The Joy of Giving

As we travel to visit others during mission trips, we are amazed and humbled by the outpouring of interest, support and prayers of those who physically stay behind. One Sharon Presbyterian ministry that quietly supports the annual mission trip to Peru is the Prayer Shawl Ministry. Members of this ministry began making prayer shawls and church pew seat cushions for our precious sisters in Huanta in 2009.

We only wish that the ladies that make the prayer shawls and cushions could witness in person the joy and blessings that the fruits of their time and talent bring to the good people of Huanta.

Special Prayer Requests

• Pastor Juan Martin Escuza and his wife Demetria Montes who was injured in a bus rollover in the Andes in January.
• Pray for the communities of the Andes Mountains as rainy season, which has just begun, devastates the region with flooding, destruction of crops, buildings and transportation networks.
• Pray for the communities as they work together to alleviate disasters. Just in the state of Cuzco 4,689 homes are destroyed, nine bridges are ruined and 40,000 acres of crops have been lost.
• Pray for the family of Pastor Samuel Montes (Vice President of the national IEPRP church) whose home was flooded.
• Pray for the daughter of Pastor Gaspar Huiche (Light & Life Church) whose house was washed away.

From Peruvian Bridges

News From Our Friend Samuel Montes

Samuel Montes recently resigned as director of Radio Amauta. He has also “rotated off” as President of the Presbytery of Huanta. Samuel remains a member of the Junta Directiva (the governing council) of the Presbytery and he will continue to coordinate the activities of mission delegations. In this capacity, Samuel will be actively (and no doubt enthusiastically!) involved in Sharon Presbyterian Church’s 2010 mission trip to Huanta.

Samuel also remains a member of the Junta Directiva of the national church, the Evangelical Presbyterian and Reformed Church of Peru (the “IEPRP”).

Change is often unsettling but nonetheless inevitable. Sharon Church has certainly experienced its share of change in recent years. And yet, despite change and the associated uncertainty, Jesus Christ remains the head of the church. The grace of our Lord endures and His work must go on.

When Sharon Church began its relationship with the Presbytery of Huanta just a mere two years ago, it was based on the hope and understanding that the relationship would be one in which TOGETHER we would share in good times and bad times, feast and famine, togetherness and separation, hope and despair, sunshine and rain, joy and pain. It is my hope that our relationship with the Presbytery will continue and be strengthened.

I found inspiration and comfort in Samuel’s words in the letter that follows. I hope and trust you will too.

Please join me in keeping our precious brothers and sisters in the Presbytery of Huanta and especially the Montes family in our thoughts and prayers.

Randy Ross


Huanta, Peru
February 16, 2010
Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Thank you very much for the donation to the Presbytery of Huanta which allowed the Presbytery to purchase calaminas (corrugated metal roofing panels). During Sara Armstrong’s and Rusty Edmondson’s recent visit to Huanta, we took the opportunity to distribute 600 calaminas directly to the beneficiaries of your donation, or to their local churches.

As you may have heard, I am no longer the President of the Presbytery. The new leadership asked me to assist with the distribution of the calaminas, a basic and humble task. We have completed the distribution of the calaminas to those most in need; the elderly, widows and others who lost their houses in the recent rains, floods and mudslides.

Leaders of the local churches will be responsible for motivating their congregations to build homes for the elderly and widows in their communities. This is another way the churches can think about meeting the needs of the poor. The president of each church session collected the materials and then will undertake to build the houses and report back to the Presbytery on their construction progress.

The churches which received materials on behalf of their members are: Light and Life (7 houses), Cristo Rey (3 houses), Aranhuay (5 houses), Ccantuyucc (5 houses), Hatun Rumi (3 houses), Choccewichqa (5 houses), Chula (4 houses) and Pucara (5 houses). The Presbytery is committed to deliver a final report by the end of July 2010.

Once again, thank you for your love and solidarity with our churches. Thank you for your prayers for me, my family, and my concerns about my employment status. I am not alone; I have my brothers and sisters everywhere thinking of me and a great God to continue guiding me. I know the Lord has a purpose for me although I cannot understand it at this moment. I am very happy and at peace because I am in the hands of God.

No matter what happens, we will still be together again as a family in August in Huanta. I love you all very much. Greetings to all my brothers and sisters at Sharon Presbyterian Church, especially those who have traveled here to be with us and most of all to my brother Randy and his family. Randy, your words inspire me to continue supporting the church.

Hugs,
Pastor Samuel Montes

God's Mission Matters

How many times have we participated in a mission trip and felt that "we just didn't get anything done"? This month in Mission Crossroads PC(USA), Hunter Farrell, PC(USA) Director of World Missions, explains "Just be there! Being, not doing..." should be our true mission.

Also listen to this month's edition of "God’s Mission Matters" and hear stories by Doug Welch, former mission worker in Congo for 20 years and current Associate Director in Presbyterian World Mission, and Rob Fohr, former Young Adult Volunteer to Argentina.

We often try to persuade other church members to join mission trips because "you receive much more than you can possibly give". That is always true, on every visit.

Mission members usually don't get satisfaction by the building or repair. The receipt of satisfaction and blessings come by the interaction, the working side by side, the giving, the heartfelt thanks, the worship and the sharing with our hosts.

ACT Alliance in Haiti

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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”

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 and stay with me for 3 months. She hadn’t even arrived yet, and I already didn’t want her to leave.

The idea of Brenda coming to stay with us started when we were still in Peru. We were talking about her coming to NC just as a wild idea. But as we were talking about all of the things that could take place, we realized these possibilities could become realities. By the end of the trip, we were willing to do whatever we could to make that “wild idea” achievable.

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 while the process of getting a Visa was taking place, and the only time I could talk to Brenda was on Facebook, once a day. Every night, I would sign on to see if Brenda had updated her profile-and it had been days since she had. I was so nervous, by then I thought there was no hope. But something was telling me to pray at that moment-so I complied. Later that night, Brenda messaged me and told me she got her Visa.

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

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.

Brenda's Picture Album

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 podcast has 3 segments:

1. The Fair Trade Network and it's history in brief.
   
2. A short history of Radio AMAUTA in Huanta, from our friend Samuel Montes.
   
3. The struggles of equality and human injustices that exist in parts of Peru.
   
   For those that are having trouble with the audio link of the site, here is the link to the podcast in a text version.

We would like to thank Alexandra Buck, Joe Tobiason, Sarah Chancelor, Alissa King and Samuel Montes for their hard work and dedication to these projects.