This video link has been sent to us from Dennis Smith PC(USA) missionary in Guatemala by way of his colleague Karla Koll. They have received the video from Paul Jeffery, a good friend and Methodist missionary photojournalist in Haiti. The video is based on ACT Alliance, (Action by Churches Together) the global church emergency aid agency of which Presbyterian Disaster Assistance is a part of.
Please keep ALL of our missionaries in your prayers, especially those suffering through the earthquake in Haiti and those struggling through the floods in Peru.
Thank you to Dennis Smith for sending the video, Karla Koll for passing it on and Paul Jeffery for creating it.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
Huanta Floods
Several provinces in the Andes Mountains of Peru were declared disaster areas during the week of January 25, 2010, due to several days of torrential rains and the resulting floods and mudslides. In the province of Huanta, several hundred homes were destroyed or severely damaged. Many families have lost what few possessions they had. Pictures The Ministry of World Service has responded to this disaster by sending a donation of $2,500 to The Presbytery of Huanta.
Sharon Presbyterian Church’s Ministry of World Service responded to this disaster by sending a donation to The Presbytery of Huanta. The funds will be used by the Presbytery to purchase new corrugated metal roofing panels for the homes of widows and single mothers. These families are often the humblest and poorest.
Upon learning of the donation, Pastor Samuel Montes, President of the Presbytery of Huanta, wrote:
“I am extremely grateful for the support of the members of Sharon Presbyterian Church. While I have no words to adequately thank you, I pray that God will always bless you for your everlasting love for your brothers and sisters in Huanta. God has placed me here to be with people in need, both materially and spiritually. Thanks be to God for my brothers and sisters at Sharon Presbyterian Church who help me walk with my people.”
Please keep the precious people of the Presbytery of Huanta in your thoughts and prayers.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Give, Act & Pray for Haiti
By now most of the world knows of the terrible earthquake that hit Port-au-Prince, Haiti. In the wake of this great human tragedy, we are grateful for the outpouring of so many expressions of care and generosity from Presbyterians everywhere. Because of your quick response, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) was able to double its commitment of funds to provide immediate aid those first few days following the quake. Your gifts were put to effective and strategic work in coordinated efforts with our international and ecumenical partners, Action by Churches Together (ACT) Alliance and Church World Service (CSW). The first phase of response included search and rescue teams, food and water distribution sites, and medical care for the injured. There is still much work to be done.
One week later, following a major aftershock, the death toll keeps rising. There may well be more than 100,000 fatalities. Among the dead is a long-time partner in relief efforts, Sam Dixon, executive director of United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR). Our hearts are heavy, yet inspired by the daring and faithful service of so many people. Despite the overwhelming circumstances and even threat of personal danger, God’s love is made incarnate by the courageous and compassionate work of God’s people.
PDA staff member Carlos Cardenas reports from Port-au-Prince that shortages of fuel and transportation create extra challenges to the already overwhelming challenge of receiving and delivering food, water, and medical supplies.
Jean Zaché Duracin, who leads the PC(USA)’s partner church in Haiti, is living in a tent city in Port-au-Prince. Duracin, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, rejected offers to be evacuated after his home crumbled in the earthquake. He vowed to “stay with my people,” the Episcopal News Service reported. Given the extremely limed resources at the moment, the bishop urges American congregations to have patience with regard to sending large volumes of volunteers at this time. Every outside volunteer places a demand on resources, fuel, food and water that is desperately needed by the earthquake survivors right now. Those who do have a passion to serve are encouraged to register their interest so that we can contact you when the situation is stable and appropriate.
Jean Zaché Duracin, who leads the PC(USA)’s partner church in Haiti, is living in a tent city in Port-au-Prince. Duracin, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, rejected offers to be evacuated after his home crumbled in the earthquake. He vowed to “stay with my people,” the Episcopal News Service reported. Given the extremely limed resources at the moment, the bishop urges American congregations to have patience with regard to sending large volumes of volunteers at this time. Every outside volunteer places a demand on resources, fuel, food and water that is desperately needed by the earthquake survivors right now. Those who do have a passion to serve are encouraged to register their interest so that we can contact you when the situation is stable and appropriate.
