Friday, September 6, 2013

Special Announcement: LAM/UWM Merge

Dear Friends and Family:

A new day is dawning for Latin America Mission! I am excited to announce that, on December 31, 2013, LAM will formally merge into United World Mission (UWM), an inter-denominational mission organization, based in Charlotte, NC. We sense this is God’s clear direction. This merger will strengthen the ministry of your LAM missionaries and partners, it will reduce costs and enhance the strengths of the combined organization.

LAM and UWM have much in common. Founded in 1946, UWM’s mission is to “serve with Christian leaders globally to plant, nourish, and reproduce churches that delight God and surprise the world.” Together UWM and LAM share key core values, which include the church, integral mission, the spiritual formation of leaders and most importantly for LAM, partnering. We are convinced that our combined efforts will allow us to build upon LAM’s 92-year legacy and dynamically advance Christ’s Kingdom work in Latin America and around the world. John Bernard, President of United World Mission, believes, “Latin America Mission has a strong history of innovation, integral mission, and partnering with the Latin American church. Their ministries have been exemplary and their models are needed as North Americans learn to serve with the church and mission movements around the world. United World Mission is overjoyed to have LAM join forces with us to meet the challenges of God’s mission in today’s world.”
When the merger is complete, UWM will have a staff of more than 350 missionaries serving in 42 nations. Coming together, we will better steward Kingdom resources while also providing enhanced ministry support to LAM missionaries and ministry partners, as well as excellent service to donors. Latin America Mission will continue to function under the LAM name as “a Ministry of United World Mission.” The merged organization will operate out of UWM’s office based in Charlotte under the leadership of United World Mission.
I personally want to encourage you to stand by your missionary, partner and/or project in a special way during the transition to UWM. While the organizational structure is changing, the missionaries and partners you support will continue to count on you as they press forward faithfully in their ministries for Christ’s sake. We will keep you apprised of coming changes but until notified otherwise, please continue to either mail your generous support to the LAM address (P.O.Box 52-7900, Miami, FL 33152), or give online through the LAM website (www/lam.org/give). Giving through automatic withdrawal will also continue uninterrupted. Every effort is being made to minimize any changes to the manner in which donors have been giving.
Finally, I want to say thank you for giving so generously and faithfully to the work of LAM in Latin America. We truly consider you our ministry partners. Please pray for the families of LAM and UWM as we enter the dawn of a new day together.
Serving Together in Christ’s Name,
Steve Johnson
President

Sunday, September 1, 2013

August 2013: A Birthday Party, Paraguayan Style


Dear Friends and Family:

Margarita and I wrote to you in June about child labor in Paraguay.  Despite the presence of this destructive issue, Paraguayan culture harbors an overall, genuine appreciation for children, which is seen through customs like celebrating Day of the Child and overly-embellished birthday parties. 

Last week we celebrated Ana’s 2nd birthday “Paraguayan style.”  Ana greeted her young guests with the customary double-cheek kiss as they arrived and deposited their presents in a tire decorated to be a gift receptacle.  There was music, soda, candy, cake and a party favor for every child.  Margarita hosted a talent show with prizes for the tiny party-goers who were brave enough to present songs, jokes and memorized Bible verses.  Before the finger foods were served, we took a moment to remember God’s presence with Ana all through her battle with Respiratory Distress Syndrome at birth as well as during her asthma episodes this year.  Ana’s birthday party was a thanksgiving and praise service to the Lord for her two years of life.

July featured two events with the Evangelism and Missions Ministry.  Over a hundred children came three afternoons in a row to the outreach in the Siloé neighborhood. The local Sunday school teachers did a great job teaching them about Christ’s love.  There were two nights of services despite rain and technical difficulties, and about five adults made decisions to return to or start following Christ.  Later in the month we held a missions conference with churches in the Chaco region.  The place was packed. The audience heard inspirational presentations on how to organize evangelistic events and how to carry out discipleship.  Nearly all of those attending committed to being volunteers for an outreach event in October in the nearby city of Puerto Falcón.  Thank you for your prayers over these events, and please pray as we plan the Puerto Falcón event.  Also, please keep the students of the New Horizon and Cerro Corá schools in your prayers as we continue ministering to them through education.
 
Thank you for your prayers around the political situation in Paraguay.  Horacio Cartes is the new president and the change between parties occurred peacefully.  We request prayer for the renewal of Margarita’s immigration status in the U.S.  We hope to travel to the United States December through February.  After her status is renewed, the next step will be finding affordable airline flights.  If you are interested and able to make a financial gift to help with our future travel expenses, please contact us and we will inform you as soon as we know the outcome of Margarita’s renewal process.
 
Upon celebrating Ana’s birthday we remembered the name of the hospital whose intensive neo-natal unit Ana was transferred to:  Immanuel, which means “God with us.”  In Ana’s trials, as with any of us when we face moments of uncertainty, the Lord is certainly present.  Jesus is not “out of touch with our reality,” but rather, as The Message states…
“He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help” (Hebrews 4:15, 16).
Yours truly,                      
Tim, Margarita and Ana