NORTHERN ARGENTINA

15th July 2010
Argentina, PRAY

Suffragan Bishop Nick Drayson and Catherine ask prayer for insight into the culture and the church and for language learning and making friends. Nick writes: “There is need for wisdom and hopefully the opportunity for change as we look back on almost 100 years of missionary work here, and build on it for a future in which the Indian church will have to become in some way autonomous.”

 

Pray for wisdom and discernment from God for Wichi and Toba pastors and leaders, to deepen their understanding of God’s Word and be able to teach and encourage in their communities. Pray for the Holy Spirit to free the people from all that holds them back.

 

Lift to God those whose lives are dedicated to helping these communities in practical ways: Ana Álvarez, Claudia Lungu and Cristina Vargas and the ASOCIANA team in advocacy and assistance in obtaining health care; Chris and Helena Wallis in literacy; Alec and Ivon Deane with crafts and agriculture.

PARAGUAY

14th July 2010
Paraguay, PRAY

Lift to God Bishop Peter and Sally Bartlett, praying for daily grace and refreshing in their varied and demanding ministry. May they help others to find spiritual freedom and to mature in Christ through the ‘Growing in Maturity’ course. Pray for leadership development throughout the diocese.

 

Pray for Assistant Bishop Andrés and Estela Rodriguez, for time for rest and reflection enabling them to maintain God’s perspective in the oversight of churches and children’s clubs in the Concepción area. Pray for new members to be added to the church leadership team and for safety in all their travels.

 

Ed and Marie Brice ask prayer for Chaco pastors Elvio, Teodoro, Juan and Romualdo studying the Matthew SEAN course. Their time is much in demand by the people and they need our prayers to prioritise their time and complete the study between classes. Pray for Remigio translating SEAN Bible studies into Enxet, and for pastors and leaders to use these in preparing sermons.

 

Pray about the problem of alcoholism in the Chaco communities, and for those campaigning against the indiscriminate sale of alcohol. A motorbike accident in Rio Verde, which killed a 13 yr old girl, and the murder of a 15 yr old boy in Makxawaya were probably related to alcohol abuse. Pray for the families involved, and for Christians to be salt and light in the darkness.

Peru

10th July 2010
Peru, PRAY

Pat Blanchard writes from Lima, Peru: “Saturday 10th is the big move day for the Shalom project. Yesterday we finished all the painting so we have a couple of days of cleaning, especially the floors, and some last minute purchases, floor mats for the physical therapy room, cable for the new electrical connections upstairs, curtain rails, to name just a few items! It is all very exciting to finally be moving and to make this a reality. Pray for a good number of helpers for Saturday and for everything to go smoothly, especially for moving the large mirrors! Please pray especially for the Sunday service that we may get some new neighbours and children for Sunday school coming along. We intend to give out flyers in these next few days, new SAMS USA volunteer Amanda is working on these.” Look on the blog (www.patinperulatest.blogspot.com) for more.

Mission Paraguay

10th July 2010
Paraguay, PRAY

Caroline Gilmour-White, preparing to receive the Mission Paraguay teams in Asunción this summer, writes, “TAM [airline] are telling David Orritt, the Mission Paraguay coordinator, that the volunteers can only bring 23kg in luggage from Sao Paolo onwards which is v. tough and inexplicable. When they first booked, they could have two suitcases of 23kg and of course their churches have been piling stuff on for the sewing project and other useful items. Identifying the participants for the sewing workshops is not easy because people from satellite churches want to come and buses are not practical for them. So I have to weigh up whether it’s a) good and beneficial and b) economical (in the Lord’s terms) to get them to come and go in a taxi. This is the last time we can run these workshops in such strength. The Lord is sending volunteers who are such capable, trained people who’ve been beavering away in the background to prepare for the workshops.”

Brazil

10th July 2010
Brazil, PRAY

Geison Vasconcellos writes about the Rev Miguel Uchoa in Recife, Brazil: “The diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma was confirmed (in the Bony Medulla). He is still in the hospital for beginning of the treatment, but he should go home in the beginning of next week, and to continue the treatment at home. The good news is that the pains began to be controlled and he feels already very better and he has been getting to sleep well. We are very concerned, but confident! Please keep your intercession network mobilized in his power, Geison”

BRAZIL

7th July 2010
Brazil, PRAY

Pray for God’s future for My Father’s House in Olinda. The government have placed a compulsory purchase order on this (rented) property, in order to build a new coast road. Pray for Ian Meldrum seeking to safeguard the boys’ welfare. Other house and land owners have begun legal action against the compulsory purchase. Pray for Andy and Rose Roberts and the staff team, for strength and hope to continue working through the uncertainty, trusting God to provide.

 

Praise God for the Easter evangelistic outreach from the Living Waters Church, alongside the ongoing ministry bringing hope to the poor. Pray for Ian and Siméa, and for God’s guidance in their vision for the future use of the farm.

 

Thank God for the visit of Marcos and Tamara Throup and baby Rebekah to the UK and their time with supporting churches. Pray for their return to João Pessoa as Marcos resumes his study, teaching, preaching and mentoring, and for their family life together.