The Episcopal cathedral is gone. Schools and hospitals are destroyed. Government buildings are in ruins. With so many symbols of safety and security destroyed the people search for signs of hope. Mark Hare, PC(USA) mission co-worker to Haiti, writes:
Port au Prince has been deeply wounded. The whole country will be deeply affected. I have no answers for any of these problems. Just the reminder that I felt, again, this morning while reading the [Mission] Yearbook [for Prayer & Study], that our God is a God of hope, that despair has already been defeated, and [that] now is the time to face what has happened and to act, act out of that hope and not out of despair. I don't have any idea what that will mean. But our God is up to the task. Pray for us, that we will also be up to the task.
Yes. Our God is up to the task. Pray that we will all be up to the task.
Join Presbyterian Disaster Assistance in the relief efforts. As God’s people we are called to stand in the “GAP” — GIVE. ACT. PRAY.
Give — Financial support for relief efforts can be made online and designated to DR000064. Gifts can also be made by phone at (800) 872-3283, and checks can be mailed to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700.Act — Prepare for a special worship service in your congregation using the hymn, bulletin inserts and other worship resources available from PDA. Congregations and individuals can also put together hygiene kits and baby kits to be distributed through Church World Service.Pray — Join with others in lifting up the people of Haiti and those seeking to provide aid in this critical time. As the eyes of the world turn to Haiti, let us join our hearts in prayer.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Torrential Rain in Peru
Several areas in the Andes Mountains and jungle areas of Peru were severely impacted by torrential rains during the week of January 18, 2010. On Monday, January 18th, torrential rains in the state of Ayacucho caused widespread damage and some deaths. The following letter, from Pastor Samuel Montes, President of the Presbytery of Huanta, was sent to Sara Armstrong and Rusty Edmondson, PC(USA) Delegations and Partnerships Coordinators in Peru. We thank Sara and Rusty for their translation of Samuel’s letter and for informing us of the disaster that has affected our brothers and sisters in Peru. Sharon Presbyterian Church will be responding with financial assistance during the week of January 25, 2010. Please keep these precious people in your thoughts and prayers.BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST AND FRIENDS. January 19, 2010
This week, the Andean and jungle regions of Peru are being hard hit by heavy rains, affecting thousands of the most humble and poorest families and their homes.
Yesterday, the province of Huanta, in the Ayacucho Region of Peru, was hit by torrential rain that lasted a little over 5 hours, from 4:30 PM until 9:40 PM. According to the telephone calls received by Radio Amauta from affected people and the findings of Radio Amauta Radio emergency personnel, the rains and subsequent flooding left at least 350 homes severely damaged. The walls, mostly made of adobe brick, were severely damaged by water. In some areas of the city of Huanta, drainage/sewage systems collapsed. We had a report about 10:00 AM this morning that 46 houses (for migrant families) located on the outskirts of Huanta were destroyed. According to reports of the authorities, more than 80 houses of the poorest families (widows, and single mothers), are uninhabitable in the rural communities of Huayrapampa, Aranhuay, Cercan, Pucara, Chocco Wichqa, Razuhuillca and Tanauasi. Vast areas of crops and orchards are affected. Roads are impassible due to landslides.
For our part at Radio Amauta, we are participating in the relief, helping families, making announcements by radio, letting the public know the painful news, and airing their complaints to the authorities. We also publicly acknowledge that, in some cases, the affected people must recognize their errors. They constructed their homes in river courses. There has been negligence in constructing drains inside and outside the city.
During yesterday’s rains, from early in the morning, Radio Amauta has been an essential means of communication with family members who left Huanta to go to work. It is urgent that they come back to rescue some of their belongings.
In Huayanay, a community of the state of Huancavelica, 5 people were reported missing in mudslides caused by the rains. At this moment, they are still searching for two bodies. There are hundreds of families at risk.
Actions in Solidarity with the Suffering:
At this moment there are hundreds of residents working to recover some belongings from the rubble. The municipal authorities and civil defense, are serving, cleaning affected houses and redirecting/ channeling rivers. Many are giving food to those most affected. The Governor of the state of Huanta announced that some materials to build new homes would be provided. But due to the magnitude of damage caused by the rains, families in rural areas are calling and reaching out to us. Mostly they are asking for repairs to the roofs of their homes so they can move back in. They desperately need roofing panels (“calaminas”). All morning they have called the radio station from their communities, asking for help with donations of roofing panels. They were calling because they woke up exposed to the elements, along with their minor children who are affected by respiratory diseases.
