Aishnah Mishaal Baten
Paraguay Correspondent
The first Jalsa Salana of Paraguay was held on 29-30 March 2019 in Asuncion, the capital city. This was the first ever Spanish Jalsa of South America.
Eleven countries were represented, including Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Canada, United States, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala.
Many South American converts travelled long distances by road with their delegations to attend this blessed convention. Many Khuddam came all the way from Canada to serve selflessly in this historic Jalsa. The theme of this Jalsa was How Islam Promotes Peace. The first day had an attendance of 60 people.
The first session was opened with the recitation of the Holy Quran and an Urdu poem with translation in Spanish. The keynote speech was delivered by Malik Lal Khan Sahib, Amir Jamaate-Ahmadiyya Canada on how Islam promotes peace.
On the second day, 85 people attended the Jalsa. Many tabligh contacts were made at the Jalsa who had become interested in Islam Ahmadiyyat.
Hazrat Amirul Momineen, Khalifatul Masih Vaa graciously sent a message for the Paraguayan Ahmadis which was read out in English by Amir Sahib Canada and translated by missionary of Paraguay, Abdun Nur Ghalib Baten Sahib in the beginning of the second and third session of the Jalsa.
The dignitaries that attended included the Paraguayan Vice Minister of Religion Fernando Griffith and Director of Education Dora Gonzalez who both spoke to attendees. An Islamic professor from Uruguay, Susanna Mangana also attended and addressed the audience.
During the Jalsa days, four Paraguayans, by the sheer grace of Allah, performed the Bai‘at and joined the Jamaat, including Felix Coronel, Javier Candia, Bethania Escobar and Maria Victoria. The Paraguay Jamaat bore witness to the countless blessings of Jalsa Salana and the prayers of our beloved Imam, Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa.
For the few weeks leading up to Jalsa, constant rain and thunderstorms made it difficult for us to plan ahead. Then, just as the guests began to arrive for Jalsa Salana, the rain miraculously stopped. It remained sunny throughout the Jalsa days, and the day after the Jalsa, it began raining again. This Jalsa was a source of immense blessings for all who attended, and it is our prayer that the Jamaat continues to grow in leaps and bounds in South America.