Paraguay Prayer Calendar

Week Weds 29 July – Tues 4 August Chaco
But God has given us his Spirit. That's why we don't think the same way that the people of this world think. That's also why we can recognize the blessings that God has given us. Every word we speak was taught to us by God's Spirit, not by human wisdom. And this same Spirit helps us teach spiritual things to spiritual people. That's why only someone who has God's Spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn't have God's Spirit thinks these blessings are foolish. 1 Corinthians 2:12 - 14
Please pray for:
• all the pastors, deacons and lay readers who took part in the teaching sessions on the Spiritual World that they would be enabled to move forward in their personal lives and see positive changes as they seek to grow in the reality of a Biblical world view
• Nelson & family, the caretakers of the Diocesan Centre at Rio Verde, for protection and safety
• the Mission Paraguay team of 12, from England and Northern Ireland, arriving in Paraguay on the 1st August for safety in travel. Please pray for the team’s work in Rio Verde, working on the construction of the new building for St Matthew’s which is lead by Ed & Marie Brice
• the team’s work with children and young people in Concepción, which is being coordinated by Claire Holmes, praying that church members in Concepción will be enthused by the project and willing to become more involved with these activities on a long term basis
• Caroline Gilmour- White and 3 volunteers who are generous supporters of the Anglican Paraguayan Church, on a short holiday starting on the 2nd August, in Argentina, visiting Buenos Aires, Salta and hiking in the cordillera mountain range, asking for safe travel, that all connections will be made, for fun and safety and good encounters with the Anglican Church in Salta
• Chris Hawksbee in his work as an agriculturalist with communities in the Chaco, seeking to increase the provision of food bearing in mind that the crops planted after the rain where planted out of season and so there will be a food gap, asking that the harvest will be good, even though is very late
• nurse Beryl Baker, and health promoters for protection and the necessary resources to deal with ongoing medical needs, such as patients with TB and also medical emergencies, please pray that they will be able to discern priorities, be granted healing hands and words of encouragement and faith
• the ladies’ group in Rio Verde, led by Marie Brice, as this group of 20 ladies and teenage girls benefit from this opportunity to grow in faith and knowledge of the Lord and his ways
• young people in the indigenous communities as they seek to grow in faith in the Lord, especially remembering all who struggle with temptations like binge drinking and pornography, grant their leaders wisdom and discernment and the ability to encourage spiritual growth as they face their reality
Week Weds 5 – Tues 11 August Marriage
The winter will lose its cold, as the snow will be without whiteness,
The night without darkness, the heavens without stars, the day without light,
The flower will lose its beauty, all fountains their water, the sea its fish, the tree its birds,
the forest its beasts, the earth its harvest -
All these things will pass before anyone breaks the bonds of our love, and before I cease caring for you in my heart.
May your days be happy in number as flakes of snow and may your nights be peaceful. Matthew of Rievaulx 13th century
Please remember in your prayers this week the following couples in leadership in the Church in Paraguay: Peter & Sally, Andres & Estela, Jorge & Rebeca, Ed & Marie, Patrick & Rosie, Luis & Regina, Agustín & Teresa, Cefe & Ana, Mario & Agustina, Elvio & Lorenza, Lucio & Priscila, Robert & Cristina, Juan & Lidia, Niño Pepe & Feliciana, Mario & Rosa, Romualdo & Yrna, Feliciano y Rosa, Chris & Alison, Donald & Caroline, Miriam & Miguel, Teodosio & Lidia, Donald & Caroline, and Agripino and Teodoro and their wives.
We thank you Lord for your gift of marriage and lifelong commitment, and we pray for all the couples involved in leadership in the church in Paraguay and all other couples who touch our lives. We pray for strengthen, good humour and that commitments will be kept. Guide these marriages as they change through the years, may they be flexible and faithful. Amen.
We pray for all who are preparing to get married and those who have recently got married that their relationships would be made strong and that these marriages would bless their communities and we ask that they would be mentored by couples with healthy and joyful marriages.
We also remember in our prayers all who are widowed and all marriages navigating the difficulties that long term sickness brings.

