November 2021 Prayer Focus

Thankfulness

In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens”, to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. And most of us in America celebrate with an abundance of food, family, friends, football, parades, and more.

But what if we paused and thought about this quote:

“Thanksgiving is not a day; it’s a lifestyle.”

Some days, thankfulness comes easily and other days it does not. There are many stories in the Bible of thankfulness, and Paul encourages the church to give thanks in all circumstances. How can we truly develop that level of thankfulness in our daily lives?

We can start expanding our thankfulness by spending time with God each day. Open your Bible and read aloud one of the stories of thankfulness or a favorite passage. Turn on a praise song or hymn and sing along. Pause and look around you. Thank God for His presence in all things…even when you cannot see it.

When we can’t think of anything to be thankful for, we can be thankful for Jesus – for the forgiveness of sins, for a relationship with God, and for the promise of eternal life.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! — Psalm 107:1

1. Pray for Indigenous ministry. Torre Fuerte in eastern Bolivia will be hosting the annual conference for indigenous women. This retreat has been a great space for women from all over eastern/northern Bolivia to come and learn about the Lord and fellowship together. This years’ theme will be ‘God Makes a Difference in Me.’ Please pray for God’s provision of funding, for the women in attendance, for logistics to be worked out for travel and for good weather during the weekend.

2. Pray for Angel Ballew. Angel is playing volleyball with a local club for adult women in the city of Barranquilla. Pray that this club will bless Angel with friendships and that the Lord will use Angel in the lives of these women.

3. Pray for Latidos de Esperanza. Latidos de Esperanza is a pregnancy center in Pucallpa. Pray for wisdom and creativity to move forward with the ministry after the pandemic. Praise that two volunteers were able to host a workshop for teen girls recently, and two teenage moms are being discipled.

4. Pray for SAM Board Meetings. SAM’s Board of Directors will meet November 11-13. Pray for the Lord’s wisdom, guidance and unity as they prayerfully discern God’s vision and direction for the mission.

5. Pray for Wes and Trudy Seng. The Sengs retired from SAM after more than 50 years of ministry in Brazil. Praise God for His faithfulness to Wes and Trudy and for His fruit in their lives and ministry. They will continue to live and minister to the indigenous church in Iranduba, Brazil.

6. Pray for Dana Wilson. Praise God for the marriage of SAM missionary Dana Wilson to Víctor Hugo Pinto. Pray that their marriage will bring glory to God as they love one another and those around them.

7. Pray for Pastor Jorge and Kristina. Jorge and Kristina minister in the Los Quindos neighborhood in Armenia. Pray that God gives them wisdom as they start programs back up after quarantine restrictions. Pray that the Lord would provide funding for Manos de Esperanza, the church foundation that serves the community.

8. Pray for “pup tent outreach” in Lima. Traveling from jungle and mountain provinces and unable to enter the hospital because of Covid restrictions, families are living in tents on the sidewalks while their children are hospitalized or awaiting treatment. Iglesia Biblica Gracia y Verdad is ministering to these families. Pray for the church as they offer food, prayer, and the hope that is found in the gospel.

9. Pray for Hope Church in Gaira. The church opened up for regular services and youth group meetings in June. With a new leadership group, the church is committed to Bible study, prayer, and community outreach. Please pray for God’s wisdom and guidance for the new leaders and youth as they serve the church and reach their community.

10. Pray for missionaries far from home on Thanksgiving. Living cross-culturally can be hard during the holidays. Pray for peace and encouragement for our missionaries as they celebrate Thanksgiving far from their home culture and family.

11. Pray for appointee families to Bolivia. The Millers, the Ryans, and the Smiths are preparing to serve in Bolivia. Pray that God will provide the needed financial and prayer support through their churches, family, and friends. Pray that God gives an abundance of faith, patience, and joy during this time.

12. Pray for SAM Center. Praise God that the documents for purchase of the SAM Center have been finalized. Located in Igarassu, SAM Center will focus on training intensives and special events for gospel-centered outreach in the northeastern region of Brazil, as well as soul care through retreats and counseling services.

September 2021 Prayer Focus

Craving Peace

My heart craves peace. For our world. For our country. For our churches. For our neighbors. For our missionaries. To receive the peace that I crave, I need to look to Jesus for it. I need to keep on seeking him for it.

In my moments of unrest, I turn to John 16:33:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus came with God’s peace, a peace under all circumstances. His peace doesn’t make all my problems or the world’s conflicts fade away. But Jesus has met the world in battle and conquered it. In him, I can find peace…a peace that will quiet my heart. I cannot forget that.

Peace is one of the greatest gifts Christ offers his followers…

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27

…a gift of the Holy Spirit…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” – Galatians 5:22-23

This month, we pray Jesus’ peace over our missionaries, ministries, partners, and Latin America along with their prayer requests.