Emergency Proposal:
Radio Amauta, together with the Presbytery of Huanta, (of the Evangelical Presbyterian and Reformed Church of Peru), intends to provide support according to our means. We also ask for help. The priority is at least 1,000 calaminas to help at least 80 families (mostly widows and abandoned/single mothers) in rural areas. The cost of a single roofing panel is S/.14 (about US$5.00).
Pastor Samuel Montes
President
Presbytery of Huanta
This week, the Andean and jungle regions of Peru are being hard hit by heavy rains, affecting thousands of the most humble and poorest families and their homes.
Yesterday, the province of Huanta, in the Ayacucho Region of Peru, was hit by torrential rain that lasted a little over 5 hours, from 4:30 PM until 9:40 PM. According to the telephone calls received by Radio Amauta from affected people and the findings of Radio Amauta Radio emergency personnel, the rains and subsequent flooding left at least 350 homes severely damaged. The walls, mostly made of adobe brick, were severely damaged by water. In some areas of the city of Huanta, drainage/sewage systems collapsed. We had a report about 10:00 AM this morning that 46 houses (for migrant families) located on the outskirts of Huanta were destroyed. According to reports of the authorities, more than 80 houses of the poorest families (widows, and single mothers), are uninhabitable in the rural communities of Huayrapampa, Aranhuay, Cercan, Pucara, Chocco Wichqa, Razuhuillca and Tanauasi. Vast areas of crops and orchards are affected. Roads are impassible due to landslides.
For our part at Radio Amauta, we are participating in the relief, helping families, making announcements by radio, letting the public know the painful news, and airing their complaints to the authorities. We also publicly acknowledge that, in some cases, the affected people must recognize their errors. They constructed their homes in river courses. There has been negligence in constructing drains inside and outside the city.
During yesterday’s rains, from early in the morning, Radio Amauta has been an essential means of communication with family members who left Huanta to go to work. It is urgent that they come back to rescue some of their belongings.
In Huayanay, a community of the state of Huancavelica, 5 people were reported missing in mudslides caused by the rains. At this moment, they are still searching for two bodies. There are hundreds of families at risk.
Actions in Solidarity with the Suffering:
At this moment there are hundreds of residents working to recover some belongings from the rubble. The municipal authorities and civil defense, are serving, cleaning affected houses and redirecting/ channeling rivers. Many are giving food to those most affected. The Governor of the state of Huanta announced that some materials to build new homes would be provided. But due to the magnitude of damage caused by the rains, families in rural areas are calling and reaching out to us. Mostly they are asking for repairs to the roofs of their homes so they can move back in. They desperately need roofing panels (“calaminas”). All morning they have called the radio station from their communities, asking for help with donations of roofing panels. They were calling because they woke up exposed to the elements, along with their minor children who are affected by respiratory diseases.
Emergency Proposal:
Radio Amauta, together with the Presbytery of Huanta, (of the Evangelical Presbyterian and Reformed Church of Peru), intends to provide support according to our means. We also ask for help. The priority is at least 1,000 calaminas to help at least 80 families (mostly widows and abandoned/single mothers) in rural areas. The cost of a single roofing panel is S/.14 (about US$5.00).
Pastor Samuel Montes
President
Presbytery of Huanta
Earth's Cruelty Rains Down on Haiti
Sometimes, the earth is cruel.
That is ultimately the fundamental lesson here, as children wail, families sleep out of doors, and the dead lie unclaimed in the rubble that once was Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Sometimes the rains fall and will not stop. Sometimes the skies turn barren and will not rain. Sometimes the seas rise and smack the shoreline like a fist. Sometimes the wind bullies the land. And sometimes, the land rattles and heaves and splits itself in two.
Sometimes, the earth is cruel.
And always, when it is, we do the same thing. We dig ourselves out. We weep and mourn, we recover and memorialize the dead, we rebuild our homes. And we go on. This is the price of being human. And also, arguably, the noblest expression.
