G8 : Awareness – Focus – Prayer

3rd June 2013
News

All of the world’s eyes will be on Co. Fermanagh during this month. As representatives of the Body of Christ SAMS wants to encourage you to be aware of the significance of this gathering, focus during the month of June on this gathering and pray. We along with the whole of the church across the nations have a responsibility to pray for all those who are in authority over nations and this is a clear opportunity and privilege to do so.

Why do we need to pray for the G8 Summit?

“I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

(1 Timothy 2:1–4).

These Heads of State each carry enormous responsibilities and huge pressures of the world, its difficulties and its problems on their shoulders. So, we are calling you, as a member of the Body of Christ across the nations to stand together at this time and pray in the months coming up to, during the G8 itself and in the days after.

Regardless of denomination or background, God has called us to pray for our leaders so please stand with us in unity and pray for the G8.

Please follow this 8 Day Prayer Guide and join us as we pray:

  • That as leaders come into Northern Ireland they would come into the presence of God, receive God’s help and be blessed
  • For God’s protection, that everyone will be kept safe and well throughout their stay
  • That they will receive wisdom and insight from God
  • That God’s will is done as they discuss issues that are of global importance
  • For their families and personal lives

This is a moment in history, a great opportunity. As they gather we should pray for God’s will to be done – ‘for justice to roll like a river and righteousness like a never failing stream’ (Amos 5:24) and for God’s Kingdom values and purposes to be expressed through their decisions.

Please us the prayer guide for the month of June pre, during and post the G8 itself.

Background

G8 stands for the ‘Group of Eight’. First held in 1975 in France and has since become the annual summer summit of Heads of States of 8 Nations. These nations include Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK and USA. Originally established to overview global economic developments, it has extended itself to cover almost all of global affairs.

  • Between them, the 8 Heads of State, although only 14% of the world population:
  • Represent the majority of the Un Security Council. Represent about 51% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2011.
  • Are the main financial givers to the World Bank and IMF. Control 96% of the world’s nuclear weapons

Members

Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, UK, USA and the EU.

Each one of the eight nations holds the presidency of the G8 for a year, 2013 is the year of the United Kingdom’s presidency. The Presidency is responsible for hosting the G8 and also for setting the agenda for the Summit. David Cameron has already set the agenda for 2013 and he aims to use the Presidency to ‘help generate growth, jobs and prosperity for the long term…(by) focus on open economies, open governments and open societies to support free trade, tackle tax evasion and encourage greater transparency and accountability’.

Bolivian Consecration

17th May 2013
Bolivia, PRAY

Archdeacon Raphael Samuel was formally consecrated as the Diocesan Bishop of Bolivia at a Sunday morning service at Cristo Luz Del Mundo (Light of the World). The Presiding Bishop of the Southern Cone of the Americas, the Rt Rev Hector  “Tito” together with the Bishops from Peru, Uruguay and Paraguay led in the consecration of the new Bishop of Bolivia.

The election of Archdeacon Raphael Samuel as the Bishop of Bolivia represents a landmark in church missions in that he is the first Asian missionary to be consecrated Bishop in the Spanish speaking Anglican world. Bishop Raphael Samuel, is a Singapore clergyman sent by the Diocese of Singapore to serve in Bolivia. He and his wife, Michelle, are the longest-serving missionaries in the Bolivian Anglican Church.

Raphael, a Singaporean Tamil, was born in January 16th 1957. He was raised in a traditional Anglican parish and received Christ when he was a teenager. He hails from several generations of Anglicans and was educated in a Methodist school. After formal studies, he joined the Singapore Navy in 1974, after which he responded to the Lord’s call to serve in the Anglican Church in 1980.  At this juncture, a life-changing experience of the Holy Spirit, left a deep and lasting impression on his life.  As part of his preparation for full-time ministry, he studied theology for 4 years at Trinity Theological College, where he and Michelle met. The communal setting at St Peter’s Hall, an Anglican institute for ministerial training in the campus at Trinity, served as an integral part of his formation as a priest in the Anglican Church.

In 1991, the national director of Bolivian Church, Rev Greg Blaxland, visited Singapore with a view to raise missionary candidates for the work in Bolivia. At a meeting with the Singaporean clergy, he shared the need for ordained pastors to serve as missionaries in Bolivia.

Raphael, a pastor of a congregation, had already considered the possibility of serving in Latin America prior to Greg’s visit to Singapore.  A few years earlier, SAMS Australia’s General Secretary, Rev Ted Newing had counseled him to pray and wait for the Lord’s timing. The invitation from Bolivia came as a confirmation of God´s calling to serve in Latin America. Bishop Moses Tay, the former bishop of Singapore, played an active role in forging links between the diocese of Singapore and the work in Bolivia.