1. Pray for Erika Carroll in Brazil. Pray for Erika as she serves as the nurse at the Ammi Training Center. Besides being on call at all hours of the day, she teaches in the mornings and runs a clinic in the afternoon for the students. She is also overseeing Covid protocol at Ammi. Please pray for God’s protection over the students and staff.

2. Pray for Mike and Marina Shank. Pray for the Shanks’ six-month ministry internship at Iglesia Reforma in Guatemala with other future church planters before moving to Bolivia. Please pray that the Lord leads them to the people and places that He wants them to invest in while there. Pray for growth in their skills for ministry while caring for their son.

3. Pray for Brazos Abiertos in Lima, Peru. Brazos Abiertos (Open Arms) is devoted to the restoration of families and is located in one of the poorer areas of Lima. This ministry has a passion to restore God’s vision for families. Pray for the partnership of Brazos Abiertos and Iglesia de la Ciudad – La Molina, that the church teams share willing hands and compassionate hearts to love and serve in the name of Christ.

4. Pray for Pastor Jose in Colombia. Jose is a gifted leader who is leading a number of church leadership networks geared toward seeing gospel transformation of the cities in Colombia. Pray that God allows Jose’s labor to produce fruit as he works to unite churches, pastors, and leaders. Pray for him as a father as he leads his three children in the ways of God.

5. Pray for the Layne family in Recife, Brazil. Pray for new missionaries Kevin and Emily as they adjust to life and ministry. Pray for God’s favor as they learn Portuguese, join the ministry team, and care for their three children.

6. Pray for Micah Bittner in Bolivia. Pray for Micah as he restores and upgrades aircraft equipment that has not been used during COVID lockdown. SAMAIR Bolivia is waiting on parts for the aircrafts. Pray that the parts arrive quickly so this ministry can support the advance of the gospel in the unreached areas of Bolivia.

7. Pray for Evangelism in the City, Ayacucho, Peru. Pray for a week-long evangelistic push September 18-25. Two pastors from the U.S. will be coming to participate with Rick and Donna Martin. Pray for seeds to be planted and the gospel to change hearts.

8. Pray for Marcos Achimo in Bolivia. Marcos and Jeff HAuse (SAM) meet together for prayer and mutual encouragement. Pray for Marcos who is on staff with CRU. Pray for his ministry and his current project, “The Four,” which provides materials and training to churches and leaders who desire to share their faith in creative ways.

9. Pray for Fundacion Comunidad Viva and the house church movement in Bogota, Colombia. Pray for leadership reproduction and transition for these two ministries led by Jorge and Ginny Enciso. Pray that God strengthens and matures the areas of weakness and vulnerability to raise up new leaders for a thriving future.

10. Pray for SAM Academy in Pucallpa, Peru. Pray that the teachers and staff serve the missionaries and their children with excellence. This year there are 37 children from six different mission agencies as well as national ministries. Pray that their focus as a school community will always be to love the Lord and to share the love of the Lord.

11. Pray for Natalie in Bolivia. Pray for Natalie as she transitions back into life in Bolivia after an extended home leave due to COVID travel restrictions. Pray that she adapts well, that her Spanish language skills come back quickly, and that this new season of kingdom work is fruitful in a country still struggling with the pandemic.

12. Pray for David and Leidi Ayala in Peru. Pray for the Ayalas as they lead Manos Que Suman, a non-profit organization in Lima that loves, serves, and seeks the welfare of those in vulnerable situations. Pray as they practice relational evangelism and invest in the development of biblical discipleship of future generations.

Deaf Students Hear About Jesus

Years ago, in the Amazon Jungle of Pucallpa, a Peruvian pastor had a heart and desire to serve and help others with disabilities, like himself. Like many in Peru, he survived polio as a child, but it left him with physical disabilities. South America Mission (SAM) allowed that pastor to use some of their property directly behind SAM Academy to begin Refugio de Esperanza (The Refuge of Hope). With a focus on educating and teaching a trade to individuals with disabilities, he also wanted them to know the love of God. Thirty-five years later, Refugio is now a flourishing ministry that hosts a preschool, primary school, special ed school, high school, hearing church, Deaf church, boarding opportunities for students in need, and housing for a variety of families and a missionary (me).

For the past five years, I have been blessed to live with, serve alongside, and become part of the Refugio family. I work with Deaf students in the schools here. With a background as a professional Sign Language interpreter in the U.S., it was quite the learning curve to acquire fluency in Spanish and Peruvian Sign Language at the same time upon my arrival. But the struggles were definitely worth it! I can communicate and interpret more fluently with/for my Deaf co-teacher, Carlos, and my Deaf students.

Our Students

Deaf students here, like many other students with disabilities, are often not accepted into regular schools. Therefore, they are left uneducated. It is common for us to receive a new Deaf student in one of our schools aged anywhere from 3-16 years old who has no formal language acquisition, much less actual reading and writing ability. If they did attend a school before, they are normally just passed along without receiving any official education. Such was the case of one of our high school students, Erick.