Week Weds 12 – Tues 18 August Anglican Church in Asunción area and Concepcion
Concepción – Bishop Andrés & Estela ask us to pray for strength in the ministry to children through mid week groups that the groups would blessed with new leaders. We pray for Claire Holmes preparing to return to the UK that she would have vision and the ability to train and raise up new leaders. Currently 300 – 400 children attend weekly groups in Villa Alta, Ramonita, Inmaculada, San Antonia, Orqueta and San Elisa. Please pray for +Andrés and Estela for wisdom and discernment as they seek to restore pastor Guillermo & Rosa who stepped down from leadership after a moral problem. Let’s pray with Saint Paul´s Church as they ask the Lord to send more workers for the harvest of souls.
Redeemer Church and pastor Luis & Regina in Zeballos Cue ask us to pray for that there would be greater unity and a growing ability to understand each other. Also please pray for Luis as he studying at Asuncion’s Evangelical University.
St John’s Church are praying that the Lord will send more workers for the harvest as there are many mission opportunities in Roque Alonso. With thankfulness we pray for pastor Cefe & Ana who has recently celebrated 25 years of ordained ministry.
Emmanuel Church, in Luque, faces many challenges during this time of interregnum. Please pray for the church council to continue to work with enthusiasm and for God to raise up church members with pastoral gifts.
Elaine Black & Sue Nagaitis, ask us to pray for an English speaking Bible study which they have started on Thursday evenings.
St Andrews English speaking Chapel, moving into a new stage with no permanent pastor, please pray for the many challenges and possibilities which they offer, thanking God for all those who are leading services, preaching, involved in the children’s work and pastoral work of this church which has an often fluid and transient membership.
St Andrews Cathedral asks us to pray for many elderly members facing health challenges. Please also pray for pastor Agustín & Teresa and their daughter Laura, who recently underwent recent major surgery, asking the Lord to enable them to be able to take time for rest and to be strengthened and given clear vision. We pray for many families trapped in cycles of ill health asking God to bring freedom.
St Andrews in the night, face varied challenges with Patrick & Rosie Butler´s return to the UK. +Peter is acting as interim pastor working with leaders Raquel and Donald, Karen, Sofi, Edu, Charlie and Norman. Please pray that all members of this congregation and the many occasional visitors will be encouraged in their pilgrimage with God. Following on from the Retreat on Spiritual Gifts, we pray that many members will have the confidence to use their gifts to build the church and extend the Kingdom.
Week Weds 19 – Tues 25 Aug New generations, new ways of being
And each new generation will listen and learn to worship the LORD their God with fear and trembling and to do exactly what is said in God's Law. Deuteronomy 31:13
Enxet Translation - Tim Curtis and the translation team ask us to pray for Martín Rojas checking Psalms 91 – 100, Juan Martinez checking 1 Samuel, and Asunción Rojas finishing the draft of Isaiah.
Illiteracy – over 50% of the world’s population are unable to read and write, we pray for increased access to literacy especially for girls and women, remembering the indigenous peoples of Paraguay and other South American countries in their desire for increased literacy that their cries for help will be heard.
Oral cultures – most indigenous tribes pass down their world view, collective wisdom, history, and moral codes orally. We pray for tribal leaders that their gifts as oral teachers will be honed and used for God’s gory in the teaching of the younger generations, and for the extension of the Kingdom, especially remembering Enxet, Sanapana, Toba and Wichi leaders. We pray for the younger generations that they will honour their parents and grandparents cultures and at the same time be equipped to face a rapidly changing world.
Teaching materials - Philip ran up close and heard the man reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. Philip asked him, "Do you understand what you are reading?" The official answered, "How can I understand unless someone helps me?" He then invited Philip to come up and sit beside him. Acts 8:30 + 31
We pray for projects to bring good quality and culturally relevant teaching materials to Enxet and Guaraní speaking preschool children and older children, that resources will become available to enable these projects to become an affordable resources for indigenous communities.

FEISA - please pray for continued funding and good use of limited resources in this time of restructuring in FEISA, thanking God for all those who have served in FEISA during its 9 year history and praying for the current staff and students and those who have graduated that they will use their God given abilities and the training received for the benefit of the younger generations of Paraguayans.

Infant and Maternal Mortality – in our prayers we remember all who have lost loved ones through maternal or infant death, praying for comfort. We also ask God for recognition on the part of politicians of the need to provide adequate medical and healthcare services, praying for hearts and wills of those who govern to be moved and to take action.
Global economic pressures – we pray for President Lugo and his government that they will be given new ways of thinking and acting that will release justice in spite of the economic forces at work remembering that God honours the nation that trusts in him.
Middle East – as Israel and Palestine seek solutions to the grave problems that both nations face, we humbly ask God to ...pour on the house of David (God´s people), and on the people of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of prayers (Zechariah 12:10), recognising that God require his people to do justice, love mercy and to walk humbly with him.
Substance Abuse - please pray for those who want to be free from the bondage of addictions, remembering in our prayers La Puerta (The Door) project which is moving forward in vision and planning that the correct structures would be put in place to enable this much needed ministry to drug addicts from areas such as the Chacarita to be given a place for a new beginning. We pray especially for Sharon McCririe, that God would give her wisdom and discernment.
We can be so busy talking to God that we don’t hear what He has to say. One-sided prayer becomes boring. Why not set aside time each day to clear your mind of distractions, sit in God’s presence and listen? God’s voice is not dull!

Week Weds 26 – Mon 31 August The Prodigals Maybe you love someone who once lived close to God or belonged to the church. As we close this cycle of prayer we remember those who are prodigals.
Approach the Father, asking him to rescue the lost one as a as a good shepherd rescues a lamb that has strayed.
Ask for perseverance in praying for the prodigal, knowing that it can take years for a prodigal to return.
Love with warmth and openness, praying from a position of love not anger or in judgement.
Pray for the church that we will have the grace to accept those who are different to us, asking that those who have suffered much would be loved, bad habits, rough edges and all into healing and wholeness.
Pray for spiritual eyes of the prodigal to be open to the truth, that something is wrong. Pray for God´s gift of turning around, bringing freedom and life.
Pray for the elder son, finally pray for yourself, remembering that often we, the church are like the older brother. Pray that the elder son will be given a loving and accepting heart towards the prodigals. Pray against jealousy and envy as God's blessing is poured onto the prodigal. And pray that we will be granted humble, thankful and reverent hearts.
Thank you for praying,

+Peter & Sally Bartlett
on behalf of the Anglican Church of Paraguay
Iglesia Anglicana Paraguaya, Casilla de Correos 1124, Asunción, Paraguay, South America
peterparaguay@gmail.com saritabartlett@hotmail.co.uk
Skype: pjhbartlett