Latest News and Prayer Letters
News and prayer letters recently received into the SAMS office:
Latest News and Prayer Letters
News and prayer letters recently received into the SAMS office:
Gwen & Mags in Paraguay
An item recently received from Gwen & Mags in Paraguay.
Argentina & Paraguay Prayer Bites
Argentina
Please pray for those in rural communities in Argentina, struggling with health issues. David and Shelley Stokes explain: “The system works like this: if the medical service in a local community cannot deal with a particular patient, they are sent to Juarez. If Juarez cannot deal with the case, they are sent on to Formosa (a seven-hour journey). In the last month a number of Anglican leaders have spent time in Formosa – one whose wife is seriously ill and another whose son needed further attention. Usually one member of the family accompanies the patient to give moral and practical support. … Both of us have also needed trips to doctors various times in the past months: Shelley for tendonitis in her shoulder, David for infected insect bites and bronchitis. The climate here is demanding: in this winter period there are strong swings of temperature over several days.”
Paraguay
Please pray for Tim Curtis (Enxet Bible translation project) and the now-smaller translation team: “The most significant event concerning the translation project this year is that, sadly, we have had to downsize, saying goodbye to Martin Rojas at end of July. This was sooner than I had hoped, but the reality is that the continuing depreciation of the value of the pound over the last couple of years, and further depreciation in recent months, has meant that we can no longer afford to employ all three translators. The pound is only worth 50 per cent of what it was worth against the Paraguayan Guaraní five years ago. Adding to our difficulties have been the yearly wage increases decreed by the Paraguayan government.”
SNAP News & Prayer
Northern Argentina: Please continue in prayer for prayer partner Catherine Drayson as she recovers from kidney treatment in the UK . The operation took place earlier this month and we are thankful that it seems to have been successful. Nick returned to Northern Argentina on 21 August and Catherine plans to return on 12 September.
We pray too for prayer partners Michael and Silvia Browne who are working on Bible Translation and remember Michael as he works on the checking of the Minor Prophet books, and the translation of the book of Amos. We pray too that when finished, the Argentine Bible Society will have funds to print these books for distribution amongst the Tobas. We also lift up to God Hilario and Jose who are due to start on the production of literacy materials for school children.
Salta Argentina: Cecilia is settling back into life in Argentina , having spent some months in Ireland . Since her return she has been involved in meetings, visiting people and schools, and her home Bible Study. Over the next few months Cecilia will be involved in work in schools and in planning a youth event for November. Their goal for the end of the year is to have a party with the schools they have been helping and share with them about the Summer Camps. We pray for Cecilia and her team as they work with young people. We also thank God for the projector that a church from here gave to Cecilia for the work, and the difference that she says it is already making.
FUSION: Penelope Perez arrives from Chile on Monday 29th August to begin her placement with “The Church of the Resurrection and Queen’s University Belfast. We pray for her this week as she makes the final preparations and says “Goodbye” to friends and family. We pray too for her journey that it will go smoothly, and that she will settle in quickly and easily.
Paraguay: We pray for Matthew and Kim Hickmott and their 2 boys, as they continue to settle into a new and very different life in Paraguay . We ask God for good friendships for each of them, for ease with learning the language and adapting to the heat and the culture. We also remember Hannah Taylor as she prepares to go out in September to spend a year teaching in Saint Andrew’s College.
Esperanza Foster Home Paraguay: We continue to pray for Esperanza Foster Home as they seek God’s will for the future with reference to finding new premises. We thank God that Jose Antonio has had an operation for his cleft palate and pray for him on Saturday 27th August when he will have his squint operated on.
FEISA Teacher Training College Asuncion Paraguay : We continue to pray for Feisa that the Lord will guide them in every decision that they make, and that each Christian Teacher who trains there will continue to make a difference in the lives of many children in different parts of Paraguay .
Bangor Missionary Convention: We pray for Bangor Missionary Convention which will run from Saturday 20th to Saturday 27th August. We pray for all those who will be taking part at the event, those who will attend it and the different mission societies represented there, thanking God for worldwide mission. We remember too those who are suffering due to the famine in Somalia and East Africa , and the mission societies at work in that horrendous situation that the Lord will bring hope in the midst of despair.
Billy and Laura Blair are well known to SAMS. Laura’s dad is critically ill at the moment. We pray for Billy and Laura, Laura’s dad and all the family at this time that the Lord will give comfort and strength for each day.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYER SUPPORT.
Hello from Cecilia in Argentina
Hello my friends!
Hope you are enjoying God’s grace and experiencing his love in your daily walk with him. Things here are good, we can start noticing the weather is changing and spring is coming really soon.
Thank God I had a great flight and because I was so tired I slept most of the time….lol. Buenos Aires welcomed us with 28 degrees so we were over the moon.
