Peru’s quarantine began on March 16th and many believed it an indefinite lockdown, as the dates for its end have regularly been pushed back, with phases for reopening just announced this week. Much of the panic in Peru is connected to the medical facilities that provide adequate medical care under normal circumstances, but would be stressed and overworked if the pandemic grows too quickly at any time. An example of this is in Pucallpa, a major city on the edge of the Amazon where many SAM missionaries work, which has three major hospitals, two that are currently closed and the remaining one only receiving patients with health insurance.

Still, we see God’s mercy and His providence. The Peruvian church and our missionaries there have hope, and from day one have worked creatively to meet the growing needs in their communities. In Arequipa, a church plant in an under-resourced part of the city created food bags to distribute to neighbors, as pictured above, and the missionaries there have helped to distribute food and resources to church members in need. In Lima, the Iglesia de la Ciudad team distributed food and money to neighbors in Manchay, an under-resourced district Southeast of the city. Like elsewhere in Latin America, most Peruvians rely on day wages to survive and this extended quarantine has been hard on many families.

As the stories flow up from the cities and communities where our missionaries serve, we are privileged to share them and give glory to God. Pray for Peru and the church there as they continue to weather an extended lockdown. Pray for our missionaries as they discern how best to serve those around them and care for themselves well. This month, thanks to the generosity of many, we have equipped our missionaries with extra resources and we ask for your prayers as they support those in need.

[Empty highways in Bolivia’s largest city, Santa Cruz; photo taken by Zayit Clavel]

Bolivia’s lockdown and quarantine is currently set to last through April 30th. It began officially on March 31st and individuals have been permitted to leave their home on designated days of the week based on their government ID number. Each household is only permitted one person to leave their home per day, and they must travel on foot or bicycle as all vehicle travel has been banned.

In some ways, Bolivia’s nationwide strike last October and November prepared many for this event. While people could still leave their homes and congregate in the streets, there were blockades on every corner and vehicle traffic was heavily reduced. Even so, the church was united at that time in prayer and worship movements, just as she is united in these days to be generous and support her surrounding communities.

The Association of Evangelical Churches in Eastern Bolivia took up donations and made over 1,000 bread rolls to distribute to families in need. The SAM missionary team was able to send funds out to Bolivian partners in rural Santa Cruz to support team members and friends at the discipleship center. One of our missionaries has built relationships with women in the local prison in Santa Cruz and received donations from individual supporters to help provide food and medical supplies to the women, as these prisoners rely on help from the outside for their daily needs.

The generous spirit of those whose faith is in Christ and whose peace comes from God cannot be contained by fear. Though there is chaos in our world today, God’s people stand firm in His promises and bring light into the darkness. Pray for the church in Bolivia and our missionaries there as they continue under strict quarantine guidelines and seek to meet needs in communities where businesses and livelihood have come to a halt.

[Photo from the Guajira Desert of Northern Colombia, taken by Lauren Jones]

The most recent message from the Colombian government says that mandatory self-isolation will stay through April 26th. Each region or department is enforcing the “stay at home” order in different ways. For many Colombians, crisis began overnight as their daily income from labor work was suddenly inaccessible and unsustainable.

Even so, the church has not remained idle. Missionaries throughout Colombia are sharing stories of generosity and love despite their circumstances. In Bogotá, one missionary team and their house church community is continuing to provide support for young adults who were graduated from Colombian state foster care without adoption. The team had to close their community center to the public but are still using it privately to process food they purchase from a local food bank to distribute care packages within the neighborhood.

Another team in Bogotá which walks alongside communities to engage in peace and justice work has suddenly shifted into relief efforts, despite the ethos of their ministry being concerned with long-term development work. They have already sent available funds up to the Guajira peninsula to aid the Wayuu people in this time of need. As they put it, “Many of these people now live mostly dependent on the monetary system and a daily income from their labor, while often the previous generations of Wayuu did not. Amongst many factors, severe drought in the past 8 years has served to push this marginalized people-group to further dependence on the developed world, and now, as we are seeing throughout the globe, that system is at a pause.”

Pray for the people of Colombia as many face economic crisis within their communities. We know both from their history and from our long-term friendships throughout Colombia that they are a resilient people, but even so we are all in need of God’s mercy and strength in these days.

