Prayer line

2nd September 2008
Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, PRAY

The latest prayer line from SAMS GB:

SAMS Latin Partner Alejandro Mesco is due to arrive on Friday from Peru to spend much of September in the UK visiting his link churches. Pray for his visa, yet to arrive, for his time here, and for Doris and the family back home in Arequipa.

In João Pessoa in northeast Brazil Archdeacon Souza is suffering from an infection in the ureter which may necessitate the removal of a kidney. His colleague Marcus Throup asks us to pray for his recovery, and also for Marcus himself with extra preaching responsibilities each Sunday.

Meantime in Asunción, Paraguay, Linn Tedman is recovering from a broken toe. Uphold Linn in prayer in this and in her teacher-librarian work at St Andrew’s School.

Linn highlights again the need for more teachers at the school, particularly for the Secondary section. Please pray for this, and keep Head Gwen Carlisle, Deputy Mags Southern and all the staff in your prayers.

SAMS Prayer line

30th August 2008
Brazil, Peru, PRAY, Spain

Here is the latest prayer line from SAMS GB.

On Friday SAMS Latin Partners Josias & Dani de Souza arrive in the UK from Recife, Brazil, for a visit to supporting churches. Josias will be here for 6 weeks while Dani returns in mid-September. Pray God will bless their journey and their time here; remember too their UK friend and link-person Graham Lowcock as he oversees their visit.

At the same time please uphold SAMS Latin Partner Coordinator Mary Rollin as she finalises the plans for the visit in September of Alejandro Mesco from Peru.

This Sunday will be Peter Jordan’s final one as chaplain of St George’s, Barcelona. Pray for this special day and for Peter and Barbara as during retirement they continue to work with Spanish- and English-speaking groups.

SAMS Prayer line

19th August 2008
Argentina, Paraguay, PRAY

The latest prayer line from SAMS GB:

Praise God for the appointment of Bishop Henry Scriven as the new Mission Director for South America. Pray for Henry and Catherine as they prepare to rejoin SAMS in January.

This week the second Mission Paraguay team completes its voluntary work there. Let’s give thanks for their three weeks of practical and spiritual service and for the leadership of coordinator David Orritt, who will be returning to the UK on the 26th.

Also coming from South America will be Ed & Marie Brice from Paraguay and Daniel & Ellelein Kirk and their two sons from Chile. Both arrive this weekend and will be here for 4-5 months. Pray for their refreshment, church visits, and for the fruit of their Bible teaching ministries in South America.

While they come, Bishop Greg & Sylvia Venables fly back to Argentina after an extended time in the UK. Give thanks for their visit and pray for their return to a huge and varied workload.

New head of SAMS GB

18th August 2008
PRAY, UK-Ireland

SAMS GB, our sister mission agency has recently appointed a new Director, he is Bishop Henry Scriven. As you may know SAMS GB is in discussion with CMS about a merger. Henry will become Director of South America in a new SAMS/CMS mission agency. This will not affect SAMS Ireland as we are autonomous from SAMS GB.

For more on Henry see: http://www.pitanglican.org/leadership/scriven

Please join us in praying for Henry and Catherine as they plan their transition into this new role.

Letter from Paraguayan Chaco

13th August 2008
Mission Paraguay, Paraguay

Peter Hunter is on the Mission Paraguay team in the Chaco.

Rio Verde, The Chaco, Paraguay
As I write this on Friday morning, the sky is overcast, wind blowing and temperature about 25 degrees Celsius…. very pleasant.

After a day in Asuncion and a Sunday service in English (and a refreshing cup of tea and relax with Linn) we headed out to the Chaco (the country), saying goodbye to Laura, Debbie and Mike as they left for the coach to Concepcion. We had a 4-5 hour Landrover trip along the only tarmac’d road to reach Rio Verde where the local garage is also the local store, hardware shop and cafe.
Either side of the road are various homes. Some are of brick, a few official places like police barracks, quite smart……. others small and made from corrugated iron and local trees. The local trees are very hard.

