Dear Ones,
We have so much to be grateful for in the midst of so much chaos in the world around us.
CHILE--
Coming fast on the heels of the earthquake devastation in Haiti was another, even stronger, in Chile. Fr Salvador, who works in southern Peru in Arequipa, was able to get in touch with his wife and daughter who were returning to Santiago for the start of Macarena's school year. Fellow SAMS-USA missionaries Russ and Heidi Smith, their children, and Chris Feuillade are safe. The SAMS-UK missionaries are all safe as well.
Saint John's, the oldest Anglican church in Chile, is in Concepcion which was one of the hardest hit. The church has some serious structural damage, but did not fall down. No one from the church died, but about 70 church families homes were damaged.
There was some tsunami effect here in Peru that the ocean receded quite a bit from the shore of Lima, but the incoming waves were not high, so there was no damage here. As Chile has had many earthquakes over the years, their building codes are good, so the structural damage in general was not as much as in Haiti.
SAMS-USA has set up a page on their website for donations and information for any who are intersted in helping the Chilean Anglican Church relief efforts there.
--Praise God the misisonaries are all safe!
--Pray for those dealing with the effects of the earthquake, without housing, fuel, water, and food.
Pray for those who have lost family members.
TOKYO 2010--Celebrating the Past, Embracing the Future--
Making Disciples Of Every People in Our Generation
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the 1910 Edinburg Conference on World Missions. The world wide anniversary conference is being held in Japan 11-14 May. John has been attending the planning meetings here, as well as the regional conference that was held here in Lima. One of our friends, Obed Alvarez, is the organizer of the international event. John has been invited to attend the world-wide conference in Tokyo and his fees and expenses for the stay are covered. Now he either needs to get enough airline miles (American is what he has the most of, but not enough) or enough money for a ticket. If you would like more info on the conference, check out the website---http://www.tokyo2010.org/
If you would like to donate airline miles or funds towards his ticket, please let us know.
--Prayer and Praise for this conference celebrating World Mission that the whole world may know Christ.
--Pray that if it God's will for John to attend that the means for his transportation will appear.
NEW WINESKINS FOR GLOBAL MISSION--
April 9-11 will be the greatest Anglican/Episcopal missions conference in North America! Check it out--
http://www.newwineskins.org/
John and I will be attending along with other missionaries from around the world, as well as presenters from all over too. It's three fascinating, fun, jam-packed joyful days all focused on mission. If you can possibly come, it's worth every minute. It's not too late to register!
--Praise for the tremendous amount of organizing that New Wineskins Missionary Community has done for this event.
--Pray for those who will attend, for safe travel, visas, passages to be covered for those coming from overseas.
SAMS CONFERENCE TOO!--
We actually will be leaving Peru on Easter night as the first few days of that week (at the same conference center) are the SAMS conference for the society; missionaries, board, and senders. Susan hopes to show people about the magic oven that we use in our shanty towns here. It's a very fuel efficient way of cooking. I will try to put a picture of it on the website.
--Praise for the opportunity to meet with so many other SAMS missionaries and share what is happening in our respective countries.
--Pray for those who will not be able to attend due to finances or distance or ill health.
HOME MINISTRY ASSIGNMENT--
After the missions conferences, we will be visiting churches in the US and Canada until mid-July to give updates and raise our support for the coming years. If your church would like us to visit, please let us know and we will work out a date. We are planning this trip to concentrate on the east.
--Praise God for the many people who have partnered with us over the years, we couldn't do it without them.
--Pray that God will show us which churches we are to visit during the few months we will be in the US.
RETURNS--
--Bp William and Judith Godfrey have returned from their deputation visit to England. It is good to have them back with us.
--Rev Juan Carlos and Penny Marces are back from England. Penny and Susan work together on the AMA (women's ministry) committee. Rev Juan Carlos will be working at the cathedral now that they are back.
--Many of you have read about my friend Lidia and how she disappeared for several months. She has returned after a stay in a hospital and is doing well. Her relationship with her mother has improved a lot over these few months for which we praise God. Right now, she is helping us by being a companion for Joan in the afternoons.
--Praise God for those who have returned to work in Peru.
--Pray that Joan accepts Lidia to help her when necessary.
FR RON ROBERTSON--
Fr Ron's medications, chemotherapy and radiation have helped him to control the pain and be able to get out a bit now. They are based in Texas near their daughter and are enjoying the time with their church communities. Fr Ron's Caring Bridge site is --
-http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ronrobertson
--Pray for this time they have together as a family and for the insurance company to let him have the medicines he needs.
PARK "HOTEL"
The Lord has blessed us with a guest room and not a month goes by that we don't have someone staying with us; visitors from overseas, missionaries from other cities in Peru, etc. Often we use our son's bedrooms as well when we have more than 2 at a time. Over the next three weeks, we will be having 8 sets of people visiting, eating, and staying, for a total of 20 people.
--Praise that we have the space to be able to offer shelter to missionaries and others who are coming through Lima.
--Pray that I can handle cooking for everyone and that we can get packed for our trip to the US.
SUFFRAGAN BISHOPS FOR PERU--
March 26 at our diocesan convention, representatives of all the churches and missions and clergy will be electing three suffragan (assistant) bishops to help Bp Godfrey with work in the outlying areas of Ica/Ayacucho and Arequipa as well as here in Lima. John's name has been submitted as one of the candidates. We are still not sure if he is on the final list of candidates, but we have been interviewed. We will let you know when the list comes out.
--Praise for the help which Bp Godfrey will receive.
--Pray that those God chooses will be elected.
May this Lent be a time of reflection for you, a time of deepening your relationship with God, and coming to a new awareness of His incredible love for you offered through the sacrifice of His Son. We are grateful to you for walking alongside us in our missionary journey as we celebrate 25 years in the mission field. You, your prayers and donations mean so much to us and make it possible for us to be here. Thank you.
Blessings,
Susan for both of us
John+ & Susan Park
johnpark@sams-usa.org
susanpark@sams-usa.org
www.ParkPeru.org
Tax-deductible contributions to our ministry in Peru may be made on line at http://www.sams-usa.org or by sending a check payable to SAMS (with Park in the memo line) to
SAMS
PO Box 399
Ambridge PA 15003
You can also arrange for automatic deductions from your bank account or for automatic charges to your credit card. If you wish to do so, please call SAMS at 724-266-0669.
In Canada, tax deductible contributions may be online at
http://www.samscanada.ca
Or you may send cheques to:
SAMS-Canada
PO Box 21082
Barrie, ON L4M 6J1
If you wish to change your e-mail address or unsubscribe to the Park Prayer Letter, please send an e-mail to johnpark@sams-usa.org
