Latest news and prayer letters
Some news and prayer letters recently received into the SAMS office:
Sewing Project Update
Big question – how to condense all that’s happened with sewing into something quick for you to read?
Zeballos Cue
Regina at ZC not stopped smiling for 2 weeks now! Five women meeting on a Sat p.m. (Emilia, Cornelia her d-i-l, Deolinda, Regina and Mirta – can’t always come because has twin boys aged 12 and an older one. Husband Ramon works in wood yard.). In the first week, E, C and D had made 5 different variations of the Judit bag, some smaller according to the cloth they had. All three decided to give their own first bags as an offering for the building fund. When I followed up with the cards with Jude’s scripture Matt 25.21 about the talents, both of us were amazed – that’s what they had done without knowing it! They have made all the placemats – the one you see was the last and are planning how to make bags with other cloth they have. I took the photos in the school shop were Regina works. I can take her stuff on Weds when Luis comes to pick her up on his motorbike. She `s taken back the two Janomes on this.
San Andres
Marta,Teresa and Juana with their own bags
San Andres also gone mad about bags. Everyone made about 4 each with any cloth they could get hold off – this is a first. Teresa`s daughter has made some with lace on I was overjoyed to see this, I`ve got bags and bags of lace. Both SA and ZC are
selling the bags for around 30.000 which is a good price. All three people at SA got orders for more, also at ZC. Two great things had happened when I re-met this club. Club been given a good Singer from an ex missionary and Marta been given a good machine for home by Sharon – so all feeling really good.
Not many people have finished their skirts but this is okay. Better that they practice on the bags and then return with more confidence to the skirt. In their minds this a tall order and they lack the time to concentrate on the zip. I’m sure we’ll get an opportunity to go back to this. Miriam, the lady Jude helped with the zip, has finished hers. Marie, an older lady with a machine that she fought with through not knowing it, is now making miles of sheets for her home and completely happy. Everyone has come a long way. Most are now happy on modern machines. Juana, who had never really sewed with an electric or any machine is now making bags on a Janome at the club. She was given a 1946 treadle converted to electric which is okay but heavy going. Today I took her the Lervia from SL – a modern machine which sews beautifully but the bobbin winder has packed up. We discovered she can wind the bobbins on 1946 and sew on the Lervia! David O has been saying for a while that the way forward could be machines at home (as reinforcers for those at the club) and this year that looks as if it is the way forward.
Breakthrough in self-sustaining/donation scheme
For ages been wondering how to handle cloth donations with clubs making things to raise money for church ministries where the participants themselves are poor and not making ends meet. In SA it’s been unclear for a long time and caused personal difficulties. Yesterday we hit on a scheme – a cloth bank. We can provide some cloth of certain types for the clubs to make what they can make to sell for their ministries and other cloth (prob for bags) at a reduced price for the participants to buy to make bags at home, now that most have machines at home. Teresa`s daughter (SA) knows a good shop in Petirossi which sells good bag material cheaply. Sally, Teresa and I hope soon to make a round trip to visit this shop, the Pilar off cuts place and a great place further away which has a brilliant wool selection because we all want to knit more and wool or similar is not common here. It will be great to go with others because more heads are better than one any day.
Chaco, Rio Verde
Jeny and Sue McCaul launched sewing with 2-3 women, 2 Paraguayan and one Indian, and Marie (now more confident on her own machine) and Ed will talk to them about how to take this forward. All things worked together for good here, in spite of, and in the long run as we’ve seen with the two clubs above, the tough bit about turning women away this time. Their time will come and it will bring blessing and growth for them as it has for the two clubs above.
Caroline’s Wycliffe Skirt
When I’d finished my skirt and it was all perfect according to Wycliffe rules, I couldn’t work out why I didn’t really like it. Then I saw a photo of the model Twiggy in a short skirt and jacket and got my answer. I’ve got legs (below the knee a bit) and I can do a Twiggy with them, if I have a good pair of skirt shoes (taking a leaf out of Christine`s book) .- so, another middle of the night job, I pinned up inches of the hem till it was the Twiggy height and hey presto, it looked better. I just have to take it in at the sides a bit and then re-draw my Wycliffe pattern and then I can go off for eternity making Twiggy skirts.
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Thank you all of you so much for all the support and encouragement and effort and sacrifice you gave to make all this possible. Sally B is hugely encouraged, the long run up (Moira – you’ve been part of this) has led to this and we couldn’t have skipped any of that – that’s the Lord’s way and training.
God bless and lots of love, Caroline
The Miners in Chile
Pray for everyone involved and especially the engineers in Chile have begun drilling the rescue shaft through which they hope to eventually free the 33 men trapped in a collapsed mine. The miners have been stuck 2,300ft underground for the past three weeks.
PARAGUAY
Pray for Bishop Peter and Sally Bartlett as they pastor a church in Paraguay and help leaders and potential leaders to mature in faith. Pray for all who teach God’s Word, that they themselves may be teachable, and for each member of the church to understand the spiritual battle they are engaged in and to use the spiritual resources God has given.
Pray for Teodosio Rivas and assistant Donald Brooks, working together in the diocesan administration, for wisdom in the setting of priorities. Teo is also Provincial treasurer for the Southern Cone. Thank God for gifting him to serve the church in this way.
