Blog

After a short delay Ruth & Efraim Hollingdale Vilella have completed their move from Recife to Porto Alegre in the south of Brazil.  Please pray for them as they settle into their new home, for Efraim in his work with Wal-Mart, and for Ruth as she eagerly seeks a project in which her medical, social and pastoral skills can be used.

Bishop Henry Scriven was much blessed by his visits to partners in South America, including Jill Ball in Ecuador.  Jill is encouraged by developments in, and provision of resources for, the planned home for abused women in Santo Domingo.  Please pray with Jill for God to call a suitable couple to administer it.

Francisco Pérez, coordinator of the indigenous communities association Lhaka Honhat, has been in Washington to plead the cause of the Wichi people who live in two sizeable areas of land in the Argentine Chaco.  Francisco appeared before the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights on 3 November to represent their land claims and call for a just resolution to the issue by the provincial government of Salta with fair distribution of the land.  Please keep this matter in your prayers.

On Saturday a Women’s Encounter takes place at the Church of the Redeemer in La Serena, Chile.  This is the first to be held there: pray that God will bless all participants and that the Encounter will give real impetus to the women’s ministry in the church and greatly encourage Pastor Pablo & Pamela Zavala.

Also on Saturday former missionaries in Chile John & Ann Jacklin will be in London for a special launch of John’s autobiography, ¡Gloria a Dios!  Pray for John & Ann and for the impact of this event.

Latest News & Prayer requests received into the SAMS office:

• Caroline Gilmour – White
• Ceron News and Prayer
• Nick and Catherine Drayson

This month students at St Andrew’s School in Asunción, Paraguay, are sitting their International GCSEs, and this week pupils in the primary department are starting their exams.  Please pray for them all, and for the teachers in marking and report writing.

The Church of the Resurrection in Gómez Carreño, Chile, had a great ‘Fiesta of Light’ as an alternative to Halloween.  Ellelein Kirk says that among the children who participated were 26 who didn’t know the Lord, some with their parents, and all had the opportunity to hear the Good News as well as enjoy the activities.  “It is our prayer”, she adds, “that they give their lives to Christ and that the Lord transform them and their families”.  Let’s pray with Ellelein and Daniel for that.

Sue Woodcock pays a brief visit this weekend from Spain, principally to attend a consultation and prayer on Friday and Saturday for mission in Europe, held at St Aldate’s, Oxford.  She invites anyone in the area to join the prayer on Saturday.  Please pray for Sue’s time here and for events at the Church of Christ in Sabadell while she’s away.

Please continue to pray for Tony Barratt, ex-SAMS missionary and a founder of SEAN, whose heart is very weak.  Son Terry says that things are “difficult but peaceful and there’s no shortage of blessings to encourage us on our way”.

Finally, alongside our regular remembrances at this time of year, let’s recall the 150^th anniversary this Friday of the massacre in Tierra del Fuego of the SAMS catechist and crew of the schooner Allen Gardiner, and give thanks to God that his work in South America (and later in Spain) did not falter but has prospered for his glory.

Latin Partner Mario Ágreda has completed his visit to the UK and is flying back to Argentina today.  As we give thanks for the blessings from his ministry here, let’s pray that what he has learned and experienced will benefit his pastoral and evangelistic work in Buenos Aires.

Crossing the Atlantic in the opposite direction tonight will be General Secretary Tim Dakin who is flying back from Argentina after the Provincial Executive and the consecration of Nick Drayson.  Pray for Tim, and also for Bishop Henry Scriven and Paul Thaxter of CMS who are visiting SAMS’ partners in the Diocese of Recife, Brazil.  Pray for fruitful meetings, and for their return journeys on Thursday and Friday.

On Friday a ‘Light Party’ is being offered at Jesús el Nazareno church in Lima, Peru, as an alternative to Halloween activities which have grown in recent years.  The party has been a great success in past years, and Pat Blanchard asks us to pray that this year also “we will deter the children in the neighbourhood from going off into the streets and that they will rather be encouraged in their faith through the activities and teaching we present to them.”

