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