Latest news and prayer letters
Some news and prayer letters recently received into the SAMS office:
Siméa Meldrum writes from Recife, Brazil
Dear friends
According to the latest figures from the National Centre for Disaster and Risk Management (Cenadi) in Alagoas were recorded at least 19 deaths, 32,335 people are homeless and 25 843 homeless in 22 cities. In Pernambuco, there are 17,719 homeless, 24,301 displaced, 13 dead and 53 cities have declared an emergency. Right now we’re trying to empower the youth of the Church to be more helpful at these times of disaster. We know that nobody is free of these events, so the church must be prepared to assist and even prevent, when possible. We ask our prayer partners to pray for this training, because today, they already are mobilizing to help some people who are homeless with their families. They are making collection of clothes and personal items to send to the cities where these people are homeless.
Today Ian was doing an ultrasound examination of the abdomen total. The doctors said he has nothing on the images to be disturbing. She says it is necessary to keep following this period after BCG.
Tomorrow afternoon we will go to an oncologist with the results. Thank you for your prayers. May God bless you. Siméa”
Salta Nick & Catherine Drayson
Dear Friends,
I am writing from Salta, where I have just arrived after 4 weeks in the UK. As you can imagine, the commentaries on the football are rather different here (after the latest victory everyone is in a good mood, including Maradona!)
We had a great visit, and managed to see quite a variety of people – our apologies if you were not among them – including most of the family. Catherine is staying a bit longer in Guernsey, and then travelling out with Stefi on June 29th.
Stefi will spend July here and hopefully be able to take part in some youth activities with both Indians and Spanish-speakers, and visit some communities with us. She also hopes to improve her Spanish. Meanwhile I have some travelling to do here, mainly in the area around Tartagal and Mision La Paz, as well as receiving visitors from Buenos Aires and Australia.
As ever we are so grateful for your prayers and other support, and would ask you to pray for:
safety in travel
understanding of both the language and the different situations we meet in each place
-an increasing sense of how to encourage renewal here, and what our priorities are
Sending you every blessing,
Nick
Paraguay
Mission partner Linn Tedman writes, “Please give thanks that the Lord has sent a young man to help me in the school library. Please pray for Giovanni as he starts to work with me. He is not a trained librarian, so he has a lot to learn as quickly as possible. Please pray that he will be able to cope with everything, that he will develop a good relationship with the staff and pupils and that he will be really happy here in St Andrew’s School.”
Northern Argentina
Praise God for the ongoing work on the Toba New Testament that the type setting with the Argentine Bible Society is now finished, please pray as it is printed in neighbouring Brazil and for the presentation of the finished work on 29 August this year in Juarez.
Chile
Pray for David and Jean Hucker (and their children Wesley and Caleb, studying in the UK) as they minister and lead a congregation in Arica in Northern Chile. Pray for God’s blessing on this important ministry. From mission partners Alf and Hilary Cooper: “Pray for us as we return to Chile in June. We take up responsibilities again in the presidential palace and even more important, our church, La Trinidad de las Condes. We are asking for full blown revival and going after it as the church grows.”
Brazil
Reports state that more than 600 people are missing after days of heavy rain in north-eastern Brazil due to extreme flooding. A state of emergency has been declared in numerous districts, many of which have been cut short of electricity and water. The worst affected state was Alagoas with thousands of people having to abandon their homes.
Uruguay
Thank God for the work of Gonzalo Soria in Fray Bentos in Uruguay, and praise him for all the ministries that he works with. Pray that these would grow in maturity and would also grow those involved in their walk with Jesus.
Paraguay
Praise God for the work of short termer Lara Clare Bourdeaux as she comes towards her time at St Andrew’s School in Asunción in Paraguay. Pray for those she has been working with in the school and the local church, and for the recent youth event (EJE) which was very encouraging for all involved, that the young people who attended would continue to seek God and grow in their faith.
N. Argentina
Northern Argentina Please pray for Charles and Lynn Barr Johnston as they run bible studies as Lynn has not been well recently and Charles has had a fall. Please pray for wisdom and safety for Andrew Leake and those he works alongside as he is involved in protecting land rights and advocacy for local people in deforestation issues, and as he works on a new project called Land for Life.