SAMS Prayer line
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.
I can hardly believe I’m sitting down to write what will be my last prayer letter. This year has flow by, and God has taught me so much during the year.
In school the term has been action packed. The staff all started back with a service on the first day, to get us all ready for a new year. The kids came back about 10 days later and there was a joint assembly with primary and secondary together. It is very uplifting to be in a school where God is given the first focus of new year, and seeing the kids really respond to that.
At Easter time I had a visit from my parents, and was able to take a few days back at the Iguazú waterfalls in Brazil. It was a good break from school, and a good time was spent catching up from things at home. Their visit also served to start to prepare me mentally for the return home. I have to say this is not a journey I’m particularly looking forward to! I very much enjoy Paraguay and feel very at home here. The people are friendly and returning home will not be terribly easy, as there are at least some people who it is unlikely I’ll ever see again, for various reasons. Please pray that over the next few weeks God would begin to prepare me spiritually and mentally for the challenges I will face once I return home. Pray for strength and that he would give me a peace that comes from knowing that his will is being done, even if mine isn’t!
“Winter has arrived in Peru which means the weather is getting colder and Lima is often covered in a wet mist. Clothes don’t dry and people often suffer ailments during this time. Pat Blanchard is one such person. Winter does not appear to suit her metabolism and she is “down” with a heavy cold and is generally very run down. Please pray that God gives her physical strength firstly to get better, and secondly to enable her to fulfill all her commitments at Jesus el Nazareno and in the local community.”
Authorities in Chile have ordered the complete evacuation of two towns after a volcano erupting nearby increased its activity, spewing out lava and ash.