Raphael, Michelle and their 3-year old son, Elijah, arrived in Bolivia in January 4th 1993. He and Michelle spent 6 months studying Spanish and the intricacies of cross cultural work at the Maryknoll Language Institute in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Since then, Raphael, has worked actively in the Bolivian diocese on several levels. He served as pastor of a congregation in Santa Cruz, and as Archdeacon of the diocese; has helped the Bolivian church acquire diocesan status, started new works; raised leaders, and assisted local clergy to assume the leadership of the congregations. Raphael completed his Masters in Theology in Spanish in 2010 and is working on further post graduate studies in the area of family counseling. His wife, Michelle, is actively involved in various ministries in the church, especially in the area of worship and the creative arts. Their son, Elijah, is due to graduate from a university in Singapore this year.

SAMS is excited about  Raphael’s appointment and we encourage all SAMS prayer supporters to pray daily for Raphael and Michelle within this new phase of ministry

Mission Paraguay May 2013 Update

15th May 2013
Mission Paraguay

May 2013 Update

This year 25 people from churches in the UK, Ireland and the USA will be visiting Paraguay.

During July 2013 a group of Mission Paraguay volunteers will be based at Roque Alonso on the north eastern outskirts of the capital Asunción and visit different communities in the Asunción area.    They will involved in a variety of projects  including work with children; assisting with the toy library organised by FEISA; distribution of spectacles; assisting with the sewing workshops and serving local families in need.  They will also spend 5 days in Concepción working alongside Northern Ireland missionary Claire Holmes.

In August another group will be based entirely in Concepción working with Claire and the team from San Pablo Church. They with travel to different communities in and surrounding Concepción to be involved in a range of evangelistic events and activities particularly focused on children and young people.

Another August group will be based in the Chaco where the indigenous people live in some of the most deprived conditions in Paraguay.  They will be working alongside local people on a variety of building projects under the supervision of missionary Chris Hawksbee.

Projects being funded in Paraguay during 2013 include:

General items:

  • Supply and distribution of spectacles to communities in Asunción and Concepción (last year 1,015 pairs were distributed);
  • providing materials for the sewing workshops which have operated for the last 6 years in locations in Asunción, Concepción and occasionally at Rio Verde in the Chaco to encourage self sufficiency;
  • supplying a limited range of medical items;
  • providing consumable materials and equipment for work with children and young people;
  • supplying teaching materials for use by the Anglican Church;
  • supplying materials for self help home improvements for needy families;
  • support for the mobile toy library operated by FEISA the Anglican Early Years Teacher Training College;
  • assisting to fund various improvements to buildings used to promote the work and mission of the Anglican Church;
  • supplying clothes, blankets, toys and other items for distribution to people in need.   Some clothes are sold for a nominal sum to raise funds for work with children and to operate the Saturday meal for children in various communities.

In the Chaco:

  • construction of a new church at La Paciencia an isolated village in the La Patria community;
  • building two large underground water storage tanks for rainwater for use where there is no piped water supply;
  • repairs to an existing water storage tank damaged by tree roots;
  • construction of up to 10 homes built of bricks with sheet metal roofs and concrete floors to replace overcrowded homes built of palm logs, plastic sheets and other discarded materials.   Families are supplied with a plastic drum to collect rainwater from gutters;
  • building of 5 long drop toilet cabins to supply to families without facilities;
  • supplying a number of solar powered battery chargers for use where there is no electricity supply;
  • assisting to fund the employment of local expertise to work alongside Chris Hawksbee to promote self sufficiency projects among the Indian communities.

For further information upon any of these projects please contact the coordinator, David Orritt.  Email: davidinparaguay@hotmail.comMission Paraguay

 

Paraguay Prayer Calendar May June 2013

8th May 2013
Paraguay, PRAY

Dear friends,

Thank you for your faithful prayers over the last few months. The Lord is gracious and kind and there is much to be thankful for and of course many challenges! The dengue fever situation is the most serious that the country has ever faced and as yet there is no significant break in the hot weather, so we are praying for cold weather to come soon thus killing off the mosquitoes that carry dengue. Everyone is pleased that the elections were peaceful, please keep praying as the government transition takes place over the next few months.

On a personal note our first month this year back in Paraguay has been somewhat like the pack of Liquorice Allsorts that I gave Peter for his birthday a week ago – ‘contents: varied and interesting!’ We are off to Bolivia for a week on Monday and the rest of May looks set to be busy too.

Thank you again for praying, may the Lord bless you,

Blessings, Peter and Sally

Congratulations to Noel, Lynn & Johnny

8th May 2013
News

SAMS wants to take this opportunity to say a really big thank you to 3 very special (and sore) SAMS supporters who ran the 2103 Belfast marathon on Bank Holiday Monday 6th May. After tramping the streets of North, South, East and West Belfast the 3 amigos completed the race and devoured every piece of food placed in front of them later that evening as they shared their experiences over a meal with Geoff and Jill Hamilton. The money raised will be supporting the ministry of Claire Holmes in Paraguay.

 

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