By Idelette McVicker
Not only is Maria Gloria Penayo de Duarte the mother of six children, she’s the mother of a nation. As the First Lady of Paraguay, she serves the needs and hearts of six million people in this central South America nation.
“I have many roles,” says Penayo de Duarte. Together with her husband, Paraguayan President Nicanor Duarte Frutos, she has children ranging in age from 20 years through 11 months. As an Extraordinary Ambassador of the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) she also looks out for the needs of women and children from the most vulnerable sections of society.
“My true identity,” she says, however, “is to be a daughter of God, a servant of God … with a very clear purpose to be His witness on this earth. I am called to be salt and light to the nations.”
Something Missing
Explaining her journey to a fresh faith, she says, “My foundation used to be in the values and principles my family taught me. I came from a very good family.”
But even after marriage and children, she wanted more. “I had a good family, a good marriage, healthy children, but I wasn’t complete. Something was missing. I looked at the future and I was fearful.”
At first she didn’t understand why she would need God. “I thought I was a good person and I asked myself, ‘Whom have I done any wrong to?’ I don’t lie; I don’t kill.”
“I thought I had God,” she adds. “But my God was an implacable judge. He required much of me that led me to do works and more works to gain His approval. It was a very heavy burden on my shoulders. I worked to save myself.”
Who is First?
She says she likes to tell people that she committed the worst sin in the world. She smiles: “When I tell people this, they would ask, ‘Did she kill somebody?’”
“Simply,” she says, “God revealed to me that the worst sin (we) can commit is to live without Him occupying the first place in our lives.”
After Penayo de Duarte opened their home for a Bible study, their lives began to change, she says. “Jesus started to be the center of our family.”
In 1997, she decided to make her faith public and she was baptized in church. “It was almost as wonderful as my wedding day,” she says, “and maybe even more important.”
Finding her Place
In 2003, life changed even more. Her husband, Nicanor Duarte Frutos was elected as President of Paraguay. “It was actually a very difficult time for me. At church I felt brave. We were always organizing events and I was witnessing about my faith.” As First Lady, however, she had to find her new place and reconcile her faith with her public position.
After her husband was elected, she asked God, “Why did you bring me here?” She’d had her own dreams for her life. “I had a dream of being a preacher going throughout the country of Paraguay and bringing the word of God,” she says.
At first Penayo de Duarte didn’t understand how God could use her in her role as First Lady. “I had so much work, so many activities,” she says. “I would look around to the context I was in, the pressure of living in a country where ninety percent of the population would not understand me. I felt a bit timid and afraid that they would call me a fanatical evangelical who uses her position to proselytize. But that was not in my heart.”
One day, while walking around the presidential residence, she asked God again, “Why did you bring me here?”
Then she read the Bible story of the Israelites who complained against God for taking them out of Egypt, out of the place of slavery. “Instead of taking possession of the Promised Land in 40 days, it took them 40 years,” she says. “That really marked my life. I asked forgiveness and I said, ‘Here I am. I’m here to do your will. I’m your servant. Show me the way and give me strength. Help me to share my faith from the place where I am. Help me to always please You and not others.’”
Transforming a Society
“Now I love the work I’m doing socially,” she says, “because it’s focused on people who are suffering. We work with children who are living in the streets, who are abused, drug-addicted. We work with women who suffer (and) who don’t have bread for their children. Women who don’t have medication for their children. Women with low self-esteem.”
Penayo de Duarte is a founding member of the GANAR Foundation, a support group for children at high risk. She is also the chairperson for the Paraguayan Network for Human Development (REPADEH), a non-profit organization focusing primarily on families living in extreme poverty. Through the Program of Integrated Community Development, REPADEH and the Office of the First Lady run several projects, like Skills Training, Community Kitchen Gardens, Feeding Centers, Sewing Workshops and an Artisanal Bakery.
“In all our programs we have a focus, way beyond just the temporal,” she says. “And today I can say that the Lord has used (us), so people can have their lives transformed.”
She has seen transformation in the lives of children. “Two hundred children who used to be on the street, who were drug addicted and not in touch with their families, today they have a roof over their heads, foster parents and they know Jesus,” says Penayo de Duarte.
Therapy of Forgiveness
She’s also seen transformation at community level. “We see communities living in conflict, now embracing each other and asking forgiveness,” says Penayo de Duarte. “We call it the therapy of forgiveness.”
She remembers a training seminar where 300 people gathered to learn about nutrition and food security. “We spoke to them of the forgiveness of God and invited them to forgive each other. It was impressive to see men crying, young people crying, kneeling and feeling a deep pain in their hearts, hugging and asking forgiveness of each other.”
I said. “Lord, even though we’re going through so many difficult times and tribulations, the injustices, the media that abuses us, when people speak ill of us and the burden we have governing a country … all of this is worth it. It’s worth it.”
She adds: “So, at times in our bedroom in the evening, when there are difficult times, we hold hands and we and we bring our difficult times to the Lord. O Lord, where does my help come from? Help us.”
“And the answer comes: ‘Don’t be afraid. I have you in my hand.’”
About Idelette:
Idelette McVicker is the founder and editor of www.globalgirlnetwork.com. She spends her days enjoying her young family and practicing the basics of the abundant Life. You can find her blog at www.idelette.com.