Erick is 18 years old and has been attending high school for three years. Previous to that, he was passed along in elementary school and then stayed at home not studying because no high school would accept him. In 2018, Carlos and I went to his house to talk with his mom. We encouraged her to send him to high school at Refugio. So in 2019, he began attending and became a part of our third year teaching high school Deaf students. Erick is hard-of-hearing so he can hear some sounds and can also speak a variety of words. But he had never heard of Jesus until he began attending our high school and the Deaf church at Refugio.

Then we have Jeck Billy. He began attending Refugio’s primary school before I arrived in Pucallpa. Jeck Billy is completely deaf and already knew a lot of Sign Language when I first met him. He is more advanced in his studies, but he also didn´t start truly understanding who Jesus is until he entered high school. And once we began the Deaf church in 2018, that helped to open up more conversations about God and our need for a Savior which helped him understand even more.

For years, I and many others have been praying for the hearts and souls of our Deaf high school students. More recently and specifically for the hearts of Erick and Jeck Billy. God decided to respond marvelously the last week of June!

Cold and Joyous Day

Wednesday, June 30 started like any normal day in the jungle except that it was cold! Due to the cold, I knew that few students would show up for classes. As I walked to my classroom, I was surprised to find that Erick actually arrived early! As we were waiting to see if more students would arrive, I left Carlos in the room with the students for a moment. When I returned, I found Carlos and Erick in a conversation about Salvation. Carlos needed to leave so he passed the baton to me to explain more. I continued the conversation answering Erick´s questions and making sure he understood his need for a Savior. He told us that his heart was pounding as if it would come out of his chest. I could see on his face the battle happening within as the devil fought to keep his soul.

We had the blessing of time because of the cold weather and only three other students in the classroom. I kept praying silently, encouraging him, answering whatever questions or doubts arose in his mind. I asked if he wanted to pray and ask Jesus into his heart. He said yes…so I helped lead him in acknowledging his need for a Savior and asking Jesus into his heart. As soon as we finished praying, I asked him if his heart was still pounding. He said no, then burst into tears. I could see the Holy Spirit´s work of peace on his face. What a joyous day!

Firsts at Deaf Church

I thought that would be the highlight of my week, but God had more plans. On Sunday, July 4, we had church service like normal. My co-teacher Carlos is also the pastor of the Deaf church. At the end of every service, Pastor Carlos gives an altar call with the invitation to accept Jesus or come forward for prayers of repentance. For the first time since we started the Deaf church in 2018, one gentleman stood up and went forward to ask forgiveness of the Lord. He broke the ice, and after him, two others joined him to ask forgiveness of the Lord. We all knew those three were already saved.

As Pastor Carlos continued to invite others up, Jeck Billy stood up. He went forward. Pastor Carlos went to him and asked him why he had come forward. He said he wanted to accept Jesus as his Savior! Pastor Carlos helped lead him in prayer. When they had finished, Jeck Billy returned to his seat as we all were watching him, and as desperately as he tried not to, he couldn´t hold back his tears. Erick, who just accepted Jesus on Wednesday, hugged him, and once again, I saw the Holy Spirit´s peace shining through. The entire church was so excited, and we rejoiced knowing that heaven was celebrating and had just defeated the devil´s evil wiles again! What an amazing week of glorious blessing and fruit!

Join Us In Prayer

Please pray for these two young men as they begin their new lives in Christ. Also, pray for the Lord to send men to work with the Deaf. These young men need mentors and men to disciple them. Pastor Carlos is 67 years old and one of their school teachers, so it is difficult for him to mentor them on a personal level. We wait expectantly for the Lord to send workers for this ripe harvest! Until that time, pray that Pastor Carlos remains healthy and able to continue serving as teacher and pastor to the Deaf students.

Amanda McKinney is a professional Sign Language interpreter. She has been part of the SAM network in Pucallpa for many years serving at Refugio de Esperanza. She formally joined SAM as a missionary in 2020. Her heart’s desire is to make the hope of the Gospel accessible to those who have limited or no language, the marginalized Deaf community in Peru, through education and interpretation.

August 2021 Prayer Focus

Praying for Beautiful Churches in Peru

Oftentimes, we take the church for granted and don’t pray for our own church much less others. Especially before the pandemic. The doors to the church were open every Sunday for worship, programming, and fellowship. During the week, the church was open for Bible study, preschool, afterschool, youth group, pastoral counseling, choir rehearsal, committee meetings, prayer time, and more. We let the church pray for us, serve us.

The pandemic changed many things, one being how we view the church. She is still as beautiful as ever, but her doors can close. We dare not forget that God’s church is a gathering of people through whom he works out the purposes of redemption – in individuals, families, cities, and nations. As the church infuses the world with the grace and mercy of Jesus, she takes on the beauty that God desires for her.

We need to pray for our church and churches around the globe who share the gospel message and train both new and old believers in God’s truth. This month, we share prayer requests for pastors, churches, and church networks in Peru as they offer the hope of Christ to their local communities. Please join us in praying for these beautiful churches.

