5–9 OCTOBER 2020
Prayerlines M 5 OCT // GUATEMALA
MISSION NEWS ast
irut after the bl
Clearing up in Be
Mark and Rosalie Balfour provide pastoral support for Street Kids Direct workers in Central America. They ask for prayer to know how best to support and love friends and church family who have lost loved ones as a result of the virus.
T 6 OCT // CHILE Local partner Gabriel Parra, church planting in Playa Ancha, Valparaiso, asks for prayer for the church missionary communities to continue to be active, fervent and winsome. Pray for more people to join these communities and for them to become a firm base for planting churches.
W 7 OCT // BRAZIL Pray for God to continue to use Daniel and Sarah Brito Medeiros to build friendships among local church leaders as part of their calling to minister to local children who have suffered trauma and abuse. Pray for God to use friendships to open doors into churches so Daniel can advocate for adoption of children into loving families.
Th 8 OCT // SPAIN Latin American local partner Noel Diaz is pastor of a small congregation in Zaragoza. Earlier this year, Noel and his team started sharing daily audio devotionals through WhatsApp and email, and hundreds of people have signed up. Pray for God to meet powerfully with each person listening to these audio devotionals.
F 9 OCT // PERU Paul and Sarah Tester, leading the development of CMS’s work in Latin America, ask for prayer for the building of community among CMS people in mission in the region and for continued sensitivity to the Spirit’s leading in the 4 shaping of CMS’s mission in and from Latin America.
Audrey Gibson helps to prepare food for those on the front line of the clean-up operat ion
BEYOND THE BLAST: SHARING JESUS’ LOVE IN LEBANON Amid chaos, confusion, grief and anger following the explosion in Beirut on 4 August 2020, CMS mission partners have been sharing the hope of Jesus. “It seems impossible that Lebanon will ever be the same,” say Phil and Sylvie Good, who worked with Resurrection Church Beirut to raise funds for relief in the city. “[T]he thousands of people who heard the screams and saw the blood are still processing what has happened… people are feeling very sad and… angry.” The Goods, along with Audrey and Colin Gibson who work with LSESD (Lebanese Society for Educational and Social Development), report that many want to leave the country, as political instability, coronavirus and economic collapse were already burdensome before the blast. Despair has deepened among the traditionally resilient, resourceful population. The Goods and the Gibsons ask for prayer for the Church in
Lebanon as they comfort the broken-hearted. Reporting from the frontlines of the clean up a week after the explosion, Audrey said: “…nearly all the work is being done by volunteers…. Churches, other faith groups and multiple NGOs are doing what they can – from sweeping up glass to handing out food…. [The scene] was truly appalling. As well as practical support some of the team offered to pray with people and were giving out audio Bibles to those who wanted them.” LSESD is now offering trauma recovery services for children and adults. In choosing to stay and minister among Lebanese people and Syrian refugees in the country, the Goods and the Gibsons have sought to demonstrate the faithful presence of Jesus: “We bring a simple message that Jesus comes to us and dwells among us and brings us life and hope and will move us towards justice and peace,” says Phil.
