Here are the dates for some comissioning services for volunteers and teams going out this summer. Please pray especially for Naomi who is leaving in the next few weeks.
Naomi Francey, Red Box volunteer to Argentina – Gilford Sunday 8th June.
Love for Life team to Paraguay – Sunday 8th June in Magheralin.
La Caldrea Team to Argentina – 2nd July in Holywood Parish.
Fivemiletown team to Red Box in Argentina – Sunday 15th June in Fivemiletown.
Some prayer letters recently came into the SAMS office:
Recent prayer letters came into the SAMS House
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.
A promotional video for Red Box 2008 is now in the multimedia section of the SAMS Ireland web site.
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.
Pamela Gomez is a Latin Partner working in Annaghmore Parish for the last six months. Here are a few of her impressions of her time so far.
What have you been doing in the Parish?
I have been working especially with children in the Parish, helping with the Sunday School and youth activities during the week. Recently I joined the worship team and for Pentecost Sunday sang for them in Spanish. I’ve also been giving Spanish lessons for those going out on BTN teams this coming year.
What has been the best thing of the last six months?
The best thing has been working for God over the last six months. Working with the people in the Parish has been very special and I have grown as a Christian as a result. I have learnt that I can spend a lot of time working, even in Christian work, but my priority has to be my relationship with God. Spending time reading the Bible and praying has really helped me.
What do you think of us Northern Irish?
The people are lovely. They are always asking me if everything is ok. The people of Annaghmore are really my big family. I have so many friends there, and Dorothy, the Rector, is a real support and absolutely lovely.
It’s very important to me that SAMS is working in my home town in Argentina, it is a real honour that people here want to help the church grow in Salta. I really appreciate that.
Pamela is here until 13th of July, please pray for her as she prepares to return to Argentina.
Several prayer letters from SAMS mission partners have recently come into the office:
Gayle has sent though her latest prayer letter.
The SAMS Prayer Line for the week commencing Tuesday 6 May.
Pentecost weekend sees a number of special events:
In Asunción, Paraguay, another Marriage Encounter takes place coordinated by Pastor Jorge & Rebeca Arévalos. Please pray for God to work through them and the team of leaders to strengthen, heal and renew marriages.
In Spain, the Diocesan Women’s retreat is held in Zaragoza, organised by the ladies of Sue Woodcock’s church in Sabadell under the theme of Living Water. Pray for God to refresh and encourage all who attend.
The congregations of the indigenous Toba people of Northern Argentina gather for a conference, with retired bishop David Leake one of the speakers. Pray this event will strengthen the Toba churches in discipleship.
On Friday (9th) Latin Partner Josias de Souza and a colleague begin a ten-day visit to the USA to attend a ‘Purpose Driven Church’ conference in Virginia. Pray for their travel, the impact of the event on them and subsequently on their church in Recife, Brazil.
Last but by no means least, key meetings take place next Tuesday and Wednesday (13-14) in Buenos Aires between the bishops of the Southern Cone and representatives of SAMS and CMS. The SAMS representatives are John Sutton, already in South America, and Chairman Patrick Coghlan who flies out on Thursday (8th). Pray for these highly significant talks which will consider the future direction of SAMS.