Latin America edition Oct/Nov/Dec 2011

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Felipe and Sarah Yanez

Felipe and Sarah, with Sam and Aaron, are CMS mission partners who have been working in Southern Spain since 2007. Being the closest point of Europe to North Africa, Spain makes an attractive entry point for many from Africa. Significant numbers from South America also cross the Atlantic, seeking a better life for themselves and their families. The influx of diverse religions and cultures into this extremely secular society make Spain a challenging place to focus mission:

• Manantial de Agua Viva (Spring of Living Water) is a small, Christian association that aims to provide practical support and basic skills training to members of the immigrant community in Torremolinos.

• Centro Cristiano de Alhaurin is a small, bi-lingual church fellowship in the town where Felipe and Sarah live. The congregation is culturally very diverse, with people from Ecuador, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, the USA and England.

Ed and Marie Brice

Ed and Marie are CMS mission partners serving with the Anglican Diocese of Paraguay. They accompany and train ordained and lay indigenous leaders, and pastor the San Mateo congregation of both Latin and indigenous people. Marie also uses her artistic skills to produce materials designed to help children come to a knowledge of Jesus, and runs literacy classes for Latin and Indian women.

The Anglican church among the Énxet people is one of the oldest Protestant churches among native South Americans. However, the enormous pressure exerted on these traditional hunter gathering people due to massive land grabs, the influx of ranches and the ever advancing impact of Latin society has left them in a vulnerable position. With state investment in health care and education scarce, huge demands are placed on both the community and church life. Ed is supervising a programme of translation of Bible teaching materials and other literature designed to help Christian Education in the communities.

Jo Hazelton

Jo is CMS regional personnel officer for Latin America. She first became interested in international mission when she did a short term mission trip to Tanzania at the age of 18 with Soapbox. She has been involved with SAMS since 2002 initially as a youth volunteer, joining the SAMS staff team in 2008 and moving to work with SAMS and CMS in Oxford as part of the SAMS/CMS integration process in 2009.

Published: 14:55 12 October 2011  |  687 views
Last updated: 13 March 2012
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