Weekly Prayer Mail

Dear Partners in Prayer,

Peace be with you.
This is our weekly public prayer mail.

Thanksgivings:

1) That Lydia has had a great time this week helping with the Compassion program at San Juan Evangelista in the San Juan de Miraflores District of Lima, and started learning arpillera sewing (three dimensional technique) at another mission. (Arpillera sewing is a fund raising ministry associated with the Diocese of Peru.) As of this morning, she is now off to a week long high school beach retreat south of Lima, with an English speaking youth group, and beaming.

2) That the Sunday service went well at La Ascencion. We covered for the Vicar who is away. I led the service, Julie preached a good sermon, and she led the music on keyboard (Typically, over the past few months, there has been a guitar player - usually the Vicar, or the music is sung a capella).
[Praise God! Lydia was able to help Julie out with the recollection of the melodies for the songs we were to sing when no one else could remember the melodies; between Julie, Lydia, and others, they were able to reconstruct melodies for most of the songs so that Julie could then transcribe the notes on paper, to play from....all in the half hour before the service. For you see, none of the musical notes had been written down, anywhere; they are all in the Vicar's mind; the rest of us only have the words, and we learn the melody when we sing. It is like singing from one of the Anglican Isaac Watts hymnbooks a few centuries back; I used to have one (no music in it, just the words in it). Under the circumstances, Julie, Lydia et al did a fantastic job.]

3) For all the people who have been contributing to our mission effort by their prayers, finances and other resources.

4) That our health is back to normal.

5) That preparations for the next cycle of teaching at the seminary are underway.

Prayers:

1) For the relationships, ministries, finances, planning, and prioritizing associated with the Diocese of Peru, Saints Augustine seminary, and the Missionaries in Peru (including us).

2) For the Sunday service that we will be involved with at Jesus el Salvador in the Villa el Salvador District of Lima this Sunday morning at 10:30 am, and for the healing service at La Ascencion in the Surco District of Lima on Sunday evening at 6 pm.

3) For our family both here and in the US, especially for Hannah´s potential wisdom tooth issue.

4) For the course and orientation preparations currently underway at the seminary, as well as for the preparations and plans for the graduation service in April, and the ramping up of the Commission on Ministry process that is underway.

5) For the Albany short term mission trip plans in late July, and the preparation discussions that are currently taking place this week and will be continuing next week.

6) For our visitation to the US this year, including 1) Julie at New Wineskins and the SAMS worldwide conference in April in North Carolina, and 2) Julie, Lydia, and I in Pennsylvania and New York State/Connecticut in May/June, including our Diocesan Convention plans.

7) For Lydia as she enjoys her week away, and for Lydia as she resumes school next week.

Thank you for praying for us. It makes a difference. I pray for you every day.

God bless you.
In Christ,
Shaw, and on behalf of Julie and Lydia
Lima, Peru