Each year as we walk through Holy Week and approach Good Friday, there is an irony to it. We annually hold the tension of remembering Christ’s final days before his crucifixion and gruesome death with the foresight of his resurrection. We are inclined to consider it “good” because of what it brings, knowing that in his death and burial the story was not over and a victory had only just begun.

This year even more so we can reflect on what is “good” about this day. In remembering the work of Christ on the cross, in seeing God dwell among men and sacrifice his son for the ransom of many, we do have reason to hope. And it is not a foolish hope—we have a firm hope that God is at work to restore his creation and draw his children near, regardless of the circumstances that surround or overwhelm us. He has declared an eternal victory over sin and death and sent us out in his Spirit to bring his kingdom to Earth.

Today we pray that God’s nearness would bless us with that tangible hope, lifting our eyes above our circumstances to see his beauty. Let us pray for those who are without any measure of security or hope in these days, that they would know the Lord. Let us pray also for our missionaries who are scattered and weathering this storm, that they would be empowered by the Spirit to be ministers of light and bring refuge to those around them.

The featured image in this post is of Venezuelan currency, transformed and crafted into a figurine whose decorative value as a star is worth more than the collective value of the individual paper bills. The strange reality of this valuation is, in many ways, a sign of the times. Globally, our reality has shifted so drastically in a short period of time and what was once reliable, safe and useful has become sporadic or inaccessible in an instant.

Even so, God has called each of us to a specific and unique place today. It is no accident that any of us are “sheltering in place” wherever we are. For South America Mission’s missionary team, we have been urged to not only shelter in place but also to “serve in place”.

In these moments, we have an unprecedented opportunity to tangibly bring peace and hope to others who need it. Whether it’s through virtual encouragement, praying with people who never would have turned to prayer before or being generous with what we have toward those who are in need, we have opportunities everywhere to be the hands and feet of Christ to our world today.

This is the hour for creativity, not fear. While our feelings of uncertainty are valid, we have faith that God is who He says He is and will do what He has promised and as Paul wrote to Timothy “… God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2 Tim 2:7).

Let us pray in these days that God’s Spirit would guide each of us to think creatively with the resources, influence and time we have available to us. Pray for our missionaries also as many live in full lockdown and have needed to meet needs and love others in new ways. If you are able, prayerfully join us in our Crisis Response to help our missionaries move in new ways this month to love their neighbors and serve those in need.

We see transformation in communities across South America when leaders are equipped to meet the needs of their people and to lead their people through spiritual revival and growth. Whether it’s parents tirelessly submitting their homes unto the Lord, pastors diligently preaching and serving their congregation or even young adults looking to create gospel-centered change in their community, we long to see all believers equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to share their faith and disciple others.

This month, we pray over our leadership training programs, educational initiatives and the community leaders whom God continues to raise up. We know that by his grace and power the communities in South America can be transformed to become beacons of hope and places of refuge. It is our prayer that in all of our ministries and partnerships, God would comfort and strengthen these leaders as described in Isaiah:

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even youth shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31

LEADERSHIP TRAINING PRAYERS

1. Pray for the Ashaninka Bible Institute (IBA) in Mazamari, Peru, as this year’s session begins in August. Pray that God prepares the hearts of the men and women who will be studying, that they will be ready to not only receive biblical knowledge, but also be willing to let the Holy Spirit build godly character in their lives. Pray for the teachers who will be instructing during this IBA session, that their teaching will be biblical and they can make it relevant to the Ashaninka people and the Ashaninka Church. Pray for Mesías, the director of IBA, that he will be able to lead well and separate sufficient time for IBA in the midst of his responsibilities as president of the Ashaninka Church Association.

2. Pray for the Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center (SCCLC) in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The SCCLC begins their new school year this month. Pray for the teachers as they prepare their classrooms and curriculum, that God would guide and sustain them. Pray for Maribel Ayos as she has transitioned to Santa Cruz and starts her first year as the SCCLC’s new director. Ask God to strengthen Maribel as she leads the faculty and staff. Pray also that God would provide for the remaining teaching needs for the 2018-2019 school year.