1. Pastor Esaud, Iglesia ICP: Pray for the pastor as he leads this church. They have been able to meet at least three times in person this year. May those attending in person or online come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

2. Pastor Russell, Iglesia Evangélica Kerygma: Pray for the pastor’s health and back. Pray for the money needed for treatment. May he continue to encourage those in the church to encounter Jesus as their personal savior.

3. Pastor Meison, Iglesia Redentor: Pray for the integration of leadership into the work of the church. Pray for the physical health of several leaders. Pray for young couples. Pray for the training that we have via Zoom so that the desire to study God’s word does not diminish.

4. Pastor Carlos, Refugio Deaf Church: Pray for the pastor’s strength and stamina. Pray that God raises up a new pastor to eventually take over as Pastor Carlos is 67 years old and hoping to retire at some point. Pray that the Lord works in the hearts of the unbelieving attenders.

5. Pastor José, Alianza y Misionera Pucallpa Centro: Pray for our next challenge as a church, “Pucallpa Encounter with God”. Evangelistic Nights from July 1 until next year, every night via Zoom.

6. New Church Plant, IBC Bustamante: Praise for the church’s first baptisms at the end of July. This is a great cause for celebration- the Lord has been faithful to save and to make disciples, and we are excited to praise Him together!

7. Pastor David, Iglesia Evangélica Misionera: Please pray for unity in the body of Christ. Pray for patience in all the people who continue to wait to have face-to-face services. Pray for wisdom for the pastor and leaders to discern the times and purposes of God.

8. Pastor Alexis Gonzalez, Mil Palmeras: Pray for the future plans of the church and the money needed for construction. Praise that they were able to meet in person for the first time since March 2020.

9. Pastor Lister, Alianza y Misionera de Yarina: Pray for the health of the pastor and his wife as both have some illnesses. Pray for their strength as they minister to the church. Praise that the church is growing. Pray that God brings more leaders to disciple new believers.

10. Pastor Anselmo, Iglesia Evangélica: Pray that we are a unified church that shows the love of God. Pray for our ministry to children. Pray that people return to the Lord after a long time away due to the pandemic.

11. Pastor Gilmar – Iglesia Bíblica Cristiana: Pray that we are a faithful, healthy, and strong church. Praise for the baptism of six people this summer. May their lives reflect what it means to be like Jesus. Pray for Pastor Gilmar, his wife, and their son.

12. The Lima Initiative: Pray for the “Respira Pastor” campaign that raises funds to financially support pastors and their families who are facing medical emergencies directly caused by COVID-19. Many pastors have become infected while faithfully serving those who are sick, helpless, and living in extreme conditions.

Creating Space

Having the Wájaro office in our home for the past 5 years has been a messy, but beautiful season of shared space and mutual growth. It has served to shape us into the Wájaro community that we are. The Wájaro team has graciously stepped over toys, ignored the sibling rivalry, looked away from piles of laundry, and tolerated us Joneses when we got up on the wrong side of the bed.

There have also been seasons of burnout, times where I, Lauren, opened my front door to our team in the morning, still in my pajamas, with a severe lack of that “joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” It can be exhausting to constantly share living space with guests and co-workers. But even in seasons of being “hospitalitied out” as I call it, I feel a renewed sense of purpose when we’re able to host our extended team of Indigenous leaders from near and far. Creating more room in my home, and in my heart, for my Indigenous sisters and brothers feels sacred. It feels sacred to provide hospitality to those who must defend their faith, who must fight for their communities, and who carry a generational cross of weariness.

It’s a sacred “yes”, echoing all the way back to when Jesus mentions “I was a stranger and you invited me in.”

It is a sacred “yes” to breaking bread around my dining room table with the “nations and tribes and people and languages.”

A sacred “yes” to the chorus of prayers lifted in multiple languages as we break bread —my family, intermingled around the table, listening intently, not understanding their words — all of us being nourished by this taste of what heaven will be like.

A sacred “yes” to the wonder of it all. How did I get so lucky to participate in something so heavenly, in such a broken world?

Yet, it is this brokenness that brings us together, compelling us to pull up another chair at the table for Indigenous communities in Colombia who have long been pushed to the margins, who bear the scars of war and wave the flag of peace and hope for a reconciled future. We gather around my dining room table, bellies full of hope that our communion together will bear fruit and make an impact at the eternal banquet table. We work together so that communities can taste that sacred meal of fellowship in the here and now and the yet to come.

Creating space at the table for more diverse perspectives — voices from different ethnicities, socioeconomic backgrounds and levels of education — is a lifelong mission of mine. It is also part of Wájaro’s mission – to create space for the Indigenous voice at the table – at the table when the Church is meeting, when mission organizations are meeting, when governments and NGOs are meeting. Indigenous voices must be present when peace processes are underway and any time decisions are being made about Indigenous communities and the Indigenous church. This table we refer to, however, is often suspended in a theoretical space.

