Blog

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.

Some prayer letters received into the SAMS office received this week.

• Paul and Sarah Tester
• Hugo and Techy Vergara

Ruth & Efraim Vilella moved last week from Recife in northeast Brazil to Porto Alegre in the south.  Please pray for them in their adjustment, for Efraim’s work and for Ruth as she explores possible projects in which she can use her skills and experience.  Remember too the House of Hope project in Recife and those in leadership there.  Ruth hopes to visit fairly regularly.

This weekend a Marriage Encounter event takes place in La Serena in Chile.  Pray for the couples attending, that their marriages may be refreshed and enriched, and uphold the leaders, including pastor Pablo & Pamela Zavala.

This weekend is also the 140^th anniversary of the Anglican church in Fray Bentos, Uruguay.  Pray for the celebratory services and events, and especially for pastor Gonzalo & Leticia Soria in their oversight of this congregation.

Early in October Neill Brice, son of mission partners Ed & Marie in Paraguay, marries his fiancée Deysi.  Pray God’s blessing on this wedding and for a long and happy Christian marriage.

Finally, flying in from Argentina on Monday are Latin Partner Mario Ágreda and Bishop Greg & Sylvia Venables.  Mario is making his first visit to the UK and is spending most of October here visiting churches and groups (including the Sheffield Area Roadshow), while Greg is coming principally for a primates’ meeting the following week.  Please keep them all in your prayers.

Thumbs up to everyone who has been supporting the Sewing Project.

Terry Barratt will be involved in an international meeting in Axminster of world representatives of SEAN theological education by extension programmes.  Pray for this major gathering of a global phenomenon which arose out of local church leadership needs met by SAMS personnel in South America.

SEAN is still used to train new leaders of the Indian churches of Northern Argentina.  Another tool is the annual training course taking place now until 4 October in Juárez.  Pray for coordinator René Pereira and the team of teachers and participants as they learn and share together this fortnight.

Nick Drayson is the suffragan bishop-elect with special responsibility for those Indian churches.  He and Catherine fly to Argentina on Sunday to take up their new work and will live in Juárez.  Pray for full recovery from health problems, final preparations, goodbyes, the journey and readjustment to the Chaco.

Chris Hawksbee is away from Paraguay for a fortnight conducting two project evaluations for Tearfund in northeast Brazil.  Pray God’s wisdom for Chris and blessing on him and through him to local Brazilians; remember too his wife Alison and son Ben in Asunción.

This coming weekend a Youth Encounter event takes place in Asunción.  Uphold in prayer the team of young national leaders and all attending and experiencing this exciting event.  Pray God will abundantly bless and that lives will be transformed by his Holy Spirit.

From time to time we have asked prayer for Danilo Hueche, a young Christian from southern Chile who had been studying at the Centre for Pastoral Studies in Santiago.  Danilo, who had been suffering from cancer, died peacefully at home last Tuesday.  As we give thanks for his life and example, let’s uphold his family before the Lord.