That religious heritage did not bring peace to the land. Warfare has profoundly affected the history of Paraguay, leaving deep scars on the lives of the people. From 1864 until 1870, under Francisco Solano López, Paraguay fought against Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. The results were disastrous. According to available records, the country’s population at the beginning of the war was possibly a million or more. At the end it was said to be about 220,000, of whom at least 190,000 were women and children. Other wars followed; one involved a dispute with Bolivia over ownership of the Chaco, and others were due to political unrest. Perhaps it should come as no surprise, therefore, that in Paraguay those who wanted power over others frequently resorted to physical force to achieve their aims.

In 1932, Paraguay became involved in another war, this time with Bolivia. Once again the manpower of the nation was decimated. There were adverse effects on the country’s economy and on the security of those who might come from abroad with the good news of the Kingdom.