Recent prayer letters
Some prayer letters received into the SAMS office:
Update on land issues in Northern Argentina
There is some significant progress with the claim being made by 40 Indian communities for legal title over lands along the River Pilcomayo (Province of Salta). A long-term dispute over the territory with criollos (Spanish speaking settlers) is now being addressed by the government. It is hoped that the 600,000 hectares in question will be distributed between both groups, with the Indians getting 400,000 and the criollos the remainder.
Communities southeast of Tartagal have successfully brought a halt to deforestation on their ancestral territories. This was achieved through a court injunction, which has sent shock waves through the farming community.The above measure came with a price. The ban on deforestation included logging operations. As many Indians are involved in the wood-cutting trade, a number of them have suddenly found they are without work while the ban is in place.
All of the above is taking place in a context in which Salta has finally set out a land use policy for the province. This is something we have been arguing for, along with other NGOs, and it is gratifying to see that the first steps are being taken in that direction. As things stand, the government has proposed that landowners in areas inhabited and used by Indians will not be able to deforest their properties. They can use them for forestry and other activities, but not extensive agriculture.
We trust and pray that these positive moves continue and develop. There are still many Indian communities (more than half of the 23,000 we work with) who do not have land rights secured. Most of those that do have some land secured do not have enough, so there is still much to be accomplished in this regard.
News and Prayer
On Thursday (27th) the Yáñez family return to Spain after two months in the UK. Please uphold Felipe & Sarah taking up a ministry of hospitality and also working among immigrants in the Málaga area. Pray for suitable accommodation for them, and for sons Samuel & Aaron as the school year starts on 7 September.
From 31st August to 4th September SAMS and CMS will be among the exhibitors at the 2009 Forum of the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF), held in Shropshire under the title ‘Mobilising CU Leaders for Mission’. Pray for many student leaders to be impacted by the information and challenges on offer, and uphold the representatives who include Bob Lunt and Jo Hazelton.
On Friday 4 September Latin Partner Cristóbal Cerón flies out from Chile for a three-week visit to UK churches and Roadshow. Pray for him in this venture and for wife Alejandra and daughters Belén and Jacinta in Santiago.
Please continue to pray for Nick & Catherine Drayson, now in Guernsey, as they pack and prepare to serve once again in Northern Argentina. They fly on 12 September.
Finally, please keep in your prayers Barbara Kitchin, long-serving former missionary in Northern Argentina, who is unwell at the moment.
More prayer letters
Some more prayer letters received into the SAMS office:
Latest news and prayer letters
Some news and prayer letters received into the SAMS office:
Presidential Meeting in Paraguay!
Greetings from Paraguay to all at SAMS Ireland. Everything has gone really well again this year. I am sure that the experience will have deepened the faith of the SAMS Ireland volunteers and given them a greater understanding of what mission is about. They have all been a great group.
Throughout the last two months of Mission Paraguay everything has gone more or less according to plan but yesterday something totally unexpected happened. We left the Chaco and Concepcion on Monday to spend the final three nights in a hotel in Asuncion. Yesterday morning we travelled by bus into the city centre to give everyone the usual tour of the sights of Asuncion which ended outside the presidential palace prior to us having lunch together. As usual there were plenty of armed guards and security men outside the palace and as we looked across we could see some limo’s lined up and President Lugo standing with military people, men in suits and press cameramen nearby. We were ushered away from the vehicle entrance by armed guards and as we were walking away the President and those with him approached us and he called us over. He shook hands with everyone, asked where we were from and what we were doing in Paraguay. Upon hearing that some of the group were from Ireland he took a particular interest and went on to tell us that he had visited. After a few minutes of conversation he enquired whether we would we like a tour of the presidential palace and told a security man to take us. The President then got into his car wearing a Mission Paraguay hat which he had been shown by Noel from Donegal. Today photos of our meeting with President Lugo have appeared in four national newspapers with a short report which in a couple of cases mentioned Mission Paraguay. As might be expected, there was emphasis upon the people from Ireland but no mention of the three from England who accompanied them!! This morning there was a short report of the incident on national television.
Blessings
David Orritt
Coordinator Mission Paraguay
News and Prayer
Work by the Argentine Bible Society on typesetting the Toba New Testament is taking place in Buenos Aires. Pray for the accuracy of this work, prior to printing in Korea, and for the Toba people, coordinator Michael Browne and his Toba translator colleagues as they eagerly await publication and launch in December.
Also in the Argentine Chaco the annual Wichi Marathon is scheduled for this Sunday, when Indians and non-Indians run along one of the roads to highlight a particular issue. This year the focus is on prevention of cancer of the uterus, which has claimed a number of lives in the area in the past year. Pray for Alec Deane and the organizers, for participants and spectators to have fun, and that the message will be communicated and heeded.
On Friday Felipe Canuto flies home to Brazil after ten months as a SAMS Latin Volunteer based in a parish in Sheffield. As we give thanks for Felipe’s ministry here, particularly among young people, let’s pray for his journey and readjustment to life in northeast Brazil.
Finally, the funeral of former missionary Amy Nicholls, whose sudden death we reported last week, takes place on Monday. Pray for her daughter and son-in-law, who’ve flown in from Canada, and also for SAMS’ Finance Director Philip Tadman, who will take part in the service.