Praise God that on Sunday two ordinations to the priesthood take place in Madrid.  Rafa Arencón leads the mission church in Reus, and Rafa Arias manages the Anglican Student Centre in Salamanca as well as running the church there.   Pray for the service and for the two Rafas as they take this major step in ministry.

Latest prayer letters received into the SAMS office:

• Nick and Catherine Drayson in Northern Argentina
• Cristobal and Ale Ceron, Latin Partners in Chile

Fresh news items can also be found on the SAMS GB web site here

Some prayer letters received into the SAMS office:

• Janet and Alberto Mena (Associate MPs in Chile)
• David and Gina Hucker (MPs in Chile)
• Charles and Lynn Barr Johnston (Associate MPs in Northern Argentina)

Some blogs have also been updated recently:

• Andrew and Maria Leake
• Nick and Catherine Drayson
• Pat Blanchard

This Friday is dedicated in Peru to those living with disabilities, so the Shalom church and therapy centre in Lima have several activities planned for the children and families, including a street parade and a party.  Pat Blanchard asks prayer for God’s blessing on all involved.

Bishop Henry then jets off to South America on Sunday for a short tour of Ecuador, Northern Argentina and Brazil.  In Ecuador early next week he’ll of course be visiting Jill Ball.  Pray for travelling and meetings.

In Argentina the Provincial Executive of the Southern Cone gathers in Salta next week; pray for their discussions and fellowship.

We recently asked prayer for a Marriage Encounter weekend at La Serena church in Chile. Pastor Pablo & Pamela Zavala have written to share their delight in seeing the 17 couples newly rejoicing in their marriages, with some making a commitment to begin a walk with the Lord.   Let’s praise God with the Zavalas and ask his leading for all those couples.

Finally, please uphold the Butler family, recently returned from Paraguay.  Patrick is being inducted as curate of Emmanuel Church, Stoughton, Guildford, on Sunday, so please remember them in your prayers as they take this major step after long service overseas.

Some prayer letters and newsletter received into the SAMS office:

• Linn Tedman (Paraguay)
• Pat Blanchard (Peru)
• Caroline Gilmour-White (Paraguay)
• Jonathan and Hilary Rowe (Spain)
• Andy and Rose Roberts (Mission Partners, Brazil)
• Tim Curtis (Mission Partner, Paraguay)
• Beryl Baker (Associate Mission Partner, Paraguay)
• Wendy Power (Volunteer working with Beryl Baker in Paraguay)
• Pablo and Pamela Zavala (Latin Partners in Chile)
• First newsletter from My Father’s House in Olinda, Brazil

Paul Tester has been really encouraged to see the youth ministry in the Diocese of Peru come on strongly over the last couple of months.  Please pray for Lizbeth, the new diocesan youth ministry coordinator, who has made a great start in her new role, and for Paul as he visits Juliaca and Arequipa from 8^th -18^th October to strengthen the youth ministries in those cities.

On Friday SAMS GB Trustees meet at CMS offices in Oxford.  Pray for Chairman Patrick Coghlan and all gathered, that God would guide clearly in their deliberations and decisions.

We were privileged last month to welcome Latin Partner Cristóbal Cerón to the UK from Chile.  On Saturday Cristóbal is being ordained deacon in Santiago.  Pray for him and for Alejandra and the family on this very special day.

This follows the ordination on 26 September of Alister Morrison as presbyter at his church of St James’, Punta Arenas, in the far south of Chile.  Pray for Alister, Julie and family.

Finally, in Paraguay Caroline Gilmour-White has been introduced to a government department which offers training in various skills, including sewing.  Pray this contact will result in the training of leaders for sewing workshops and thus propel forward an important ministry much encouraged by Mission Paraguay short-term teams over the past two years.