Prayer Mail

Dear Partners in Prayer,

Peace be with you.

This is our weekly public prayer mail.

We ascend on Ascension Day. Yes, this week we plan to take off from the airport in Lima on Ascension Day, in order to visit our Hannah´s graduation at Trinity School for Ministry. She is a second generation graduate from TSM in our family.

Additional Thanksgivings:

1) For a good semester at the seminary, here, in Lima. We are on the cusp of exam week, and we are pleased with both the way that the Evangelism and Preaching courses went, and the students´s progress.

2) For the great insights and inspiration that we continue to receive as we get to know the Peruvian people better. I like them, and at the same time, I am becoming a slightly bit acculturated. It has only been a year.

3) For the blessings of friends whom we know. I have had the joy of reconnecting with people I have not been in touch with, for decades, in the past few weeks.

4) For the opportunities of the Holy Spirit to transform people's lives by what we do, and to be able to make a difference. In many ways people here share the same trials and tribulations as we do in North America, and it appears we have been touching people´s lives in a significant way. One person recently told me (a paraphrase): "You were the person there, when I needed someone." Wow.

5) For all our supporters: those supporting us financially, and those praying for us. You all are great. You enable us to do the work that God has called us to do, to touch the lives of students and people we know in ways that would not have been possible otherwise.

6) We enjoyed the Mother´s Day service at the mission of Ascension in the Surco District of Lima on Sunday, 9 May. We enjoyed the evening service on the same day at San Juan Evangelista in the Pamplona Baja section of the San Juan de Miraflores District of Lima (I preached and celebrated). At the evening service, it was really awesome to watch the Holy Spirit at work while I preached. Phenomenal. Wow.

Prayers:

1) For the seminary students as they finish up the studies for this cycle, and for the registration for intensive courses and the next cycle of classes (over the next few months).

The next teaching cycle begins a few days after the Albany short term mission trip heads back up to the US.

So, when we come back to Lima, we plan to continue to prepare for the New Testament and Church History 1 courses, and at the same time, we plan to continue to prepare for the mission trip. At the same time, we plan to be covering duties at the Cathedral for the Dean, in the Miraflores District of Lima. Please pray for a sense of priority and that we would stay focused in God´s plans for us. In addition, Julie has CEMO meetings to fit in during this time period (see below). We plan to continue participating in the monthly healing services at La Ascension in the Surco District of Lima in June and July, as well.

We are also involved with the early planning stages for two new programs at the seminary both of which I think could be very exciting. Your prayers for these programs would be appreciated.

2) For the continuation of our ministry in Lima, and our time of vacation and sharing in the US, keeping first things, first.

3) That we would help transform many lives by what we do, in the US and when we return to Peru.

4) For the people, relationships, ministries, finances, resources, and priorities associated with the Diocese of Peru, Saints Augustine seminary, and the Missionaries in Peru (including us). This is an on-going prayer, and it is a crucial one.

5) For the Albany short term mission trip plans July 19 to 30, which includes the date of my birthday (which is really great that the team is here for that - it is also the Independence holiday in Peru). Pray for what we are to accomplish on the trip, and for the on-going preparations for this trip in the Diocese of Peru and the Diocese of Albany. If team members would like to meet with us while we are in the Albany area, we would be glad to meet with you. There are some deadlines and administrative matters looming when we get back.

6) For our landlady, her husband, and the others in our apartment building. Lease signing is still pending.

7) For our plans and presence at the graduation at TSM on May 15, Lydia has a college interview on May 17 and May 18, the missions seminar at St. John's in Troy on May 22, the ordinations at the Cathedral on June 5, the Albany Diocesan Convention June 11-13, our anniversary on June 13, our visits to relatives, and at other events over the next month or so; that the Holy Spirit would bless people by our presence and what we say.

8) For the plans over the next few years of the Diocese of Peru and the Anglican seminary here. That the Holy Spirit would lead us down fruitful paths for the Kingdom of Heaven, and keep us away from any unfruitful areas, as necessary.

9) For our ministry at the Cathedral in Lima when we return, from June 16 to July 1. In addition to services there, I may have a baptismal preparation session coming up.

10) For wisdom for Julie as she plans the next commission on ministry (CEMO) interviews in Arequipa and Lima. Keep the CEMO process in your prayers; it is critical for the future of the Diocese. There are a lot of parts and variables as part of this, including flexibility with regards to time frames. This continues when we return.

11) For Lydia as she begins to learn to drive while we are in the US, and also in her pending choices of colleges. She has two college interviews: one on May 17, and one on May 18. (She has just about finished 11th grade, this week.)

12) I don´t know what our communications capabilities will be like over the month we are in the US, so if you do not hear from our prayermail before the middle of June, just keep praying this prayer list, over and over again. Not hearing from us may mean that we need prayer more than ever.

Thank you for praying for us. It makes a difference. I pray for you every day, and this being a time of year for weddings and anniversaries, I wish all newlyweds and their parents, and everyone having an anniversary: a blessing from the Holy Spirit on these marriages.

I remember getting married to Julie, and I had stars in my eyes. You know, for me, lately the way that I recapture that moment, is to look at her now with stars in my eyes. It is amazing how life takes on new meaning....

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