News update
During August a second group of short term volunteers are doing Mission Paraguay. The UK part of the team are building a new church in Río Verde, a strategic location in the Chaco and a stopping-off point for many travellers, while the Irish half are in Concepción, Bishop Andrés Rodríguez’ base, and are involved in activities with children and young people.
In the early hours of 10 August Amy Nicholls, who served as a SAMS missionary in Chile and Brazil with her late husband Edgar, died suddenly at her home in Felbridge. It was in Brazil that Amy & Edgar looked after the Boys’ Town orphanage near Petrópolis. Amy has a daughter, Pam, who lives in Canada and one of her neighbours and close friends in Felbridge is Barbara Kitchin, another long-serving former SAMS missionary.
This has been the longest, coldest winter for 34 years in Paraguay, writes Linn Tedman. The poor living on the streets (many are children) have really suffered. It is so sad to see children in freezing temperatures with no shoes on their feet. One or two temporary shelters were opened up and other people went to sit in the bus terminal out of the cold south wind. Hopefully the temperature will rise during August.
Felipe Canuto completes his year as a Latin Volunteer in the UK on 21 August, when he flies back to northeast Brazil. Felipe has worked in the parish of St Polycarp’s, Malin Bridge, Sheffield, much of his time being spent in helping the exciting young people’s work there. His farewell takes place on 19 August.
The annual Wichi Marathon takes place on 23 August, postponed from July. This year’s focus is on prevention and control of cancer of the uterus.
SAMS have completed their representation at New Wine 2009, with Richard Crofts, Tim Greenhalgh, Bob Lunt, Elizabeth Lunt and Felipe Canuto all helping staff the stands at Shepton Mallet and Newark. SAMS will share a stand with CMS at the Momentum event for 20-somethings at Shepton Mallet from 22-26 August.
Suffragan Bishop-elect Nick Drayson and his wife Catherine fly to their new ministry in Argentin in late August, and Felipe & Sarah Yáñez and family return to southern Spain, but to a slightly different ministry, giving hospitality to Latin missionaries passing through Málaga en route to Africa and helping set up a work among immigrants in Torremolinos.
Glory to God (Gloria a Dios) is the title of a new book by an ex-SAMS missionary. It’s the autobiography of John Jacklin who served in Chile with his wife Ann from 1962 to 1975, and tells how God used a self-effacing and selfdeprecating man and his wife to do extraordinary things as they put themselves at his disposal. ‘Glory to God’ (ISBN: 978 086071 623 5) is available from the publishers, Moorleys, 23 Park Road, Ilkeston DE7 5DA (0115 932 0643) or via their website www.moorleys.co.uk/shop. It costs £9.50 + £2.69 p/p.
Revd Peter Wood, a SAMS missionary in Chile from 1963 to 1972, has died in Norfolk. Peter, who was married to Evelyn, was in charge of St Paul’s School, Viña del Mar, planted and served at the Spanish Church of San Pedro, and was chaplain to the St Peter’s English congregation there.
Bolivia is celebrating 200 years since its declaration of independence from Spain. Its capital, La Paz, was the first city to break from the colonial power, triggering a 16-year war. In coming years other South American countries will mark their bicentennials, starting with Argentina next year. Pictures of Bolivia’s celebrations are on the BBC website at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8155083.stm
Later this year we look forward to the visit of Latin Partners from the capital cities of Chile and Argentina. Cristóbal Cerón, Assistant Pastor in Santiago, will be here in September visiting link churches and participating in the Paddock Wood Roadshow on 19 September. Mario Ágreda, also an Assistant Pastor but in Buenos Aires, Argentina, comes in October; his visit includes time in the Diocese of Sheffield, a companion link to the Diocese of Argentina. SAMS will also hold a Roadshow in this diocese on 16 April. For both Roadshows see http://www.samsgb.org/eventsandresources/events.html
Congratulations
SAMS Ireland wants to congratulate the Rev Trevor Johnston who has been appointed the Crosslinks Ireland Team Leader. Trevor takes up his post on 1st September 2009.
News and Prayer Info
First, Paul and Sarah Tester give thanks that the youth mission trip to Juliaca in the south of Peru, mentioned in the Prayer Line three weeks ago, went very well. The church plant there is beginning its own Sunday School and Youth Group as a result. Please pray for Rev. Rubén Mancilla and the congregation of St Mary Magdalene’s mission as they seek to grow these ministries.
Thank you too for praying for the Morrisons in Chile. Both Marion and Ary are out of hospital; Marion has had 5 stents and is feeling like a new person. All the family are grateful to the Lord and to all those who have upheld them in prayer.
Richard Crofts of SAMS GB goes into hospital on Thursday for an operation. Please uphold Richard in your prayers. Also in Tunbridge Wells Beryl Round, former PA to Philip Tadman and his predecessor, suffered a stroke on Saturday. Beryl is back home; please pray for her full recovery.
Confirmations take place next Sunday in the church of the Redeemer in La Serena, Chile. Pray for the service, those who are taking this important step, and for pastor Pablo Zavala and his wife Pamela in their ongoing ministry.
Finally, we’ve received the sad news of the sudden death early yesterday of Amy Nicholls, who served as a SAMS missionary in Chile and Brazil with her late husband Edgar. In the latter country they looked after the Boys’ Town orphanage near Petrópolis. As we give thanks to God for Amy, please remember particularly in your prayers her daughter Pam in Canada and for her neighbour and close friend Barbara Kitchin, another long-serving former SAMS missionary.