Sometimes, the earth is cruel, and you have no choice but to accept that as part of the bargain called life. And when it is your turn to deal with it, you do.
But what if it’s always your turn?
Surely some homeless, dust-streaked Haitian can be forgiven for thinking it is always Haiti’s turn, just days after the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere saw its capital city smashed by the strongest earthquake it has ever known, a 7.0-magnitude monster. Surely, the rest of us watching from afar, experiencing tragedy and devastation from the comfort of desk chairs and living room couches, are tempted to believe the same thing.
Bad enough, Haiti is wretchedly poor. Bad enough it has a history of political instability and colonialism, of being ignored by the major powers when it is not being exploited by them. Bad enough, all that, yet at the end of the day, those are disasters authored by human hands, by human greed, human corruption, human economic predation.
Sometimes, though, you have to wonder if the planet itself is not conspiring against this humble little nation.
After 1994, when Tropical Storm Gordon killed several hundred people, after 1998, when Hurricane Georges swept away more than 500 lives, after 2004, when the rains of Tropical Storm Jeanne claimed more than 2,000 souls, after 2005, when Hurricane Dennis took 25 lives in July and Tropical Storm Alpha snatched 17 in October, followed by Hurricane Wilma, which stole 11 more, after the double whammy of Hurricanes Fay and Gustav in 2008 killed more than 130 people and destroyed 3,100 homes, after all that, comes this latest insult — and a death toll officials cannot begin to even imagine. Perhaps as many as 100,000, they were saying on Wednesday.
Sometimes, the earth is cruel. To crawl the planet’s skin, scanning for tornadoes in Oklahoma, charting storm tracks in Florida, running from wildfires in California, is to understand this in a primal, personal way. It is to breathe a prayer that begins, “There, but for the grace of God ...” It is to write relief checks, donate blood, volunteer material and time and to fear, even in the doing, that these gestures are small against the need, inconsequential against the ache of a people whose turn seems never to end.
But what else are you going to do? As the playwright put it, your arms too short to box with God. Even less have we the ability to answer the question that burns the moment: Why are the most vulnerable repeatedly assessed the highest price?
We are hamstrung by our own limitations, so we can only do what we always do, only send prayers and help. And watch, staggered by the courage it takes, as Haitians do what human beings always do, the thing at which they have become so terribly practiced.
Dig out. Weep and mourn. Memorialize the dead. Rebuild. Go on. And show the world once again a stubborn insistence on living, despite all the cruelties of the earth.
Leonard Pitts Jr., winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for commentary, is a columnist for the Miami Herald. His email address is lpitts@miamiherald.com.Haitian Personnel Update
That is ultimately the fundamental lesson here, as children wail, families sleep out of doors, and the dead lie unclaimed in the rubble that once was Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Sometimes the rains fall and will not stop. Sometimes the skies turn barren and will not rain. Sometimes the seas rise and smack the shoreline like a fist. Sometimes the wind bullies the land. And sometimes, the land rattles and heaves and splits itself in two.
Sometimes, the earth is cruel.
And always, when it is, we do the same thing. We dig ourselves out. We weep and mourn, we recover and memorialize the dead, we rebuild our homes. And we go on. This is the price of being human. And also, arguably, the noblest expression.
Sometimes, the earth is cruel, and you have no choice but to accept that as part of the bargain called life. And when it is your turn to deal with it, you do.
But what if it’s always your turn?
Surely some homeless, dust-streaked Haitian can be forgiven for thinking it is always Haiti’s turn, just days after the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere saw its capital city smashed by the strongest earthquake it has ever known, a 7.0-magnitude monster. Surely, the rest of us watching from afar, experiencing tragedy and devastation from the comfort of desk chairs and living room couches, are tempted to believe the same thing.
Bad enough, Haiti is wretchedly poor. Bad enough it has a history of political instability and colonialism, of being ignored by the major powers when it is not being exploited by them. Bad enough, all that, yet at the end of the day, those are disasters authored by human hands, by human greed, human corruption, human economic predation.
Sometimes, though, you have to wonder if the planet itself is not conspiring against this humble little nation.
