: Argentina

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

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.

Uphold in prayer Bishop Greg and Sylvia Venables, for Bishop Greg in his pastoral oversight in the two Argentine dioceses, his leadership in the Southern Cone. Pray for God’s guidance, wisdom, and discernment.

Thank God for the care given to children in the Hogar el Alba orphanage and pray for the staff, for volunteer Zewe Chamunda, visiting doctors and teachers, that all may bring God’s love to needy young people.

Remember the diocesan office staff, Oswaldo Balvín and Cora Wilkie, praying for God’s grace and enabling in their daily work.

Pray for grace and energy for Mario and Paula Ágreda, Manuel and Maite, in Buenos Aires. Mario is assistant pastor at Good Shepherd Church, Villa Devoto, where he oversees home groups and disciples young people, as well as giving support to the parish of Holy Trinity, Lomas who are without a pastor.

Suffragan Bishop, Nick and Catherine Drayson have posted some more photos of their life and surroundings on www.picasaweb.google.co.uk/catleti. Nick is taking a final trip into the forest before they leave for six weeks, for some meetings in Montevideo and Buenos Aires en route to Europe. As always Nick and Catherine appreciate your thoughtful prayers for these local trips. The current one includes travelling with Isidro Vilte to several villages en route to Alto de la Sierra, and attending an important meeting between Indians and white settlers about land distribution. Pray for protection, wisdom, and good use of language opportunities. Please pray too for Catherine in Juarez, with an Alpha leaders’ meeting on Sunday.

• News from Dany & Flavia in Argentina

Associate mission partners Charles and Lynn Barr-Johnston ask for your prayers for the indigenous church in Laguna Yema, for the vicar Tuqui and the four people baptised when they recently celebrated the founding of the church 30 years ago. Pray for the preparation of new leaders to work with Tuqui now and into the future.