Casa Wájaro is our effort to bring this theoretical table into physical reality. Wájaro’s vision is to create a space in the heart of Colombia for our Indigenous sisters and brothers. In this space, we can welcome people from the Church, mission organizations, politicians, NGOs, and volunteers to do real work around a real table together. We already do this work together in the deserts and mountains and jungles. Now, we need to create a permanent space in Bogotá, the nation’s capital, that is visible within the community where the Wajaro team is laying down roots. We need more room at the table for all those working together to see the Indigenous church grow and Indigenous communities flourish.

We often travel to communities and work together in their homes – sleeping in their hammocks, eating the fish caught in their rivers, warming ourselves over the fires built with the kindling they have gathered. We also host Indigenous leaders in our homes when they are traveling to Bogotá – sleeping in our beds, eating our waffles, and warming their tired bodies with our jackets and extra blankets. We love this interchange of hospitality and will continue to do it through Casa Wájaro!

More than an office, Casa Wájaro will feel like their home away from home in Bogotá with dorms, a fully equipped kitchen, and plenty of space for building community. Casa Wájaro will start with a co-working space, a center for hospitality, a space to collaborate and dream. The possibilities are endless, yet the goal remains the same, to support Indigenous leaders and the Indigenous church, to see them thrive and equipped to be agents of change in their communities and throughout Colombia.

In a time where most of the developed world has settled into a rhythm of virtual life, those living on the margins have white-knuckled the last bit of inner strength to continue on in the face of an insurmountable struggle, the daily struggle to survive. For the Indigenous communities we work with, the pandemic, food insecurity, makeshift medical care, civil unrest, armed groups stealing their land and massacring their people has demonstrated now more than ever their depth of faith, resiliency, innovation, and perseverance. Casa Wájaro is the vision God gave us for such a time as this. Having a safe haven, a physical space to be together, has become more crucial than ever for those working for peace, reconciliation, and the Indigenous church here in Colombia. We need Casa Wájaro. And we need your help to get there! Please consider taking advantage of this incredible matching grant opportunity and invest now:

http://southamericamission.org/givetocasawajaro

Set the table with us.

Lauren Jones is co-founder of The Wájaro Foundation with her husband, Jake. They have served as SAM missionaries since 2017. She is also an artist, women’s health educator, outdoors expert, social worker, and mother of four. Lauren is passionate about living in authentic community with others and caring for populations that mainstream society tends to overlook.

June 2021 Prayer Focus

Praying for Our Missionaries

Prayer has a prominent place in our ministry. We want to engulf our missionaries, our ministries, our partners, our affiliates, our donors, and our friends in prayer. As a staff in the SAM Home Office (Fort Mill, SC), we gather to pray together several times during the workweek. We also begin most of our meetings with prayer and even stop to pray with each other as needed. We don’t share this to boast, but to share that we are powerless without it.

Jesus prayed. He lived in prayer. And we want to follow that example. For the next several months, we are praying for our missionaries using 16 Ways to Pray for Missionaries from IMB President David Platt. We are encouraging our missionaries to pray with us. We invite you to join us.

As the guide states “prayers remain the greatest way we can support those we are sending out, invoking the very power of God to intervene in ways that are beyond our human limitations to save the lost.”

To see a full listing of our missionaries and their work in South America, please visit: https://southamericamission.org/product-category/missionaries/

1. Pray that our missionaries would be confident in God’s Word. Pray that Mike and Kelli Anderson, Don and Vera Bergson, and Todd and Erika Carroll would not just be part of the culture or provide humanitarian relief, but they would confidently proclaim the Word of God.

2. Pray that our missionaries would be filled with God’s Spirit. Pray that Olivia Alligood, David and Stephanie Boogaard, Mike and Marcy Brown, Bill and Joy Carrera, and Amanda McKinney would be faithful witnesses and many would come to know Christ in all walks of life.

3. Pray for Christlike humility to characterize our missionaries. Pray that Dalmiro and Laura Ortiz, Dan and Jenny Strebig, Natalie Suff, Jenna and Jason Weigner, and Dana Wilson would overcome the temptation to be prideful in their work by the power of the Spirit.

4. Pray that God would use our missionaries to make disciples. Pray Chris and Cristi Haylett, Jake and Lauren Jones, and Frank and Luz Zajicek would see fruit in their ministries as they seek to make disciples among the nations.

5. Pray for our missionaries’ joy in the midst of suffering. Pray that Craig and Mary DeLille, Joel Kearney, Wes and Trudy Seng, and Dan and Julie Snyder would experience the joy of intimacy with Christ in the midst of any suffering.

