIndigenous language spoken by the majority of the population, official alongside Spanish and present in music, humor and family affection.
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JoparaInformal blend of Spanish and Guarani, spoken daily by a good part of Paraguayans.
Paraguay is a landlocked country (with no access to the sea) in the heart of South America, cut in half by the Paraguay River. East of the river lies the Eastern Region, more fertile and home to the great majority of the population; to the west lies the Chaco, a vast, dry and sparsely populated plain shared with Bolivia and Argentina. The Paraguay and Paraná rivers are the country's main transport routes and also mark its natural borders with Brazil and Argentina.
Major cities
- AsunciónCapital on the banks of the Paraguay River, the country's political, historical and economic center.
- San LorenzoCity in the metropolitan area of Asunción, home to the country's largest public university.
- Ciudad del EsteSecond largest city, on the border with Brazil and Argentina, one of South America's biggest trade hubs.
- EncarnaciónCity in the south, known for its carnival and for being near the ruins of the old Jesuit missions.
- LuqueCity in the metropolitan area of Asunción, with a strong tradition of making musical instruments and jewelry.
- ConcepciónHistoric city on the banks of the Paraguay River, in the north of the country, a gateway to the Pantanal and the northern Chaco.
Climate and temperature
Chipa
Paraguayan cheese bread made with polvilho (cassava starch), cheese and eggs, sold at street stalls from early morning.
Sopa paraguaya
Despite the name, it is not a soup: it is a moist, savory corn and cheese cake, baked in the oven.
Tereré
Ground yerba mate drunk cold from a guampa (a horn or wooden vessel), recognized by UNESCO as cultural heritage.
Asado
Meat grilled over coals, bringing whole families together around the grill at weekend gatherings.
Mbejú
A crispy pancake made of cassava starch and cheese, eaten at breakfast.
Understand
Culture and spirituality
2a · The culture
Tereré
Ground yerba mate drunk cold from a gourd, recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage and a symbol of hospitality.
Living Guarani
One of the few indigenous languages of the Americas spoken by the majority of the population, present in music, humor and family affection.
Ñandutí
Extremely fine crocheted lace, handmade by artisans, whose name means "spider web" in Guarani.
Jesuit ruins
Remains of the old Jesuit reductions (communities where Guarani people and priests lived and learned together), now a UNESCO heritage site near Encarnación.
Guarania and Paraguayan polka
National musical rhythms, played above all on the Paraguayan harp, the country's signature instrument.
San Juan festival
Popular midyear festival with traditional games around the bonfire, celebrated across the country.
Jopara
Natural blend of Spanish and Guarani used in everyday life, proof of how the two cultures merged.
- Refusing the tereré offered Accepting the round is an essential gesture of hospitality; refusing without explanation can come across as rejection.
- Treating Guarani as an "inferior" language to Spanish For many Paraguayans, Guarani is a source of pride and a central part of national identity.
- Joking about the War of the Triple Alliance or the Chaco War These conflicts left deep scars and still weigh on the collective memory of the people.
- Comparing Paraguay disparagingly with Brazil or Argentina The country is proud of its own identity and dislikes being seen as "lesser" than its neighbors.
- Rushing conversations and meetings The Paraguayan pace of life is calmer and unhurried; trying to settle everything quickly can seem rude.
- Treating the indigenous peoples of the Chaco as "backward" Their age old cultures deserve respect, not pity or exotic curiosity.
2b · The field
Areas of spiritual battle and cultural captivity to cover in prayer. Tap each point to understand:
Many call themselves Christians out of family tradition, without a personal, living faith in Jesus.
Beliefs from Guarani cosmology, such as Tupã and Ñande Ru, blend with devotion to the Catholic saints.
The culture prizes male authority, which fuels domestic violence against women.
Excessive drinking at festivals and family gatherings hurts entire families.
Decades of dictatorship left behind a culture of favors and distrust in public institutions.
The border economy, marked by irregular commerce, shapes values of quick gain.
The Chaco's native peoples face extreme poverty and little access to the gospel in their own language.
Traditional healers are still sought out before a doctor or a pastor in many communities.
Thousands of Paraguayans live abroad in search of work, leaving families separated and vulnerable.
The idea that "that's just how life is" discourages hope for real change, including spiritual change.
Paraguay is one of the South American countries with the greatest religious freedom: the Constitution guarantees the free practice of any faith, and the State does not interfere in the life of churches.
The pressure that exists is more social than official. In traditional families and communities, especially among the indigenous peoples of the Chaco, those who leave the religion of their ancestors to follow Jesus personally can face resistance from relatives, who see conversion as abandoning their own culture.
In some isolated rural areas, armed groups have threatened and even killed residents, including leaders of indigenous communities, which increases fear and makes the work of churches and pastors in these regions more difficult.
In general, however, being a Christian in Paraguay does not come at a high cost: the greatest challenge is not persecution, but nominalism (a faith in name only, without a transformed life) and the blending of the Christian faith with ancient beliefs.
The persecution score runs from 0 to 100: the higher it is, the greater the pressure on Christians.
Paraguay has 36 cataloged ethnic groups, and 6 of them remain unreached by the gospel. These groups include small indigenous communities of the Chaco, such as the Chamacoco Tomárahos and the Guaná, as well as specific groups such as Guarani of Bolivian origin, Japanese immigrants, the Spanish speaking Jewish community and the country's deaf community, which faces communication barriers to understanding the Christian message. Together, these groups make up a small fraction of the total population, but they carry great spiritual weight: many live isolated or face language and cultural barriers that make it difficult to access a church that speaks to their heart.
- 0.4% Unreached (28K)
- 0.7% Minimally reached (48K)
- 0.6% Superficially reached (44K)
- 97.5% Partially reached (6.8M)
- 0.8% Significantly reached (54K)
- 16.7% Unreached (6)
- 11.1% Minimally reached (4)
- 8.3% Superficially reached (3)
- 50% Partially reached (18)
- 13.9% Significantly reached (5)
Source of people group data: Joshua Project (joshuaproject.net). Estimates, may vary.
Japanese
Spanish-Speaking Jews
Emok
Deaf Frontier
Guaná
Italian
Enxet
Source: Joshua Project. Estimates, may vary.
- 56.7% With complete Bible (17)
- 43.3% Only portions of the Bible (13)
Source: Joshua Project and Progress.Bible. Estimates, may vary.
Spanish Official
Paraguayan Guarani Official
Angaite
Pai Tavytera
Sanapana
Ache
Toba-Maskoy
Pray
Intercede for this nation
Send and sustain
Not everyone goes, everyone takes part
Not everyone goes. Everyone takes part.
Behind every worker among these peoples stands a network of people who pray without ceasing, care for the family left behind, and faithfully sustain the work. Sending is mission too.
Start with your church: introduce this nation, adopt it in ongoing prayer, and walk alongside those God is raising up to go.
Go
Practical details for those who want to go
Local time
Cost of living
Asunción has the highest prices in the country.
Cost by city
Reference values (source: Numbeo). Confirm before traveling.
Practical points for those who go
- Tereré is offered all day long; accepting the round is a sign of friendship and trust.
- Guarani is spoken by nearly the entire population; a few words in the language already open doors.
- The summer heat (December to February) can pass 40°C in the Chaco; bring water and sun protection.
- Lengthy conversations and unhurried visits are part of the Paraguayan way of relating to others.
- Finding an evangelical church is easy in the cities, but rare in the indigenous communities of the Chaco.
- Paraguayan Spanish mixes in many Guarani words (jopara); don't be surprised.