After 1994, when Tropical Storm Gordon killed several hundred people, after 1998, when Hurricane Georges swept away more than 500 lives, after 2004, when the rains of Tropical Storm Jeanne claimed more than 2,000 souls, after 2005, when Hurricane Dennis took 25 lives in July and Tropical Storm Alpha snatched 17 in October, followed by Hurricane Wilma, which stole 11 more, after the double whammy of Hurricanes Fay and Gustav in 2008 killed more than 130 people and destroyed 3,100 homes, after all that, comes this latest insult — and a death toll officials cannot begin to even imagine. Perhaps as many as 100,000, they were saying on Wednesday.
Sometimes, the earth is cruel. To crawl the planet’s skin, scanning for tornadoes in Oklahoma, charting storm tracks in Florida, running from wildfires in California, is to understand this in a primal, personal way. It is to breathe a prayer that begins, “There, but for the grace of God ...” It is to write relief checks, donate blood, volunteer material and time and to fear, even in the doing, that these gestures are small against the need, inconsequential against the ache of a people whose turn seems never to end.
But what else are you going to do? As the playwright put it, your arms too short to box with God. Even less have we the ability to answer the question that burns the moment: Why are the most vulnerable repeatedly assessed the highest price?
We are hamstrung by our own limitations, so we can only do what we always do, only send prayers and help. And watch, staggered by the courage it takes, as Haitians do what human beings always do, the thing at which they have become so terribly practiced.
Dig out. Weep and mourn. Memorialize the dead. Rebuild. Go on. And show the world once again a stubborn insistence on living, despite all the cruelties of the earth.
Leonard Pitts Jr., winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for commentary, is a columnist for the Miami Herald. His email address is lpitts@miamiherald.com.Haitian Personnel Update
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Mission Trip 2010
For those interested in participating in the 2010 Adult Mission Trip to Peru, the trip is scheduled to take place from Friday, July 30 to Sunday, August 8, 2010. Links to trip information and applications or may be picked up from the Peru Mission Trip mailbox located outside the Choir Room in the Sharon Church Sanctuary.
If you are interested in learning more about the trip, please contact Randy Ross at (704) 552-5573 or mrandallross@aol.com.
If you are interested in learning more about the trip, please contact Randy Ross at (704) 552-5573 or mrandallross@aol.com.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Advent Devotion
Zechariah 4:1-14; Psalm 18:1-20, 62, 126, 147:12-20; Revelation 4:9 – 5:5; Matthew 25:1-13"For God alone my soul waits in silence; from Him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.” Psalm 62:1–2“During Advent we anticipate and celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In modern-day culture Christmas has become a season of consumption. As Christmas approaches we face many choices regarding shopping, schedules and more. In addition to consumer dilemmas we are faced with spiritual dilemmas. On one hand we want to observe Advent and wait for the Christ child; on the other we want to shop and wrap and bake and run ourselves ragged with all the trimmings.”*
I find myself facing my own spiritual dilemma this year. My thoughts and prayers are 3,400 miles south, focused on my Peruvian brothers and sisters in the Presbytery of Huanta, Peru.
I was blessed to participate in the 2008 and 2009 mission trips to Huanta sponsored by Sharon Church. Huanta is located in the Ayacucho Province of Peru, high in the Andes Mountains. This province was the center of the political violence that struck Peru from 1980 until 2000. By official accounts, over 60,000 Peruvians lost their lives or disappeared at the hands of Shining Path terrorists and the Peruvian military.
Several members of the Presbytery lost loved ones during this conflict. At one church in the Presbytery, six deacons were taken by terrorists from their modest sanctuary during their Sunday morning worship service, marched behind the sanctuary and shot. This year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of their deaths. The simple but poignant tribute to this anniversary, consisting of a banner with their pictures and rocks painted with messages of peace, hope and love, was proudly displayed in the lobby of Radio Amauta this summer. It was a sight I will never forget.
What saw these precious people through these horrible times? What was the source of their inner strength? I posed these very questions to Samuel Montes, President of the Presbytery this past summer. His simple answer, “God saw us through the toughest times in our lives. He is alive and among us. God is our rock and our salvation.”
Our Peruvian brothers and sisters will celebrate the Advent season modestly, but firmly rooted in the infinite joy of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Am I or are they the more blessed?
