Click here to read Buena Vista Summer 09

It was humbling and also encouraging to watch over 450 people arrive at the South American Mission Societies (SAMS) annual gathering in Craigavon Civic Centre, especially as the snow and freezing temperatures added complications to driving conditions.

The SAMS Ireland ‘Friday Night Live’ event aspires to inform, encourage and challenge individuals and churches regarding mission within an overseas context and also here at home. Bishop Ken Good welcomed everyone and from the outset created a prayerful attitude which remained a central theme.

Prayer is not so much an act as it is an attitude - an attitude of dependency, dependency upon God.

Summer 2008 teams from Armagh, Down & Dromore, Connor and Clogher Dioceses updated people through interviews and multi-media presentations. Two girls from Barcelona sang and performed a traditional Catalonian dance. The Bishop elect of Paraguay and his wife were interviewed, sharing the opportunities, challenges and practical implications which they face as they take on their new roles in March 2009. The keynote speaker this year was Rev. Dr. Maurice Elliott, his stimulating address helped to put mission in the wider context of worship.

Various projects were highlighted during the evening and at one point the Red Box Project from Argentina was focussed upon. Images from a power point presentation fused as a pianist from Argentina played the haunting tune ‘Don’t Cry for me Argentina’. Everyone present had the opportunity to pray as three significant images appeared Naomi Francey (Down & Dromore), Megan Johnston (Connor) and Helen King (Down & Dromore) who are all on gap years with the Red Box Project. ‘Friday Night Live’ isn’t a performance; it’s an opportunity for people to meet together and wrestle with what God is doing and wants to do through an Anglican mission agency.  

An update on the SAMS fusion programme was another significant part in the evening. The fusion initiative offers placements to people from overseas within a parish setting in Ireland. It also seeks to link local churches in Ireland with short, medium or long-term projects overseas. Participants from Argentina, Chile and Uruguay are presently working in Connor, Down & Dromore and Derry & Raphoe. It was encouraging listening to fusion volunteers how they have benefited from their time here in Ireland and also it was uplifting to hear from local Rectors how they have benefited from having young men and women from South American working within their parishes.

The evening ended with a multi-media animation of a modern day parable, and as parables do, they leave you slightly uncomfortable and with something to apply! To all who attended and to all who pray for the work of SAMS we deeply appreciate and value your partnership.

Blessings Titch       

Plans are currently underway for the visits of volunteers from Churches in England and Ireland to work for 3 weeks on a variety of projects organised through the Anglican Church in Paraguay and in association with the South American Mission Society (SAMS).

July Group
This group will be based on the outskirts of Asunción, the capital, and visit a number of different communities in the area. It is planned that the activities will include:

• involvement with the sewing and knitting workshops;
• assisting with a new building project to provide facilities for work with children and young people and for outreach into the local community;
• assisting with basic home improvements in some of the poorest areas of Asunción;
• working with children and young people in a number of communities.

It is anticipated that this group will spend a few days in the Chaco to visit some of the Indian communities where Mission Paraguay has previously worked.

August Group
Some members of the August group will be based in Concepción and it is planned that they will:

• work with Claire Holmes and her team amongst the children and young people in Concepción and the surrounding area;
• undertake some small scale building work and painting;
• visit Yvapovo which is about 2 hours drive from Concepción where Mission Paraguay is funding the construction of a small church for a growing congregation.

Other members of the August group will work in the Chaco. Their activities will include:

• assisting in the completion of the building of a church begun in 2008 at Rio Verde;
• involvement in a variety of home improvements such as the construction of new corrugated metal roofs on Indian homes to replace those made of logs and plastic sheets;
• assisting with a water storage project. In 2009 we hope to be able to fund the building of at least one aljibe (£1,500) which is an underground storage tank for rainwater collection.

As in previous years the July and Chaco groups will have the opportunity to work with FEISA the Anglican Early Years Teacher Training College which operates a mobile toy library and undertakes groundbreaking training and development work in some of the indigenous schools in the Chaco.

All planned projects are dependent upon the available funding at the time of the visits. The cost of the work and activities undertaken are all met from donations from the UK and Ireland. All donations are channelled to Paraguay through the South American Mission Society (SAMS), or Burscough Outreach Trust (Charity No: 1089034).