Sunday in church was a blessing, I had the opportunity to see and share with my people about my time in Ireland. During the week everything started taking place little by little. We started with some meetings, visiting people and of course my weekly Bible study at home which for me was very especial since I was not with my kids for 2 months…
Last week I had a meeting with some leaders of different churches and we are planning to have an event for the youth in November but through September till November we will be visiting schools and sharing my projects just like last year.
Today we had our monthly visit to one of the secondary schools we help and it was fantastic to be there again interacting with the students. We had also the opportunity to use the projector we were given (thank-you Carryduff parish) and what a DIFFERENCE!!!! We could see how kids were more involved in the topics…..we are thankful to God for these resources. The schools programme ‘Corner Stone’ is taking form little by little….what a blessing!!!!!
Just wanted to share with you how these two wonderful weeks have been since I came back, our goal for the end of the year is to have like a party with the schools we’ve been helping and share with them about our summer camps so you can pray for that my friends….
Take care and I will keep you updated OK?
Be blessed,
Cecilia.
(Red Box Co-ordinator)
Esperanza Home in Paraguay
Barbra (5) and Victor (3) who have been in the Esperanza Home in Paraguay for 3 years have now been adopted by a family. This has been a real blessing as there are many legal procedures required.
Jose Antonio recently had surgery for a cleft palate. Teresa and Ana Maria have now also managed to organise surgery for his squint for the 27th August.
Continue to pray for Juana and Theresa who run the project.
Catherine & Nick Drayson Update
Please continue in prayer for prayer partner Catherine Drayson as she recovers from kidney treatment in the UK. The operation took place earlier this month and we are thankful that it seems to have been successful. Nick plans to return to Northern Argentina on 21 August and Catherine on 12 September.
Linn’s News from Paraguay
An item recently received from Linn in Paraguay.
The Browne Family in N. Argentina
Michael’s recent visit to the Tobas was postponed till 4th – 7th August, for family reasons. We began checking Nahum, and Michael received first draft translations of Hosea 1-7 and Malachi, as well as Esther and Ezra (not Minor Prophets, but books the translators wanted to do!). Hilario and José will now start on the production of literacy materials for school children.
Minor Prophets: Pray for Michael working on the checking of the Minor Prophet books, preparing to go through the texts with the Toba translators. The book of Amos still remains to translated. When finished, pray that the Argentine Bible Society will have funds to print these books for distribution amongst the Tobas.
Translation Team: Give thanks that José and Hilario are able to continue working on these translations: pray for good health for them and their families, and for continued support for them (a small monthly allowance is included in Michael’s budget). Pray too for Osvaldo, original member of the New testament team, who is keen to help as a volunteer.
Celebrations: During 2011 the Diocese of Northern Argentina celebrates its 100th anniversary with events throughout the year. Pray for the celebration amongst the Tobas, to be held on 30th October, for a time of blessing and inspiration as we move forward into the future.
e-NEWSLETTER Michael and Silvia Browne with Kevin and Chris August 2011
In Salta: Continue to pray for Nano, with a growing group of teenagers playing volleyball in La Unión estate, some now attending a youth group too. Also for Nilda leading the children’s ministry in Juan Manuel de Rosas estate. These are poor areas, with big drugs problems and little or no Christian presence.
Health matters: Give thanks that we continue to enjoy good health, and that this winter passed without flu epidemics. Pray for Silvia still with treatment for premature menopause, and Michael, still controlling his diabetes with diet and exercise. Kevin recently had a simple operation to correct a phimosis, and has recovered well.
Jehovah Jireh: Give thanks for the continued support we are receiving! Month by month we have all we need, even though we don’t always know where it’s coming from! We are learning to trust our wonderful God: He is faithful! He provides!
Future Ministry: As a result of Michael’s visit to the Pilagá Indians, there would seem to be good possibilities for further work. The Pilagás want to translate the Old Testament, and they’re keen to continue with the recording of audio Scriptures (they have the Gospels and Acts done, but hope to do the whole New Testament). And there’s the same need for literacy materials in their schools as in the Toba schools. But there’s no one to coordinate the work: could this be me? As the two languages are very similar, it would make sense to work in parallel with the Tobas. For very little increase in workload, the number of people that would benefit from these projects would be doubled. Please pray! Is this what the Lord wants for us, beyond 2012?
Teaching English: Remember Michael teaching English to Fernando, who comes for two hours on Monday evenings. It’s stimulating for Michael, but doesn’t use up much of his time.
Further details of these stories, with photos and other information can be found on our web site: please look at
Many thanks for all your support in prayer! God bless you!
With love in Jesus!
Michael and Silvia Browne with Kevin and Christopher
Belgrano 915, Vaqueros, (4401) Salta, Argentina
mail@michaelbrowne.net
www.michaelandsilvia.com