I wish you a joyous Advent season centered in the peace, hope, love and joy that the birth of our Lord and Savior brings to each of us.Almighty God, the birth of your Son is yet another example that You are indeed our rock, our fortress and our salvation. We celebrate this wondrous event with joy with our brothers and sisters around the world. Grant us peace and comfort in the knowledge that you will always be with us. We offer this simple prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Randy Ross
* From the PC (USA)’s Just Living Series, “Ideas for Reclaiming Advent and Christmas”
I find myself facing my own spiritual dilemma this year. My thoughts and prayers are 3,400 miles south, focused on my Peruvian brothers and sisters in the Presbytery of Huanta, Peru.
I was blessed to participate in the 2008 and 2009 mission trips to Huanta sponsored by Sharon Church. Huanta is located in the Ayacucho Province of Peru, high in the Andes Mountains. This province was the center of the political violence that struck Peru from 1980 until 2000. By official accounts, over 60,000 Peruvians lost their lives or disappeared at the hands of Shining Path terrorists and the Peruvian military.
Several members of the Presbytery lost loved ones during this conflict. At one church in the Presbytery, six deacons were taken by terrorists from their modest sanctuary during their Sunday morning worship service, marched behind the sanctuary and shot. This year marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of their deaths. The simple but poignant tribute to this anniversary, consisting of a banner with their pictures and rocks painted with messages of peace, hope and love, was proudly displayed in the lobby of Radio Amauta this summer. It was a sight I will never forget.
What saw these precious people through these horrible times? What was the source of their inner strength? I posed these very questions to Samuel Montes, President of the Presbytery this past summer. His simple answer, “God saw us through the toughest times in our lives. He is alive and among us. God is our rock and our salvation.”
Our Peruvian brothers and sisters will celebrate the Advent season modestly, but firmly rooted in the infinite joy of the birth of Jesus Christ.
Am I or are they the more blessed?
I wish you a joyous Advent season centered in the peace, hope, love and joy that the birth of our Lord and Savior brings to each of us.Almighty God, the birth of your Son is yet another example that You are indeed our rock, our fortress and our salvation. We celebrate this wondrous event with joy with our brothers and sisters around the world. Grant us peace and comfort in the knowledge that you will always be with us. We offer this simple prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Randy Ross
* From the PC (USA)’s Just Living Series, “Ideas for Reclaiming Advent and Christmas”
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Anticipation
I woke up on December 13, 2009, more excited than I’ve ever been in my entire life. Today was the day that Brenda Paredes would come to Charlotte
The idea of Brenda coming to stay with us started when we were still in After months of planning and working out arrangements, we were beginning to finalize Brenda’s travel arrangements. But it was so far out, it seemed like eternity would pass before December 13, 2009 arrived. Of course, there was one “little” roadblock.
Brenda had to get a Visa from the Embassy before she could come to the States. Everyone was so nervous, but we prayed and prayed and prayed. Finally, the day came where Brenda would be going to the Embassy.
I was on vacation in Florida
Brenda and I were good friends through our mission trip, but over 6 months, Brenda has become more than a best friend to me-she is a sister, or “hermana”.
Sarah Ross
Sunday, December 6, 2009
She Has Arrived!
On Sunday, December 20, 2009, we will welcome Brenda Paredes to Sharon Church. Brenda accompanied participants on the 2009 Sharon Church Adult Mission Trip to Huanta, Peru. She worked alongside participants, translating for the group and providing invaluable insights into the culture and customs of the Andean people of Peru. She will spend approximately three months with Sharon Church’s youth as an assistant youth advisor, and is sponsored jointly by the Ministries of World Service, Christian Education, and Church Administration. A native of Peru, Brenda is nineteen years old and is in the third year of a five year program at Cesar Vallejo University in Lima. She is studying to become a translator in Spanish, English and French. She lives in Lima with her parents and a younger brother and sister. She is a member of Amen Presbyterian Church, where she also serves as a teacher and leader for pre-school and elementary school aged children. Please extend a very warm Sharon Church welcome to Brenda. Take time to get to know this incredibly special young lady. Brenda is thrilled for the opportunity to meet and spend time with the rest of her Sharon Church family.