If you would like further information about how you may support the work of Mission Paraguay or if you wish to take part in a short-term mission trip to Paraguay in 2009, please contact the Co-ordinator, David Orritt via samsirelandhouse@btinternet.com

Please pray that God will direct the plans and arrangements currently underway for the Mission Paraguay programme for 2009. Please also pray for the ongoing work of the Anglican Church in the Chaco, Concepción and Asunción and particularly for Rev. Peter Bartlett who will be instituted as Bishop of Paraguay in March 2009.

Our Mission

Mission Paraguay works through the Anglican Church in Paraguay to provide funds and a volunteer work force to assist with practical projects, usually buildings, which the local church would find difficult, if not impossible to provide themselves. Through the Church we also fund activities with children and young people and a range of community based work to relieve need and hardship.
Each year groups of committed Christians of all ages travel to Paraguay to live and work in the community so gaining a unique opportunity to experience another culture; to see how the local church is working and growing; to share fellowship, laughing and sometimes crying together; to receive and show the love of God. People return home feeling that they have gained far more than they give. Many find that the experience deepens their Christian faith and for some it gives a new direction for their life as they review their priorities.

Read more ….

Please pray for Rev Malcolm Kingston, and the local parishes of Kilmore and St. Saviours as they host a special South American Long Weekend taking place from February 6th to 11th. The planned programme is extensive, fun and focussed on mission matters here at home and overseas.

Fri, 6th Feb (7.30pm) : SAMS Friday Night Live in Craigavon Civic    Centre.  This annual celebration event never disappoints!  Peter and Cecilia will take part, as will the Shankill Parish Worship Group, Bishop Ken Clarke and Rev. Dr Maurice Elliott.

Sat, 7th Feb (7.30pm) : Salsa Night with Cecilia in Kilmore Parish Centre. Have you been inspired by the Latin Dances on Strictly Come Dancing, then ladies and gentlemen, come along for a lot of fun!

Sunday, 8th Feb : Morning Worship in both churches with Peter & Sally Bartlett, followed by BBQ in St Saviour’s Hall.

Sunday, 8th Feb, 7pm : Evening Worship with Cecilia in St Saviour’s.

Mon, 9th Feb, 7.30 - 8pm  : A meeting of Refresh (youth group for those of Secondary School age plus) with a South American theme,  in Kilmore Parish Centre.

Tues, 10th Feb : Church Girl’s Brigade South America Night in St Saviour’s Hall. All girls are most welcome! 

25th December 2008

To my very wonderful family and friends….

Hola from sunny (and slightly thundery) Salta!! This is my very first time bein in the southern hemisphere for Christmas and also I think the 1st time I’ve ever written a Christmas letter. (apart from those to Santa Claus)

Well as the muppets would say, there’s only one more sleep til Christmas. Although this year for me it’ll be quite different…no turkey dinner, no freezing/rainy weather, not bein with the familia , bein in a different hemisphere, there’s one thing that’s the same!!The reason we celebrate…the amazin fact that Jesus came to earth as a baby FOR US!! ‘She will have a son, and they will name him “Immanuel” which means ‘God is with us’! How excitin!!!!

They actually do most of the celebrating here on Christmas eve…today!!woohooo! In true Argentina style they start late at night and finish early in the morning!! Thats my favourite kind!! Although they don’t have church here on Christmas day, I’ve been part of a Nativity play as Mary and the other night a load of our church ones were playing CHRISTMAS CAROLS in the main plaze in town!beautiful!!

It’s going to be strange not being able to see you all and wish you Merry Christmas in person but know that I’ll be thinking of you and even if I’m enjoying Christmas here (which I’m sure I will be!) there’ll be a big part of me missing you and wondering whats goin on with each of you on Christmas day!Make sure you all enjoy some extra mince pies or roses chocolates or M&S Christmas food on my behalf!!(mmmmmm) I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas and really feel God’s love and peace all around you! Don’t fofget that He is the reason we have this amazin season!!

HAPPY CHRSTMAS!!!!!!!!!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!!!!

I LOVE YOU!! GOD BLESS!!!!

Lots of Christmas love and hugs!

Helen xxx

We’re launching a new project to support the work of Beryl Baker in the Paraguayan Chaco. Berly is a nurse and has provided primary health care for indigenous communities in the Chaco for around 30 years.

To read more click on the image below to download the brochure.

We have just published the latest Buena Vista, issue number 2. This edition focuses on:

• Claire Holmes
• Sewing projects in Paraguay
• BTN trips
• Red Box, and
• Fusion volunteer David Alanis

To download Buena Vista 2 click on the image below. It’s a 6MB PDF file.