Big Night for URUGUAY

6th July 2010
PRAY, Uruguay

If you have ever experienced being in South America during a world cup it will stay with you forever. It’s so much more than football. With Uruguay in the sports media we encourage you to keep the following people in prayer.

 

Pray for Bishop Miguel Tamayo and his wife Martha, who is a deacon. Pray for them in leadership and pastoral oversight, for Suffragan Bishop Gilberto Porcal, clergy and people.

 

Remember Latin partners Gonzalo and Leticia Soria, Abril and Guillermina, leading the church in Fray Bentos. Give thanks for the home groups which build up church members through prayer and Bible study, and for their imaginative outreach into the community through craft and cookery workshops, and helping children with homework.

Caroline’s news from Paraguay July and August 2010

6th July 2010
Paraguay, PRAY

There’s lots happening – please pray for us on these dates

 

From 15 – 25th July Women from isolated indigenous communities in the Paraguayan Chaco will be exhibiting their crafts at the national agricultural show in Asunción. They have only exhibited once before in 2004. Many indigenous families depend on their sales for food and clothing so they hope for lots of customers and to raise awareness of the difficult situation they live in.

 

Mission Paraguay volunteers will launch 3 sewing workshops. We’re aiming to teach the basics for tops, skirts and trousers in one week (19 – 23rdJuly) and

then one day, 8th August. A special 3 hour course on making shoulder bags will run on Friday 6th August. Volunteers are stepping in to replace the course the government workers are not continuing. Pray we’d overcome any language barrier and make great friends very quickly. Please pray that all the participants would enjoy the training and get everything they need to make good use of it. That some may be able to sew for a living. Once again thanks to all the donors of lovely cloth and haberdashery. It’s a joy to use

 

Happy holidays, Caroline

Cecilia Valdiviezo News

6th July 2010
Argentina, Latin Partners, PRAY

Dear  friends

 

I know I haven’t been in contact with you for a while but you know me! These couple of months have been very interesting for me, God is showing me the need I have to trust in his will and to realise He is in control of everything.

 

As you know the church I am working in is very new (3 years old) so we are in the process of growing and that takes lots of planning, time and hard work. The pastor I work with is a very talented and humble man whose heart is in “mission” so he and his lovely wife support my ministry and encourage me to keep on. For the past weeks I’ve been visiting different churches and helping them with some workshops and some meetings for the youth and women. The one that took my attention was one that is in a shanty town, where almost 60% of the people are into drugs and prostitution. Pastor Celso introduced me the pastor that lives and works in this area, he wanted me to go and visit them and encourage the youth about being a Christian. When I got at the place I couldn’t believe where they meet, they have a tiny room and as there is not enough space they take chairs outside and sit on the sidewalk, the kids are around 40 and almost all of them have serious problems with “paco” ( a popular drug for “the poor”). The pastor, Jorge is his name, has a great love and compassion for these kids and I do know God is using him greatly because through him two gangsters received Jesus and now they are attending the group and since they became Christians violence had decreased . For me this is a real challenge because I worked with 2 drug addicts before and the works is exhausting and because they are sick sometimes they just change their mind and don’t want to go on. As they don’t have a youth leader they ask me if I can visit them at least once a month and spend time with them, so we agreed to do it twice a month and a friend of mine who is also a youth leader will visit them twice a month, we know that is not enough but at least it is a good beginning.

 

Last weekend I spent 4 days in Bermejo (Bolivia), as you know I’ve been doing this for the last two years. For me every time I visit my brother and sisters there is a time of joy and of course a time of very good food!…lol. I don’t mind travelling by bus during the night because I know that as soon as I arrive there the blessing is amazing. I met the women and we spent a beautiful afternoon meditating about the “role of the woman”, that was a time of sharing their stories and learnt from one another, I also spent time with the youth and preached. The best part of my staying there was after the service, when a couple approached to me and asked me if I wanted to be the witness of their marriage! I was over the moon, as I told you before this type of society just live together without getting married but I and some friends have been working during this 2 years about the importance of putting in order our lives so God can bless us. They are the second couple that are getting married I hope this is just the beginning.

 

I don’t want to say good bye before letting you know that yesterday I was invited to El Circulo where the pastor Celso is in charge. Yesterday was their first Sunday service and I know that for almost most of you that have been here know how important this is! The building was used just for the youth meetings and the Happy Hours but now they also are opened on Sunday. We had a great celebration with lovely food…of course!.

 

My friends, there are lots of other things I would love to share with you but I’ll do it in the next letter. I just want to tell you that none of these things will be possibly without your support, I thank God for that.

Once again thanks for you support, your love and your prayers.

Cecy.

 

Prayer Points.

 

Thank God for my time in Bermejo and the blessing of this new marriage.

To give me wisdom to start helping the church in the shanty town twice a month.

To thank God for the visit we did in the schools and to for the future visits in other schools.

For the activities we have in my church so the community can see God is available for everyone.

My future trips to Buenos Aires y Bermejo so I can keep safe.

My future volunteers that are coming in August and September.

To Thank God for my good health.

 

Blessings

Cecy!!! xoxoxox

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