Dear Ones,
Many thanks for your prayers and support. We have much to report and so many things to be thankful for as we settle into our life back in the USA.
We just completed our “de-briefing” with Denise Cox at SAMS. It was most helpful as we transition to our roles as Missionary Associates, continuing to be involved with mission ventures and with Peru specifically.
This past July, I spent a week in Lima with a mission team from New Grace Church, Florida. Earlier in the summer, I had visited the parish for an information and orientation meeting with the members of the parish. Fr. Mike McDonald led the team of ten people which partnered with San Mateo Mission and School in San Juan de Lurigancho, an area of Lima.
I went along to facilitate and make the many introductions. This visit was primarily to get to know the diocese, Bishop Godfrey, and to begin a long-term relationship with San Mateo Mission and the attached school. It was very successful.
Polly and I are developing a relationship with the Diocese of Albany where we are involved with the Spiritual Life Center. There we participate in the weekly healing ministry and I am available to clergy for counsel and direction. We are exploring taking a short-term mission team from Albany to Madagascar in 2014 to visit and help Bishop Todd and the Rev. Patsy McGregor. We will keep you posted on this mission venture!
This summer we have been hosting and helping Bishop Bill Godfrey and Judith. They came to Connecticut in late July for surgery which turned out to be more extensive than expected. They have been recuperating with us for several weeks and before that with another couple in CT. Mostly healed and rested, they have now gone on to Texas prior to returning mid-September to Peru.
We had a brief visit from former Lima cathedral Dean John and Susan Park while they were here–what a joyful reunion for the six of us! Joining us in mid-September we have Pastor Sara Armstrong and her husband Rusty from Lima.
In early 2014 we are working on a group trip to Lima from our local community here in Chester to distribute water filters.
I am now actively exploring how best to bring pastoral care and visitation to missionaries in the field. SAMS works with another agency that specializes in this ministry and have encouraged me to work with them. More on this later.
In October I will be joining a SOMA mission team going to Honduras. We will be leading a clergy conference and a Life in the Spirit weekend.
Our lives are busy and bearing fruit in terms of mission and ministry. Your support helps this continue, though now different. THANK YOU and BLESS YOU.
Please continue to lift us up. Thank you for your financial support.
Ian and Polly