6. Pray for supernatural power to accompany our missionaries. Pray that Ryan and Jenny Dawson, Todd and Stephanie Edgar, Bryce and Hilary Fonda, Craig and Heather Gahagen, and Marshall and Becca Kitron would speak the Word with boldness and that supernatural power would accompany its proclamation

7. Pray for our missionaries to have favor with unbelievers. Pray for Micah and Haley Bittner, John and Laurie Bremer, Greg Dahl, Rael, Jeff HAuse, and Antoinette Hendrickson to find favorable opportunities to share the gospel with people in their community.

8. Pray for our missionaries starting in their ministry locations. Pray for Ally Lee as she serves in Arequipa, Peru. She supports a church planting movement through discipleship, training, and ESL. Pray for Kaylee Wayner Solier as she and her husband, Nilton, receive training through a two-year internship program in Guatemala.

9. Pray for the patience of our missionary appointees. Pray for Mike and Marina Shank, Tim and Mindy Callahan, Kevin and Emily Layne, Drew Warrick, Emily Robertson, Sam Fiala, Daniel and Rebekah Miller, and Jaime and Heather Azuaje as they face the ups and downs of support raising and getting to their ministry assignment.

10. Pray for our missionaries’ perseverance. Pray for John and Minori Lucas, Mike and Nancy Mahon, Larry and Bonnie Secrest, Dave and Marilyn Simmons, David and Lisa Speyers, and Kyle and Christina Thomas to persevere through setback after setback, obstacle after obstacle, and struggle after struggle.

11. Pray that the gospel will be clear through our missionaries. Pray that Joel and Angel Ballew, Jorge and Ginny Enciso, and Kat Guild, by grace, would clearly communicate the character of God, the sinfulness of man, the sufficiency of Christ, the necessity of faith, and the urgency of eternity.

12. Pray that God would use our missionaries to multiply churches. Pray for Alex Chiang, Julio and Olga Chiang, Matthias and Rosemary Drochner, Steven and Jen Freund, and Rick and Donna Martin as they work to multiply churches filled with people who know the Word led by pastors who teach the Word.

May 2021 Prayer Focus

A Long Season

We are all COVID weary. Sickness, pain, loss, suffering, grief, darkness surrounds us. And many of us are asking, have been asking:

What’s going to happen?

Am I going to be okay?

Are people I love going to be okay?

What’s going to happen to our world?

God, where are you in this pandemic?

As coronavirus cases begin to decline in the US, our friends in South America continue to struggle. Already one of the world’s hardest-hit regions in 2020 and even after a year of incalculable loss, it is still one of the most troubling global hot spots, with a recent surge in many countries that is even more deadly than before. Hospitals are overcrowded with short supplies of oxygen and sedatives. People are dying as they wait for treatment, and the health systems are collapsing.

We cry out to God. We are driven to our knees. But may it not be in despair. Dig deep these days. Seek him. God is there.

We find him in prayer, unceasing prayer. We find him in the still small places. We hear about his work through our missionaries, church partners, community partners, and supporters who are caring selflessly for others. God’s hand is visible as communities pull together and find creative ways to support each other.

Scripture reminds us of God’s promise when King David says:

Where can I go from your Spirit?

Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;

if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,

your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me

and the light become night around me,”

even the darkness will not be dark to you;

the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

Psalm 139: 7-12

Now is the time to be brave. Speak hope into a struggling world. The world is different, but the world still needs Jesus.

1. Pray for Brazil. The COVID situation has been dire since March when a wave of variants saw a spike in deaths, eventually leading to more than 4,000 in one day. Although Brazil is no longer the global epicentre of the pandemic, cases remain high. Oh Lord, spread your healing power across Brazil.

2. Pray for Peru. The capital, Lima, is listed at the extreme risk level, meaning residents are prohibited from going outside on Sundays. Medical staff across Peru are stretched to their maximum capacity and beyond, while intensive care and oxygen resources are insufficient to meet the needs. Oh Lord, spread your healing power across Peru.

3. Pray for Bolivia. Among South America’s poorest countries, Bolivia faces increasing numbers of coronavirus cases. The country also continues to experience protests and political unrest. Oh Lord, spread your healing power across Bolivia.

4. Pray for Colombia. A country of 50 million people, Colombia is seeing occupancy in intensive-care units hit 90% in the capital, Bogotá, with hospitals in other cities at their breaking point. Curfews are in place with shopping and other activities regulated by ID numbers. Oh Lord, spread your healing power across Colombia.

5. Pray for Joel Kearney. The life of a missionary can be challenging and lonely at times. Joel has been serving in Recife, Brazil for only three months, but due to COVID, the soccer, music, and other programs that he would lead have been put on pause per government regulations. Pray for his heart and time with God as he spends some days without seeing another person at all. Pray for the relationships that he is building before and after lockdowns.

6. Pray for Refugio de Esperanza. The Refuge of Hope located in the Amazon jungle of Pucallpa, Peru supports and serves people affected by disability. Praise that they started in-person high school classes for eight deaf students and six blind students. Pray for Amanda McKinney as she teaches and helps students catch up on missed learning due to the lockdowns.