3. Pray for The Wájaro Foundation as they continue to partner with ASPEWA, the association of Wayuu Evangelical Pastors in the Guajira, Colombia. One of ASPEWA’s main strategies to unify and strengthen the church is to equip their pastors and leaders throughout the Guajira on a wholistic level. Praise God for the successful launch of an alphabetization program amongst 55 isolated rancherías, allowing 200 leaders within these church communities to learn to read and write in Spanish. Thank God for providing some of the funding for the educational program, currently equipping over 300 pastors and leaders, from the most practical courses to seminary classes. Ask God for wisdom and funding to build a Wayuu school for teaching literacy in their own language, as a further branch of the educational program. Pray for additional funding and guidance as the program looks to expand the coming year into Venezuela, and that if He wills, ASPEWA will expand, especially into the more remote regions of the “Alta Guajira” where fewer know the sound of His voice.

4. Pray for the Centro de Capacitación Bíblica (CCB) Leadership Team in Pucallpa, Peru. CCB leaders are visiting many of the students and graduates between cycles of studies, encouraging them and helping them with Bible studies and seminars in the churches and counseling. Continuity of studies is a tough situation for CCB students due to political parties pulling the villages in different directions, travel problems due to the many changes in the political scene in Peru, and other ongoing cultural shifts. Pray for the CCB students who will return to CCB, that God protects and guides them during their break. Ask God to encourage these leaders as they travel, and pray that he uses the relationships formed at CCB to further the gospel in Peru.

5. Pray for the Bolivian Evangelical University (Universidad Evangélica Boliviana, UEB). The UEB will celebrate its 38th anniversary and also dedicate their new administration building this year. The UEB was the first private university in Bolivia and the first Evangelical university in South America, and SAM, as one of the founding members, maintains a representative on the board of directors as part of our commitment to preparing God’s people to transform society. Praise God that the first semester of this year, the UEB had 2,403 students! Pray for the recent graduates as they go out to not only do the work of the church, but are involved in government, communications and media, medicine and other walks of life, that God would use them to influence their communities for his glory.

6. Pray for the Shipibo-Conibo Evangelical Church Association (AIESHC). AIESHC leaders are in mid-year meetings and planning sessions with other church associations in July & August. Pray for the leaders as they visit many AIESHC churches that are struggling with the same type of divisions and problems that any church has. Ask God to sustain these leaders and grant them wisdom as they the confront cultural norms that are not Biblical. Pray also that these visits would further the redemptive work of the gospel in these communities, and that God would protect these leaders in their travels.

7. Pray for the discipleship center in Eastern Bolivia. Since breaking ground last year, Raphá and key SAM missionaries continue to build initial structures on the land. Praise God for the many ways he has blessed this project, particularly with the ongoing involvement, sacrifice and service of local Bolivian pastors and church leaders! Ask God to continue to provide the necessary funding and resources to fully equip the discipleship center. Pray for SAM missionaries and Raphá leadership as they continue to make strategic plans for the programs the center will offer once it is fully functional.

8. Pray for Colegio la Esperanza in Santa Marta, Colombia. La Esperanza has begun its second semester for 2018, continuing to strive for academic excellence and to form Christian leaders of integrity who transform the world for God’s glory. Ask God to provide necessary resources for the families of students who struggle academically. Pray for the teachers as they aim daily to live and share truth and love with their students. Pray that the devotional times at the school would be impactful in the lives of the students.

9. Pray for SAM Academy in Pucallpa, Peru. SAM Academy begins their 2018-2019 school year this month, continuing to serve the missionary children of the greater Pucallpa region. Pray for the teachers as they prepare their classrooms and lay the foundations for this school year. Ask God to bless the relationships between teachers and students, as many teachers become close mentors to the students at SAM Academy. Pray that God would provide for remaining teaching needs, that the academy would be fully staffed and able to serve these students well this school year.

10. Pray for the Ammi Training Center in Brazil. Praise God for the production and release of a ministry video that helps Ammi tell the story of God’s incredible work at the center! Ask God to continue to sustain the hard work of the many teachers, mentors and staff members of Ammi who continue to model the grace and truth of the gospel in their daily lives. Pray that God would work mightily in the lives of Ammi students, that each would be transformed by his presence and empowered to spread his love to their villages throughout Brazil.

