Prayer line

10th September 2008
Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, PRAY

Among the many parts of the world enduring extreme weather conditions is southern Chile, where floods have caused considerable suffering and loss. Please pray for the people of that area, and include in your prayers Bishop Abelino & Paty Apeleo, the Anglican churches and the two schools – William Wilson School in Chol-Chol and the School for the Deaf in Temuco. (Photos may be viewed on the diocesan website www.iach.cl.)

In Olinda, northeast Brazil, Ian & Siméa Meldrum have put their house on the market and want to move to a smaller place which will meet their needs and be safe. Pray for them in this, alongside their very busy ministries among the poor.

Praise God for answered prayer for Alejandro Mesco’s visa which arrived in time for him to travel to the UK, where he’s now visiting churches and telling of his pioneer ministry in Peru’s Colca Canyon. Please continue to uphold him.

Finally, three prayer points from Paraguay:

On Thursday (11th) the third Alpha Course begins in the centre of Asunción, involving the folk of St Andrew’s Church and the San Andrés morning and evening congregations. Pray for all involved, including pastors Agustín Maidana and Patrick Butler.

This weekend FEISA’s final indigenous nursery project visit to Yatnata, in the Paraguayan Chaco, takes place. Pray for Samantha Parsons and all participants.

Next week (15th -) is Youth Week at St Andrew’s School with a number of special activities. Pray for everyone involved.

SAMS Prayer line

22nd July 2008
Chile, Paraguay, PRAY, Spain

SAMS Prayer Line for week beginning Tuesday 22 July

The winter holidays are over for the staff and students of St Andrew’s School and the FEISA Teacher Training College in Asunción, Paraguay. Please pray for them in this first week back, and especially for the 1st and 3rd year students at FEISA who are on teaching practice. Pray they will bring God’s light and love into the schools where they do their placements.

Stuart & Kathryn Broughton are SAMS Associate Mission Partners serving the Portuguese-speaking communities in Sydney, Australia. Kathryn is currently in the UK helping translate for spouses at the Lambeth Conference, and asks our prayer for mental agility and strength and a true sense of God’s peace and love.

Next Tuesday sees the end of an era as Terry & Pancha Barratt arrive back in the UK from Chile after a lifetime in South America. They are coming to help care for Terry’s elderly parents, former SAMS missionaries Tony & Peggy. They will, however, be continuing the theological extension work of SEAN, of which Terry is International Director. As we give thanks for their wonderful service, let’s pray for their journey and resettlement, and remember the indigenous Pehuenche church in southern Chile, flourishing under new leadership supported by the training programmes carried out by Terry and Pancha.

Also next Tuesday Sue Woodcock returns to Sabadell in Spain after 3 weeks here, and around the same time Felipe Yáñez arrives from Málaga to join Sarah and the boys for the rest of their time here, including visits to link churches.

Following representation at the Lambeth Conference on Friday, the SAMS stand moves to New Wine on Saturday, for one week at Newark and two weeks at Shepton Mallet. Pray for the witness of the stand and those who staff it.

Finally, please continue to remember events going on overseas through this week:

the 25th anniversary of Anglican ministry in Villa el Salvador, Lima, Peru with Juan Carlos & Penny Marcés
– the training week for Wichi youth group leaders in Northern Argentina with René Pereira
– the 6-day course on HIV/AIDS in the Paraguayan Chaco with Beryl Baker for indigenous health auxiliaries

SAMS Prayer line

3rd July 2008
Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, PRAY

The latest SAMS GB prayer line:

Please pray for a special meeting of the church of Gómez Carreño in Chile this Saturday. Pastor Danny Morrison remains on sick leave and Daniel & Ellelein Kirk ask prayer that God will guide this church gathering and lead the congregation forward during this difficult period. Pray too for God’s healing of Danny and remember his wife Ary too.

A number of folk are travelling to the UK this week:

Retired bishop David & Rachel Leake return tomorrow from a three-month visit to Northern Argentina to assist the Toba New Testament translation project.

Sarah Yáñez and sons Samuel and Aaron also arrive tomorrow from Spain for two months, the first with her parents, the second, after husband Felipe’s arrival, visiting link churches.

Also from Spain comes Sue Woodcock on a 3-week visit, arriving Tuesday (8th).
That same day Bishop Tito & Miriam Zavala arrive back here for church visits and the Lambeth Conference.

Please remember these people in your prayers.

Finally, the staff and students of St Andrew’s and the Annexe schools in Asunción, Paraguay, are winding down for the two-week winter holiday starting on Monday (7th). Pray for a time of much-needed refreshment prior to the long term ahead until Christmas, and safety for those travelling.

June Prayer letters

17th June 2008
Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, PRAY

Some prayer letters recently arrived in the SAMS Ireland office.

  • James Palmer in Chile.
  • Daved Leake in Salta, Argentina updates on the Toba Bible translation.
  • The Metcalfes in Paraguay write about St. Andrew’s School, Esperanza foster home and the English chapel.
  • FEISA teach training college in Asunción write about plans for expansion including more work training teachers in the Chaco, and a permanent play scheme for street children.