Questions regarding Brenda’s time at Sharon Church can be directed to Randy Ross at 704-552-5573 or mrandallross@aol.com.
Questions regarding Brenda’s time at Sharon Church can be directed to Randy Ross at 704-552-5573 or mrandallross@aol.com.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Radio AMAUTA
We were fortunate to find a podcast within the Joining Hands Network website. One aspect of the work of the Joining Hands Network is the Bridge of Hope Fair Trade Program. They are members of the Peruvian Fair Trade Network. All support just and fair trade with Peru and the United States.
- The Fair Trade Network and it's history in brief.
- A short history of Radio AMAUTA in Huanta, from our friend Samuel Montes.
- The struggles of equality and human injustices that exist in parts of Peru.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
A Time For Thanksgiving
During this Thanksgiving season, remember how fortunate we are at Sharon Presbyterian to be able to freely worship here at home and in other countries. Because of the planning and leadership, profound impressions have been made on many that have participated in the mission trips. The work of the leadership that have taken up the cause is humbling. The planning of mission trips has become a year 'round quest. We're sure that there is not a day that goes by that someone, somewhere has thought of our next mission trip. Already, we have prayer shawls being made, crafts are being prepared, time off of work or school is being planned and sale papers are being gleaned for that perfect gift for the Peruvian children. The realization of the time and talents of planning these trips has not gone unnoticed. We give thanks to Randy Ross for his talents and his leadership.
Please remember our missionary friends that are in other countries. They have accepted the challenge, taken up their cross and changed their lives to spread the word of Jesus Christ. We think how hard it is for a group of us to take a mission trip to a foreign country. And we only go for a few days! How much love, spirit and faith does it take to go for a lifetime? With their courage and service we think of Matthew 25:21... "Well done, good and faithful servant!..." Please look to the bottom left of this blog and take a few minutes to view the newsletters from just a few of our missionaries.
We are thankful for our friends in Peru who's names are at the bottom of this blog page and on our Prayer Requests list. They are friends, they are love, they are grace, they are God's spirit and they are members of God's family... and we are blessed for meeting them.
Monday, October 19, 2009
October Update
Dear Mission Trip Participants:
Van, Sarah and I had a video/audio conference Saturday morning (10/17) with Sara, Rusty and Samuel via Skype. I wanted to share some of that conversation with each of you. After seeing and speaking to our Peruvian partners, I wanted to begin planning our 2010 trip!
Samuel traveled from Huanta to Lima Friday night (yes, via bus!) to visit his daughter Yesenia and to attend a conference on the effects of deforestation in the Peruvian jungle. He met with Sara and Rusty early Saturday morning to help Sara finish the translation of the proposal for the Biblical Institute that was presented to Pastor Adrian Fernandez during our trip. As soon as I receive the translation from Sara I will pass it along to you.
Samuel asked that I send each of you greetings from all the members of the Presbytery of Huanta and to again thank you for the many gifts to the Presbytery and the Biblical Institute. He specifically asked me to tell you that the gift of your physical presence in Huanta has left a lasting mark. Samuel expressed his hope that each of you and those who visited last year but not this year will visit Huanta again.
Samuel reported that three new church groups in the mountain region have been formed since we were in Huanta. These new groups are in the process of building churches and they need benches! He asked (and I think-or at least I hope-he was half joking) if we were up to assembling 200 benches in 2010. Samuel was elected to serve in a leadership capacity in the Evangelical and Reformed Prebyterian Church of Peru (the "IEPRP") a couple of months before our trip. He has been traveling throughout Peru (Sara and Rusty have accompanied him on some of these trips) meeting with other Presbytery leaders and congregations. He told us that the love that he has received from his brothers and sisters at Sharon Church is helping him to love his brothers and sisters in other IEPRP Presbyteries.
Samuel has lost 12 pounds since our trip as he is trying to keep his diabetes in check. He looked and sounded energized and healthy. I told him that we would continue to pray for all our Peruvian Presbyterian brothers and sisters.
On a slightly different note, I think most (if not all) of you know that Sharon Church has extended an offer to Brenda Paredes to work with Sharon's youth during her three month summer break from school, basically from mid-December 2009 to mid-March 2010. Brenda has applied to the U.S. Embassy for a work/study visa and her interview is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2009. Please keep Brenda in your thoughts and prayers as securing a visa to visit the United States is often a stressful and sometimes illogical experience.