Lift to the Lord the two schools, St Andrew’s and the Annexe: head teachers, staff, pupils and parents. Pray for good relationships between parents and teachers, and for parents to learn new parenting skills through special classes. Pray that high academic standards and clear Christian teaching may be maintained.
Pray for the work of Gloria and Ana as they lead FEISA, that they will be granted the Holy Spirit’s anointing as they head up the training of teachers for early years. Thank God for Ruth Maidana’s secretarial help, which has speeded up documentation on the academic side.
Ronald and Nicky Irene praise God for his faithfulness and provision. Pray for Ronald in his role as chaplain in St Andrew’s School, helping with Sunday services and also studying, for wisdom and discernment and good time management. Remember Nicky as she teaches and their family, all pupils in St Andrew’s.
BRAZIL
Ask God’s continued blessing on the life and witness of the church in Recife Diocese and pray for Bishop Robinson and Miriam Cavalcanti and clergy. Thank God for the encouragement of Bishop Robinson’s visit to the Vilellas’ church in Porto Alegre.
Marcus and Tamara Throup and Rebekah have a busy ministry in João Pessoa where Marcos teaches in the Anglican theological college, mentors young ordinands, preaches, is studying for a PhD in New Testament studies, and with Tamara runs a group for young married couples. Pray for a right balance between work and family life.
Pray for Latin partners Danielle and Josías da Souza and Daniel in youth leadership and preaching in Holy Spirit church, Recife. Ask God to bless this ministry, and for mature, committed and faithful young people to emerge as leaders for the future.
Pray earnestly for Ian Meldrum’s health and for the necessary treatment, for strength for Siméa and God’s peace for them both. Siméa Meldrum has been leading the School of Mission for 23 young students in the Living Waters Church. Part of the course uses Tearfund material on preparing for an emergency, teaching them to lead in times of tragedy. She writes, “these youth….overcome difficult situations with more ease than people who always had everything.” Pray they may be empowered by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to assume a leadership role.
Keep praying for Andy and Rose Roberts and the staff team at My Father’s House, for daily strength and wisdom to do the work and respond to needs, both the expected and unexpected. Pray for the boys, for their physical, emotional and spiritual welfare, and for their future. Commit to God the need for accommodation, should the road building go ahead through the current property.
ARGENTINA
Uphold Bishop Greg Venables and Sylvia, praying for good health and strength for them both, safety in travelling and wisdom in pastoral oversight in the two dioceses in Argentina. Pray for the churches and clergy in Buenos Aires, Rosario and Cordoba, for those training for ordination and for those working with the youth and children. Remember the staff, volunteers and children in Hogar el Alba.
Thank God for Mario Ágreda’s gifts in leadership, teaching and with young people. Pray for him and Paula with Manuel and Maite serving in Villa Devoto and also in Lomas. Pray for spiritual growth in the lives of those in the home groups and youth groups and for the emergence of new leaders.
ECUADOR
Uphold the work of Life in Abundance Trust, thanking God for the children’s classes and the new opportunity to have them one day a week in a rural setting, with horse riding therapy. Pray for the group of women who recently had two days of intensive training in working with abused women and pray for the right person to head up this ministry. Remember Uriel and Lina: Lina looks after the PEPE Christian pre-school in Laura Flores.
Red Box News & Prayer Update
Sonya Brown from Carryduff Parish who is with the Red Box Project updates us on her 5 week placement.
I help 2 missionaries over here, Graziela and Lorena, I am so grateful to having the chance to help these girls in their work on Saturdays making lunch in one of the poorest areas here in Salta and on Wednesdays at the hospital. This week I am helping them organise for a Bible event for the children this Saturday – busy times!
I help in a local school on Tuesdays and Thursdays with English lessons. The teachers and children are so welcoming and its great being there and helping in whatever way I can, whether answering questions, helping with their work, or marking exams!!
Your prayers are valued. Pray for the time that I have for myself, that I will reflect on my experiences and take time to refuel! The language is a barrier, in that I can’t build relationships with the majority of the people I meet, which is a tad frustrating to say the least but I’m learning that sometimes words aren’t needed, a smile never fails to get a response!!
Also I’m only here for a short time so I ask that you pray that I can plant seeds in the people that I’m spending time with and that I have the energy needed for the long days that I’m out and about, for safety and that my travel back goes as smoothly as arriving here.
Many thanks 🙂
love & prayers
Sonya xx
FUSION Volunteer departs for home.
As you all may know my time here in Norn Iron is almost over, as I’m heading back to Chile next Friday (August 27th), but before leaving I just wanted to say thanks to each and everyone of you.
In different moments of my staying here, you have blessed my life with your company, friendship, testimony, service, dedication, love and kindness towards me and our great and amazing God.
During this past year I’ve shared different experiences with you and all this experiences are now part of my memories and have a big piece of my heart.
I really hope in the future I can return to this wee island and see you all again or if you ever want to visit a great and amazing country where you can learn or practice your Spanish, you will be more than welcome in Chile.
I had great ‘craic’, ‘all the best’ and ‘keep er lit’! Hopefully this is not a good bye, it’s just a see you soon, God willing.
Un gran abrazo a cada uno y que la gracia y el amor de Dios los bendiga hoy y siempre, con todo mi amor. (A big hug to everyone and may the grace and love of God bless you today and always, with all my love,)
Cristian Ascui P.