Download the prayer guide as a PDF here: August Prayer Guide

Every year we have the privilege of hosting interns alongside our missionaries in South America. We see the many ways God challenges and deepens their faith as they step out of their comfort zones and experience new cultures. Even further, we see a correlation between length of service and areas of growth. This year our interns have primarily served for at least three months and we rejoice to hear how God worked in their lives while they served overseas.

It’s estimated that more than two million teenagers from the US participate in short term missions each year. For adults, there’s an average 1.5 million US participants who serve annually and return to the same organization or location. But what happens when someone who has served in short term ministry transitions to a longer length of service?

SAM intern Hallie Dilworth served in Bolivia for three months and reflected on her experience first transitioning to Bolivia after having already served on short term trips before. She said that in short term ministry “it’s easy to feel busy and valuable. But when you’re on a ‘mission trip’ for three months, every day is not like that, especially here in Bolivia where life moves a lot slower than most places I’ve been.”

These words reflect the shift in culture and lifestyle often experienced by new missionaries who transition overseas. It’s not uncommon for new missionaries to feel a “slowing down” of life when they step outside of the US and into a rural or developing country.

Hallie arrived in January to work with Jason and Jenna Weigner, who serve in the countryside of eastern Bolivia and are currently working alongside Fundación Raphá to build a discipleship center for the indigenous church.

Living in the rural South American countryside is challenging, yet beautiful in many ways. As Hallie puts it: “San Jose is a very small town, charming in its own unique way. In the plaza there is a huge, gorgeous church that is the main landmark. Many of the roads are dirt, and the buildings are very rustic. Sometimes you walk into what looks like a shack, but inside it’s a nice restaurant with white tablecloths.”

More importantly, Hallie began to wrestle with her own expectations of serving overseas, as many missionaries do soon after arrival. Her self-awareness and reflection are one of the key steps to longevity in missions:

“I didn’t think I had many expectations going into this experience, but I’m slowly realizing that I actually did. My missions experience thus far has consisted of trips that were no longer than two weeks. On such short trips, every day is typically packed with VBS or feeding the homeless or building houses… This change of pace has been interesting to get used to, but I think it’s a very good thing. “

Likewise, Hallie discovered the difference between an identity rooted in what she does and an identity rooted in who she is in Christ:

“Back home, I fill every single moment with school, work, Bible studies, volunteering, social life, etc. On the rare occasion I have free time, I get stressed because I don’t know what to do with it. I put my identity and value in how productive I can be or how many plans I have, instead of letting God show me how to depend on Him. But now, I’m being forced to change my pace and be still and know that He is God.”

Ultimately, Hallie concluded what we hope for all of our missionaries: when we rest and wait upon the Lord, we hear him more clearly. “It’s easy to miss Him [at home] when I’m constantly filling my schedule so that I can feel good about myself, but here I feel more aware of Him than ever. I’ve learned to appreciate the little things a lot more and to be aware of the blessings God showers all over His creation every day. It’s been a humbling experience so far, doing small tasks as part of a much bigger mission, and trusting God that He will use me as His servant.”

If you’ve thought about participating in short term ministry, or have even imagined longer experiences like an internship, consider how God could be calling you deeper into relationship with him through missions. Allowing God to strip away so many of our cultural norms and to reveal his character in surprising ways through new cultures is truly a humbling and faith-growing experience.

*Photos by Hallie Dilworth

The apostle Paul plainly articulated the need for missionaries when he wrote:

How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”      -Romans 10:14-15

Across our ministries in South America, we partner with other missions organizations, local non-profits and institutions, the community of believers in our ministry areas, and above all, the local church. Despite our ever-growing network, we can affirm that the words of Christ are still true today: “the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” -Luke 10:1-2

As we continue to step out in faith, allowing ourselves to imagine bigger ways that God can use his people for his glory, we see the immense need for ‘laborers’ to join us in this effort. Our missionary teams pray boldly, and this month we invite you to pray boldly alongside them. Whether it’s staffing a school, managing office spaces, increasing the number of evangelists in a church plant, or tripling the capacity for intentional discipleship in a specific city, we believe that God will bring his people to complete his good work in South America, drawing all of his children closer to him. Pray with us as we ask God to expand our vision and invite his people to join us in ministry.

