Prayer Requests from the "Cuyo" Team in Mendoza Argentina
("Cuyo" being the provinces of Mendoza, San Juan & San Luis)
December 1999
Requests for the Cuyo Team
Please Pray...
- for churches needing pastors in the area. As these are filled, pray that leaders who will be taking the responsibilities will do so with a vision of starting new independent works.
- for the continued follow-up from the evangelistic outreaches in October. Most churches weren't ready for a harvest so great and are being challenged with discipleship responsibilities.
- that new works are started as a result of the many that made decisions during October - especially where there are no churches in the area.
- for the entire team as we travel throughout the month of December and early January for mission meeting in northern Argentina as well as to other meetings in the surrounding area.
- for the McKinneys as they move from Costa Rica to Mendoza on December 12th and begin looking for a house.
- for the Cuyo team as a strategy is developed to plant a church to reach the university community and professionals and that God will provide national Christian professionals to be involved and lead in new cell groups with the many new professional converts.
- that established churches will assume the responsibility to plant churches and to prepare men and women to be church planters.
- for the team as we face the challenge to develop cell church materials that can be used to reach the people of Cuyo.
- for the new associational officers as they begin to work with a new vision, especially in evangelism, missions and theological education. Old paradigms among the organization are changing. Pray for the inclusion of a new vision of church planting needs.
- for our team to be wise in capturing those useful elements already present in the association that would aid in the flourishing of training new leaders for the church planting movement. Pray for us to have the wisdom we need in how to meet the growing needs of the church planting movement as people and churches are catching the vision.
- for the new Christians who are already winning their relatives and friends to the Lord. Pray that all these would be lasting fruits. Laura is teaching a baptism class with 8of these new converts. Pray that they will learn to be disciplined in their walk with God
- for the Cuyo team as they work with the new church start in La Dormida, in the leadership training program and church planting efforts with the mission, Alicia Moreau de Justo, and with the team being trained from the mother church in Lujan.
- that the nationals in Mendoza have a supernatural desire to join in a church-planting movement and that God calls out leaders for this task from them.
- for the consolidation of present mission points which need to become churches and for more churches to respond to the need to plant churches.
Praise Report!!
--- The team was able to share its church-planting vision and new direction with the associational pastors and lay pastors at an "asado" (an Argentine bar-b-que). A lot of material was covered, questions answered and concerns addressed as the vision was laid out before our national brothers. We thank God for this opportunity to share so much with so many in such a short amount of time. Overall the feedback was positive and we are looking forward to moving ahead with the church-planting strategy with many who attended. Pray for the continued understanding and implementation of God’s will in this area and for those who are called to serve with us in the new works.
Personal Prayer Requests
Joseph & Valerie Cartwright - Is there anything besides salvation that can make you as grateful to God for His goodness as a newborn in your home? We thought we were filled with joy while expecting, but that pales with the joy we experience each time we look into our baby girl’s face now. It is with heartfelt thanks to each and everyone who prayed for us during the pregnancy and delivery. God’s grace, comfort and mercy were continually present during the entire time as well as during this first month as we discover how to "parent". Please pray for wisdom, peace and guidance for us as we strive to raise Elisabeth Joy in the strength and admonition of the Lord. Also, pray for Elisabeth as she (and her sleep-deprived parents) contends with bouts of colic. As ever, we appreciate your prayers as we continue to be stretched in our cultural and language learning. Finally, please pray for Paul’s salvation, an American working in Mendoza whom we met in the park last week.
Amanda Ficklin - Please pray that God will continue to bless my language learning as I continue to be involved with different churches and work in new areas of our team’s church-planting efforts. Pray that I will continue meeting new friends and that I have opportunities to witness, especially to university students. Also, please pray that I can share my faith and more about Jesus' love with my friends at the gym and that more opportunities are opened to do so. I am really excited that my mother and brother are going to be coming for a visit over the Christmas holidays. Please pray for their travels and for our time together.
Julie Hill - Please continue to pray for me as I seek to follow God’s will as more doors for ministry are being opened for me. Pray God will show me which new ministries I can best serve in as well as direction for this upcoming year. I am asking God to show me where and how to get "plugged in" to the church-planting strategy and working with starting new works with university and professional groups.
Asbury & Hope Martin - Please continue to pray for Justin and Adrian who are asking permission to skip a grade. The request is now before the district school board who must grant final approval. Pray for Hope and me as we continue to develop working relationships with pastors and churches in the Cuyo area with the vision of involving others in the church planting strategy.
Jon & Monica McKinney - Please pray that the Lord would continue to bless and increase our language acquisition and for our move this week from Costa Rica to Argentina. There are so many details in the process of transferring to another country, including all the paperwork involved with visas, etc., that we would appreciate continued prayer for God to go before us to smooth the way and put us in contact with the right people at the right time and in the shortest lines! Please keep our children in special prayer during this time of change and adjustment.
Paul & Laura Shelton - The month of December is the high season for handbell concerts. It is the Christmas season and also school graduation time. This year the handbell choir in Mendoza will be at 5 graduating ceremonies as invited guests. One of the schools inviting us - where we have no Christian contact person - said they wanted us to be present "because of what we heard you say [not play] at a previous concert; at the end of this century, the young people in our school need to hear that". Other concerts in December include: on the Peatonal, downtown Mendoza, at a convinience store (EG3), and the annual Christmas concert at an Art Musem on the 21st. A trip is also planned on the 11 and 12th to the South of the Province for concerts in Malargüe and in new works in San Rafael.
A Special Thank You...
To all who faithfully pray for us and support us and our fellow missionaries around the world through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. Without your financial support we would not be able to "go to the uttermost," and without your prayers, we would not have the strenghthened power to present the Gospel that comes only through agreement in prayer. We thank God for you, our committed co-laborers around the world, and look forward with excitement and anticipation as we continue on mission with God into this coming new millinium.
May God Bless You,
www.byhisgrace.com/imb-argentina
You can reach individual team members at the following email addresses:
Team Members: Joseph & Valerie Cartwright mailto:jvcart@lanet.com , Amanda Ficklin aeficklin@hotmail.com, Julie Hill hilljulie@hotmail.com, Asbury & Hope Martin asbury_martin@lanet.com.ar, Jon & Monica McKinney jonmckinney@hotmail.com, Paul & Laura Shelton shelton@lanet.com.ar
The "Cuyo" Mendoza Team