Linn’s News April 2009
Thanks for all your prayers over the past few weeks. The Lord has been busy answering them.
Bishop Peter Bartlett and Sally have arrived safely and in time for his consecration, which took place this morning.
Sue Hagaitis has also arrived safely and is settling in.
Raquel Greco has found accommodation nearby where she will be able to hold Bible studies for the youth here.
There has been a little rain in the Chaco from one or two thunderstorms, but they need very much more. At the moment the Indians are repairing water cisterns in the hope that there will be rain.
The School
This has been the month for school camps. The fifth and sixth graders went off on a Primary camp, where the Biblical theme was Samson. They had a very special time together with their teachers.
Secondary students have also been away on Christian camps and they all came back filled with enthusiasm. (The teachers came back shattered!)
Sue Hagaitis, our new secondary teacher, arrived last weekend and was thrown in at the deep end on Monday. The Lord is upholding her. She is a lovely person, who seems to be fitting in well.
I spent yesterday trying to orientate her a little with a visit to town and the market. Everybody is so busy that it is difficult for people to find time to show her around and she has felt the frustration. She does not yet speak Spanish.
The Country
There has been a lot of unrest in the country as the recession is biting hard. Of course Lugo’s government is being blamed for all the problems.
The campesinos have been marching and demonstrating in front of the congress building in town most of the past week. I was there yesterday and the riot police were too, on standby. The sesame producers have been up in arms about poor prices for their seed and they have been demanding subsidies from the government.
Last week there was an official visit by the President of Ecuador. The newspapers were quite scathing about him, saying that he expects to be treated like a king. In a speech he said that Lugo’s government is very left, but we already know that.
There seems to be all sorts of ‘wheeling and dealing’ going on between various Presidents in South America at the moment and it is hard to see the wood from the trees.
The past week saw the tenth anniversary of the assassination of vice-president Argana and the attempted coup by Lino Oviedo. Needless to say there have been more accusations that he orchestrated the assassination, but he just responds with “There is no proof.”
The Church
I bumped into Raquel Greco this week. She told me that she has found accommodation just two blocks from where I am living and about five minutes walk from the Cathedral where she is involved in the youth ministry. This has been such an answer to prayer for her.
The main news has been the consecration of Bishop Peter Bartlett,
which took place this morning. It was a beautiful morning. People came from all over Paraguay, the Southern cone of South America and from the UK, with Phil Tadman and his wife representing SAMS. The Southern cone bishops had decided to have their annual meeting here last week, so everything was very timely. Unfortunately the Bishop of Peru was taken ill and he had to be hospitalized. Another bishop went to be with him. Bishop Greg Venables came from Buenos Aires to consecrate Peter.
It was a colourful affair as the bishops stood before us wearing their various south American stoles.
During the service Rosie Butler read out a greeting from her father, Bishop John Ellison. It was a special moment. The worship was wonderful and there was a strong sense of the Holy Spirit’s presence. It was lovely to celebrate communion as such a large family.
Afterwards we all gathered for refreshments and chat. The bishops were very approachable and there was a real warmth of feeling extended to Peter and Sally.
Prayer Points.
1. Praise the Lord for all the answered prayer this month.
2. Please pray for Bishop Peter and for Sally as they begin their ministry here. Pray for their documentation process to run smoothly. Pray for them to become orientated quickly and pray for Peter as he starts to drive here. (Driving can be a nightmare in Paraguay). Pray for safety for him. Pray for all practicalities to fall into place with no problems, as they settle into their new home. Pray for them to have good health in the heat. Pray for the pastors to be supportive of them both.
3. Pray for the Bishop of Peru, that he will have a swift recovery from illness.
4. Give thanks for Racquel’s new accommodation. Pray that the contract signing will be OK and that she will be able to move in next week. Pray for her ministry as she begins to take more responsibility.
5. Pray for the staff and children of St. Andrew’s schools. There has been a lot of sickness, in the extreme heat and pollution that we have experienced recently. (I have had an adverse reaction to the atmosphere and have had another chest infection.) Pray that the break we have in Holy week will be a time of real rest and recouperation for everybody.
Pray for Sue Hagaitis as she settles. She is a mature lady and it is not always easy to learn a new language later in life. (It has taken me years!). Pray that the Holy Spirit will give her the gift of Spanish quickly.
Linn Tedman, Colegio San Andres, Casilla 1124, Asuncion, Paraguay, South America. Information on http://www.samsgb.org/people/documents/tedman.pdf If you wish to support my work through SAMS please contact Philip Tadman (Financial Secretary), Allen Gardiner Cottage, Pembury Road, TUNBRIDGE WELLS, Kent TN2 3QU (email finsec@samsgb.org).