MISSIONARY CORPS PRAYERS

1. The Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center (Bolivia), SAM Academy (Peru), and Colegio Cristiano La Esperanza (Colombia) are three academic institutes providing quality education with the vision to see their students walking in faith and transforming their communities. Pray for our teachers at these institutes as they minister to their students and are daily examples of Christ in their classrooms. Pray also that God would provide the necessary staff for these programs in the upcoming academic year.

We believe that children and youth are vital to the work of redeeming a community. Children’s outreach and youth ministry directly impact family life and open doors to ministry with parents. Furthermore, we see the future hope of the effects of leadership training with the young people in a community. Pray for our missionaries ministering to children and youth throughout South America. Ask that God would raise up new missionaries to join in this effort and bring his redeeming hope to the next generation.

3. At the heart of our vision to see the communities of South America transformed by the gospel is the call for us to be redeemed disciples of Jesus. The intentional cultivation of prayer and worship is vital to the spiritual lives of our missionaries and the spiritual climate of our ministries. Across our fields, there is a continual need for worship ministry. Pray for our missionaries who currently serve in worship ministry within their local church or at missionary prayer gatherings. Pray also that God would provide talented worship leaders to join us in South America and serve the body of Christ through the talent of music.

4. As South America continues to become more urbanized each year, its international focus grows. Many of the young professionals in Latin American cities are looking to learn English for their careers and educational opportunities. We see the ESL classroom and tutoring relationships as purposeful places where the love of Christ can be shared. Pray for our missionaries currently engaging in ESL ministry, that their witness and character would imitate Christ to their students. Pray also for God to increase the number of missionaries serving in this capacity, who can demonstrate Christ’s love in an ESL environment.

5. As the number of high school students to attend universities throughout South America rises each year, join us in praying for the provision of missionaries to effectively reach these campuses for Christ, specifically in Ayacucho (Peru), Pucallpa (Peru), Santa Cruz (Bolivia), and Santa Marta (Colombia). Pray for our missionaries who currently engage with students and young adults in these regions and ask God for provision of missionaries with a passion for student ministry.

6. As people gather to regularly participate in local soccer games or watch international sports matches, we participate in the opportunity to engage these communities through sports ministry. Pray for our missionaries in Recife, Brazil and Bogotá, Colombia who reach their communities for Christ through sports outreach. Pray also for the provision of new missionaries and local partners to expand the impact and reach of these programs.

7. Iglesia de la Ciudad (City Church) in Lima, Peru is a growing church plant that serves as a model for discipleship and leadership training in the context of the local church. As the initial church plant continues to grow, the team is evaluating the opportunity to plant a second church. Pray for the team of missionaries who serve in this church context, that their fellowship would be rejuvenating and their relationships deepened. Pray also for a full-time executive pastor to join this team and help effectively manage this ministry.

8. The Ammi Training Center is an indigenous pastoral ministry in Brazil which ministers to the indigenous community through discipleship, life skills and theological education. The Ammi Training Center is in need of a full-time cook who can use her culinary background to prepare food for the Center while discipling and ministering to coworkers in the kitchen. Pray that God would provide the right person who would mentor coworkers well and help the training center flourish in its ministry.

9. The Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center (SCCLC) is a private pre-k through 12th grade international school, providing quality education alongside a spiritual development program to its students. Pray that God would provide a Director for the SCCLC to manage all facets of the Learning Center and provide spiritual and educational leadership according to the school’s vision and mission. Pray for the staff of the SCCLC as they continue to lean on one another for accountability and encouragement without a full-time director.

10. The missionary team in Bogotá, Colombia has two families in need of homeschooling help and childcare. Pray for our missionary team as they balance their ministry needs with their calling to care for their families. Ask God to provide missionaries and new team members who can help in raising their children and participate in children’s ministry within the outreach efforts in Bogotá.

11. South America Mission partners with the Seminario Bíblico Church Association in the El Alto region of Bolivia, high up in the Andes mountains near the country’s capital. We support this largely Aymaran church association’s leadership development and church multiplication efforts. Pray that God would provide missionaries to serve in this challenging location, who can enhance the association’s church multiplication strategy, leadership development efforts and discipleship of youth.

You can download this month’s prayer requests as a PDF here: May Prayer Focus