Prayer Mail

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Prayer,

Peace be with you.

It has been a busy week, full of blessings and opportunities for growth.
Blessings:
1) Lydia's visa process continues to make incremental progress, from one phone call to the next.
2) We were able to use the vacation week, this past week, to make great headway in our course preparation.
3) We hosted two different youth groups at our apartment this week: an English-speaking teenage group and a Spanish speaking Youth Alpha group.
4) The Life in the Spirit Seminar for clergy and their spouses in the Diocese of Peru concluded, and it seemed to be well received.
5) Julie and the Rector of the seminary have accomplished a significant administrative project.
6) Julie was able to make important progress with Commission on Ministry matters.
7) I had a very good time celebrating the Holy Eucharist in Spanish at Cristo-Redentor in San Juan de Miraflores, yesterday.

Prayer requests (opportunities for growth):
1) It is conceivable (but how probable is uncertain) that Lydia's visa process could wrap up this week with no extra paperwork needed.
2) For finances, resources, priorities, and growth of: the Diocese of Peru, Saint Agustin seminary, the mission of La Ascension, and the missionaries who serve in the Diocese of Peru (including us).
3) For our course-work preparation and teaching in class, as well as for the mentoring groups we lead.
4) For the people we meet daily, and the opportunities we have to pray with people and to share: the Peace of God which passes all understanding, the Love of Jesus, and the Power of the Holy Spirit.
5) That the people in the country of Peru would be fruitful in their ministries and labors, be blessed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, manifest the fruit of the Holy Spirit, and that basic human needs would be taken care of.
6) For an increase in the healing ministry in the Diocese of Peru.
7) For the upcoming Suffragan Bishops selection processes/elections, perhaps sometime within the next two years or so. Please pray for the process and for the future candidates (you can read more about this, below, as you desire)
8) For any prayer that comes to your heart or mind.
9) For Jeanne Gizara's computer. It is a vital link to our prayer-blog and our communication network. She has been having difficulties for about a month.
10) For our beloved daughters, Ruth and Hannah, in the United States, that the Lord would answer, bless and guide them through the various needs and requests that they have.

Re: Suffragan bishops. The Diocese of Peru has approval from the Province to elect 4 Missionary Suffragan bishops, one in each of four different areas of the Diocese of Peru, and we would like your continued prayers for God's candidates to be selected and for God's people to be chosen. The right people make all the difference as to the effectiveness of ministry here. The term "Missionary" Suffragan Bishop means a certain role for a bishop, and it does not necessarily mean that the bishops have to be missionaries.

God bless you, and thank you for praying for us. I pray for you daily, and your prayers make a difference.

In Christ,
Shaw+, and on behalf of Julie and Lydia.