Finally, Rusty has started his own blog about his experiences in Peru. I would invite each of you to visit his blog where I think you will gain an appreciation of the sacrifices that both he and Sara have made to serve the Lord in Peru. Link to Rusty's blog.
Thanks all.
Randy
Van, Sarah and I had a video/audio conference Saturday morning (10/17) with Sara, Rusty and Samuel via Skype. I wanted to share some of that conversation with each of you. After seeing and speaking to our Peruvian partners, I wanted to begin planning our 2010 trip!
Samuel traveled from Huanta to Lima Friday night (yes, via bus!) to visit his daughter Yesenia and to attend a conference on the effects of deforestation in the Peruvian jungle. He met with Sara and Rusty early Saturday morning to help Sara finish the translation of the proposal for the Biblical Institute that was presented to Pastor Adrian Fernandez during our trip. As soon as I receive the translation from Sara I will pass it along to you.
Samuel asked that I send each of you greetings from all the members of the Presbytery of Huanta and to again thank you for the many gifts to the Presbytery and the Biblical Institute. He specifically asked me to tell you that the gift of your physical presence in Huanta has left a lasting mark. Samuel expressed his hope that each of you and those who visited last year but not this year will visit Huanta again.
Samuel reported that three new church groups in the mountain region have been formed since we were in Huanta. These new groups are in the process of building churches and they need benches! He asked (and I think-or at least I hope-he was half joking) if we were up to assembling 200 benches in 2010. Samuel was elected to serve in a leadership capacity in the Evangelical and Reformed Prebyterian Church of Peru (the "IEPRP") a couple of months before our trip. He has been traveling throughout Peru (Sara and Rusty have accompanied him on some of these trips) meeting with other Presbytery leaders and congregations. He told us that the love that he has received from his brothers and sisters at Sharon Church is helping him to love his brothers and sisters in other IEPRP Presbyteries.
Samuel has lost 12 pounds since our trip as he is trying to keep his diabetes in check. He looked and sounded energized and healthy. I told him that we would continue to pray for all our Peruvian Presbyterian brothers and sisters.
On a slightly different note, I think most (if not all) of you know that Sharon Church has extended an offer to Brenda Paredes to work with Sharon's youth during her three month summer break from school, basically from mid-December 2009 to mid-March 2010. Brenda has applied to the U.S. Embassy for a work/study visa and her interview is scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2009. Please keep Brenda in your thoughts and prayers as securing a visa to visit the United States is often a stressful and sometimes illogical experience.
Finally, Rusty has started his own blog about his experiences in Peru. I would invite each of you to visit his blog where I think you will gain an appreciation of the sacrifices that both he and Sara have made to serve the Lord in Peru. Link to Rusty's blog.
Thanks all.
Randy
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Presbytery of Huanta Letter
Here is the link to a document from the Presbytery of Huanta to Sharon Presbyterian Church expressing gratitude for our recent visit. Thank you to Sara Armstong for the translation.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Devotions & Reflections
Each evening on our recent Peru trip we had a devotion and a time for reflection. The devotion was a quiet time to listen, be still, think and pray.
During Reflections, we had time to speak about the day or the day's events. It was a time of questions, sharing of thoughts and ideas. Below are some of the challenges and thoughts that we expressed:
During Reflections, we had time to speak about the day or the day's events. It was a time of questions, sharing of thoughts and ideas. Below are some of the challenges and thoughts that we expressed:
- How could we get Sharon Presbyterian involved and excited?
- How can we express to the members of Sharon how it feels to travel to another part of the world?
- How can we share what we have seen?
- How can we help our members understand the hardships, struggles and poverty of other countries?
- How can we express the love and God's spirit that we have seen and received?
- We feel that it is important to return to Peru. How can we explain why?
- In the future, members from Huanta and Charlotte working together at another church that is in need.
- Sharing of prayer requests.
- Invite Huanta members to be missionaries to Sharon Presbyterian.
- Pray for those that made, gave and received the prayer shawls.
- The ability to view this blog in Spanish.
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