7. Pray for our missionaries starting in their ministry locations. Pray for Kat Guild and Cameron Levosky as they begin language school in Colombia. After building their fluency in Spanish, Kat will serve in Barranquilla, Colombia. Cameron will move to Peru to serve with the Lima Initiative.

8. Pray for SAMAIR Bolivia. This vital aviation ministry carries the Gospel into the eastern lowlands and the northern flood plains of the Amazon basin of Bolivia. The lack of infrastructure in areas served by SAMAIR Bolivia makes the airplane a unique tool in reaching those in need. Pray for safety and health as they have the opportunity to fly between curfews, lockdowns, and government regulations.

9. Pray for the Casa Wajaro Matching Campaign. Praise God for a generous Wájaro donor who offered to match, dollar-for-dollar, all donations given between now and July 3 up to $125,000. Pray for full funding to build Casa Wájaro so that indigenous peoples across Colombia can have a safe and collaborative space in the nation’s capital that fosters the change and healing so desperately needed.

10. Pray for Marshall and Becca Kitron. Recently, Marshall started a Bible study group in Pucallpa, Peru via Zoom. They are very excited to study the book of James, learn God’s word, and apply it to their lives. Becca was approached by a young woman who asked her to disciple her and her friend. These women will begin meeting together virtually. Pray for Marshall and Becca in all these discipleship moments.

11. Pray for Mike Anderson. Mike installed a new water tank to replace an old concrete cistern at Ammi Training Center in Chapada, Brazil. The previous cistern leaked so much that Ammi is now saving over a thousand gallons of water per day by making this switch. Pray that these improvements will be a sustainable solution for Ammi’s water situation.

12. Pray for our missionaries on home ministry assignments. Pray for joyful reunions with family and friends. Pray for their presentations and sharing with support churches. Pray for God’s direction and their planning as they look forward to their future years on the field. Pray for a time of deep rest and spiritual growth.

February 2021 Prayer Focus

Let Us Pray Together

One of the high points in life is praying together with other believers. Yes, it takes more energy these days to find ways to pray together. You may have to look for a safe location, set up socially distanced chairs, mask up. Or set up a virtual call (after a quick Zoom tutorial). Or just make an old-fashioned phone call to a friend. It takes planning and initiative and the syncing of calendars. But it is worth every moment.

Our life together in community grows stronger and deeper as we pray together. Jesus and the early church set the example of community prayer in scripture:

…Jesus took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. — Luke 9:28

They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. — Acts 1:14

So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. — Acts 12:5

As we pray together,

Love, unity, and community grow.
We develop a deep sense of belonging.
We open our hearts and expand our world.

Praying together reminds us that we are part of a larger family with a loving Father who knows our needs. At SAM, we want to continue building an abiding, loving, redemptive, suffering, and growing community that prays together.

1. Pray for the schools that we serve and support in South America. Covid-19 has caused schools to close, pause, move to virtual learning, and rethink how they serve the local community. Pray for the administrators, teachers, students, and families.

2. Pray for our missionaries starting in their ministry locations. Pray for Joel Kearney in Recife, Brazil beginning youth outreach work. Pray for Amanda McKinney as she teaches deaf students at Refugio de Esperanza (Refuge of Hope) in Pucallpa, Peru.

3. Pray for the new church plant in Ayacucho, Peru. Pray that the Holy Spirit makes the truth of the Bible and Christ real to those who attend worship services. May the families of Ayacucho know the forgiveness and healing of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

4. Pray for Greg and Susana Dahl with SAMAIR Bolivia. Pray as they combine their ministries (SAMAIR and dentistry) and expand their outreach together. Pray for the additional funding they need to raise for Susana to become a full member missionary with SAM.

5. Pray for the ministries of Fundación Comunidad Viva in Colombia. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance on how to keep cohesion in the local churches and an apostolic spirit in spite of continued social distancing and lockdowns. Pray for spiritual moments and opportunities to pour into the youth in our program.

6. Pray for Matthias Drochner, a teacher at the Lima Seminary. The current program at the Lima seminary, which has trained Peruvian church leaders for over 88 years, will phase out this year. Pray for God’s financial provision. Pray for wisdom for the seminary leadership and for Matthias’ involvement in the renewal of the Lima Seminary.

7. Pray for Therefore Alliance. Pray for the Alliance’s continual unity as they seek Kingdom collaboration for God’s glory. Pray as they blend leadership, strategies, and teams; pool resources, and share services.

8. Pray for Dana Wilson in Bolivia. Pray for wisdom and discernment as she leads the team at Proclama and across the field. Join us in asking God to remove any obstacles that block her way and allow her to see the fruit of their ministry.

9. Pray for the church plants in Arequipa, Peru. Join the team in asking for God´s grace and direction for the church plants in Arequipa. Pray for unity among the leadership teams in both churches and a clear vision for the future.