I’ve spent 31/2 days finishing an Indian family’s home. They were slowly making the room from pieces of wood and ‘chapas’ (corrugated iron)…..  all held together by wire and a few nails…. a great example of recycling, with the additional factor that most of the wood is so hard that it bends nails! 3 or 4 of us were working on it. Every time we stopped for a break some of the family gathered around. They are very friendly and we try communicating by sign language, or singing!! The smallest girl was astonished when 2 of us joined in humming ‘Old MacDonald had a farm’.

Luke has been with another group working in a different church community, repairing water reservoirs and building a meeting room. All the team are really friendly and the banter through the day is great.

Whenever we come across Paraguayans there is a very sociable greeting and exchange. Most people in the Chaco in Indian communities have very little, if anything. But they are very friendly and smiley. It has been lovely to see the impact on the family of the house we completed. It is more than a building, it is a gift of hope.

The Lord has kept us safe, which is a real gift here where the opportunities for accidents and injury are legion. Thursday there was a huge storm with hailstones, the size of golf-balls and very high winds……… fortunately not where we are. David Orritt, Tim Curtis and I went 3 hrs towards Concepcion to visit another Anglican community where the church roof had been ripped half off and 30 houses had lost part of their rooves. The damage will take a while to repair. It will need outside funding…….. but the people appear not upset.

Thanks for your prayers.

Love Peter

Prayer line

12th August 2008
Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, PRAY

The latest prayer line from SAMS GB.

Let’s give thanks for the life and service of former SAMS missionary and home staff member Derek Hawksbee, who died on Sunday. Please remember his family; they hope to hold a short family service before son Chris returns to Paraguay on Thursday (14th), with a memorial service possibly next week.

Derek and his wife Betty also served in Paraguay, and that country reaches a milestone on Friday when ex-Roman Catholic bishop Fernando Lugo takes office as president of the republic. He’s the first president for 61 years who is not of the Colorado party. Pray for him and his new government as they carry the hopes of the nation in their promised fight against corruption, poverty and lack of jobs.

The Anglican mother church of Makxawáya in the Paraguayan Chaco lost half its roof in a storm last week. 30 Indian homes also suffered damage. Please pray for the community as they recover and rebuild.

On Thursday (14th) the three-day Alcançando International Youth Conference begins in Recife, Brazil. SAMS Latin Partner Josias de Souza asks us to pray for this event, with speakers coming from the USA as well as other parts of Brazil. Pray for the groups from Espirito Santo church, where Josias is Youth Minister, as they speak and perform; pray many young people will come and that God’s Spirit will move in their hearts.

Finally, tomorrow a group of ten people from St Michael’s Church, Newton, Chester, fly to Northern Argentina to visit and work with their link mission partners Hugo & Techi Vergara. May God richly bless both visitors and visited, as well as the diocese there through these 2-3 weeks together.

La Caldera 2008 report

9th August 2008
La Caldera, PRAY

La Caldera teamThe SAMS Ireland/DDYC trip to La Caldera in Northern Argentina was excellent. The team worked extremely hard and completed the practical work of replacing a broken patio floor in the retreat centre and painting a church in Tucaman. There were opportunities for some children’s clubs, evangelism and spending time with young people from the Anglican church. Good relationships developed and we feel the links between the Dioceses are deepened as a result. Each of the team members was a worthy ambassador.

Last Wednesday the leadership team met with Bishop Miller to discuss follow up after the trip. Everyone was very pleased with the renewed contact between the dioceses and are planning some exciting projects for Down and Dromore Diocese.

An abosoulely invaluable experience which has opened my eyes again to the needs and the passion of the people and the church in South America. We have so much to do, to give and to learn.

Graham Hare

Argentina is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been and visiting it really impacted me. Being with such a wonderful, Spirit-filled team was a real joy and seeing God’s church alive and well on the other side of the world- nothing beats it! I learned that I can do much more than I thought I was capable of when I step out in faith and give myself to God’s work.

Rebecca Thompson

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