November Newsletter

Healing and Forgiveness.

I realize that everyone reading this is probably a spiritual giant and that you
have never had a problem with forgiving someone, but have you ever considered
the possibility that you might need to forgive someone of something that the
person did, or forgive them for something that you thought that they did (even if
they did not)? Ouch. If that describes you, welcome to Peru. Recognizing this,
is part of healing.

In the month of November, some friends of ours, Phil and Wendy Coy, whom we
have known for about 32 years, came to Lima to conduct a mission of healing for
clergy and lay leaders in the Diocese. It was a week-long seminary "intensive
course," offered to the Diocese. It was intensive in many ways, and the timing
was right. It was oversubscribed. The organizers had to turn people away.
Julie and I were small group leaders: Julie with a woman's group, and I with a
men's group. There were quite a few men who attended. We helped people in our
groups learn the various facets that were taught by the Coys, including how to
listen to the Holy Spirit. Many people in the Diocese of Peru are
from the poorer areas of the city. They are not accepted by all levels of society.
The need for healing, and the need for developing a healing ministry through the
power of the Holy Spirit is very great.

Perhaps one of the most compelling moments of the course was the point
when a number of people felt that they needed healing because someone had
called them "stupid" which has a much more derogatory connotation in Spanish
than in English. The Holy Spirit had inspired a participant to raise that issue
for everyone to pray about, and the group as a whole prayed for those who wanted
to be prayed for, about this. What a moment. It was a powerful course.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Peru does not celebrate Thanksgiving. Instead, the November national holiday in
Peru is All Saints Day on November 1. But SAMS missionaries in Lima will be
setting aside at least part of the Day of Thanksgiving together at the rectory of
the Cathedral, to thank God for the blessings he has given us. (From there,
Julie and I will go to the seminary, to teach in the evening.)

Prayer Requests:• For the current seminary cycle of
courses (this cycle ends in December)
• For seminary and diocesan plans.
• For our relationships, priorities,
ministries, and finances.

Happy Thanksgiving, God bless you, and thank you for your continuing support! I pray for you, every day.

Shaw+, and on behalf of Julie+ and Lydia