10. Pray for Jake and Lauren Jones in Colombia. At the Wájaro Foundation, they support indigenous communities through education and literacy, humanitarian aid, sustainable income generation, female and youth leadership, and pastoral formation. Pray for their leadership, their team, financial support, and God’s amazing grace.

11. Praise for God’s protection of the Ammi Training Center in Brazil. This past fall, a wildfire swept through the campus where they provide indigenous pastoral training. Join us in thanking God for protecting the campus and people. The campus is now green again!

Floatplane Destroyed by Winds

Sunday, November 8, SAMAIR Peru suffered a significant loss: a floatplane destroyed by winds.

Around 2pm a strong storm rolled in from the east. One of the wind gusts picked up the roof over the floatplane and slammed it back down, crushing the airplane and damaging it most likely beyond repair. There was other significant storm damage around the aviation base but none as catastrophic as the destruction of our plane.

Since 1992, our floatplane 0B-1467 has been serving the missionary force and tribal communities of the jungles of Peru with service into and out of some of the most remote parts of the Amazon jungle.

These flights have included carrying Bible school students back-and-forth from villages, transporting missionaries to and from ministry venues, and providing air ambulance services for medical emergencies. She can even boast being the birthplace of a baby boy during one such medical flight, as well as being used to rescue two missionaries who had been missing deep in the heart of the Amazon for over a month.

These and many other examples are why this floatplane is so important to the people of the Amazon region of Peru. As I write this, there are multiple ministry teams depending on us to provide critical transportation into some very hard-to-reach places.

Our ability to respond to emergency medical requests has now been cut in half, which is critical as we have the only missionary floatplane operating in the country of Peru.

We are compelled to find a way to continue to serve.

We are not sure how we are going to accomplish this. However, we do know that God is great and that he can overcome all of these setbacks that we have suffered. It has been amazing to see the outpouring of love and concern coming from so many different quarters as we have been getting phone calls and emails from literally all over the world expressing dismay and support following the loss of this airplane. Obviously many lives have been touched through the ministry that OB-1467 made possible.

Our immediate goal is to temporarily convert one of our two wheel planes over to floats to fill the gap until we can replace the OB-1467 floatplane. We will have to operate with a minimal fleet for a while until we raise the needed funds to purchase a replacement aircraft. We also need to replace the destroyed floatplane hangar.

Pray for wisdom as we make big decisions regarding plans going forward, including assessment of costs and wise budgets.

Please pray that we will not need to ship parts from the US to make this float conversion, which will allow us to get a floatplane back in service much quicker. This will depend on if the damaged floats are repairable with what we have here. We won’t know until we are able to safely extricate the aircraft from under the collapsed roof. Pray for safety as our team works in these coming days to free the airplane.

Also pray that the Lord will provide financially as we seek to raise funds to replace OB 1467. Due to sky-high insurance costs, our insurance coverage was minimal and we estimate it will only cover about 25% of the replacement. If you feel compelled to respond with a donation, visit SAMAIR Peru’s ministry page at www.southamericamission.org

South America Mission Center, Based in Recife, Brazil.

Craig and Mary DeLille are tangible expressions of Christ’s love to the vulnerable and marginalized. Since 2008, Brazil has been their home where they’ve lived out their calling as part of South America Mission. In Brazil, South America Mission is known as Missão SAIM.

Our dedicated space on 7.5 acres, located 30 minutes north of Recife in Igarassu, will focus on training intensives and special events, gospel-centered outreach ideation, and modules geared around the strategic implementation of outreach efforts. We will also focus on soul care through retreats and counseling services. The Center will be known for promoting Christ-centered engagement of communities throughout the northeastern region of Brazil for which Recife is a strategic hub.

♦ Vision
To see wholistic, gospel transformation in Recife and beyond, in the isolated communities of indigenous, of migrant Gypsies, slave descendants, and millions of marginalized rural peoples. Leaders will be developed to engage these communities as the body of Christ.

♦ Ethos
The Center will be known for advancing ministry that engages communities in truth, love and mercy. We’ll also collaborate closely with other organizations and ministries to accomplish our purposes. A few of our partners are: City to City Latin America, Disciple Nations Alliance (DNA), Stephen Ministry, Pioneers, Igreja Batista Sião and Projeto Amanajé.

♦ Strategy/Outcomes
We’re developing leaders—ones on staff at local churches, lay people within, youth who want to make a difference for good and justice, professionals who see a need for transformation in the marketplace. We estimate that the Center will enable us to develop more than 3x the number we have in recent years, jumping from 200 trained and equipped in 2018-19 to 640+ in the Center’s first full year.

♦ Funding
First round funding goal is $250,000. A target purchase price of $135,000 will acquire 7.5 fenced acres already developed with facilities (a main building for events which can also sleep 30, outdoor covered chapel, pool). We will allocate $115,000 for additional construction, including 30 suites used for counseling and care. Estimated annual maintenance and overhead costs are $6,000, with projected annual revenues of $30,000.

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