SAMS prayer line 22nd May 2008

22nd May 2008
Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, PRAY

As you may have learned through the media, Rosimeiri Boxall, the adopted 19-year-old Brazilian daughter of ex-SAMS mission partners Simon & Rachel Boxall, died in suspicious circumstances after falling from a window at a house in London on Saturday. Please uphold Simon, Rachel and their sons in their shock and grief.

Two other deaths have made this a sad week. Wichi Bible translator Juan Toribio passed on in northern Argentina after a short illness, and the grandfather of SAMS Latin Volunteer Bárbara Pino has also died in Chile. Pray for Juan’s widow, Carmen, and their family; and for Bárbara, now feeling very far from home in her Blackpool placement, and her family in Chile.

In Bárbara’s home parish in Santiago, Alf & Hilary Cooper have asked us to pray with them about larger premises for their church of La Trinidad, and especially the possibility of renting a large gym in the nearby German School. Please pray for this urgent need for a growing church.
Looking ahead to next Wednesday (28th) the clergy of the Diocese of Peru begin a 3-day retreat, and the leaders of FEISA, the Early Years Teacher Training College in Asunción, Paraguay, spend the first of two days together on a strategic plan for FEISA’s future, notably in regard to funding its expanding ministry. Pray for these two events, that God would be the director and would develop his work accordingly.

SAMS Prayer line

14th May 2008
Argentina, Chile, PRAY

SAMS GB Chairman Patrick Coghlan returns tomorrow from the consultations in Buenos Aires with the bishops of the Southern Cone. In his absence his wife Gill has suffered a broken pelvis in a fall and his father is suffering from laboured breathing. Both are in hospital. Please remember them in your prayers, and Patrick as he returns.

Also unwell is Pancha Barratt, wife of Terry, who has had chest and arm pains during and after a visit to the Pehuenche churches of southern Chile. No heart problem has been diagnosed, but please keep Pancha in prayer.

John Sutton of SAMS GB has been at the meetings in Buenos Aires and tomorrow (15th) he moves to Salta in Northern Argentina to meet with mission and Latin partners. Pray for these days to be rewarding for them and for John prior to his return to the UK next week.

John arrives next Wednesday (21st) and goes straight to a meeting of the SAMS Trustees at which the issue of a possible merger with CMS will be discussed in the light of responses from UK supporters and folk working in South America. Please pray for this very important meeting.

On Friday (16th) Chris Somervell returns to Asunción to be reunited with her children and begin preparations for the family’s final return to the UK in July. Tony joins them next month. Pray for Chris’s travel, and for them all as they face huge change after nearly 20 years in Paraguay.

Evacuations follow volcano eruption

7th May 2008
Chile, PRAY

The following news article appeared in the BBC news.

Chaiten volcanoAuthorities in Chile have ordered the complete evacuation of two towns after a volcano erupting nearby increased its activity, spewing out lava and ash.

Chaiten volcano in the southern Patagonia region began erupting on Friday for the first time in 450 years.

Ash from the volcano has caused disruption in neighbouring Argentina. Read more…

Opportunities for service

28th April 2008
Chile, Get involved, Go, Mission Partners, Paraguay, Peru, Volunteers

Are you interested in serving the Lord in South America? Several opportunities are available for committed Christians to work as teachers or with the disabled.

  • St. Andrew’s School Asunción is looking for nursery, primary and secondary teachers. Teachers of English as a second language are required at all levels and teachers of GCSE and A Level subjects are also required in Secondary. No Spanish is required as language training is provided. You can view a video of St. Andrew’s in the multimedia pages. Please contact SAMS Ireland for more details.
  • St. Paul’s School in Vina del Mar, Chile is looking for English assistants. More details in this PDF document or on their website.
  • A three month placement is available for someone interested in working with disabled children in Lima, Peru. More details.

SAMS Prayer line

22nd April 2008
Brazil, Chile, PRAY

The SAMS GB prayer line for this week:

Let’s begin by giving thanks to God for answers to matters raised on the Prayer Line in recent weeks.

In late March we asked prayer for Marcus Throup’s colleague, Revd Souza, in João Pessoa, Brazil, who was facing surgery for cancer. Marcus tells us the operation was successful and the cancer was entirely removed
also in Brazil we asked prayer for a weekend away for the young people of Espirito Santo church in Recife. Josias de Souza reports that many of the 60 who attended were introduced to the Christian faith for the first time.

So praise God, thank you for praying, and please continue to remember Revd Souza in recovery and the young people in discovery.

Bishop Bill & Judith Godfrey return to Peru on Thursday (24th) after some months’ convalescence for Bill in the UK. Remember them as they take up diocesan responsibilities again, especially for Bill’s health.

Another person with health needs is Latin Partner Danny Morrison, who is in the middle of a month’s sick leave from his ministry at Gómez Carreño in Chile. Please keep Danny & his wife Ary in your prayers.

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