​I want to begin by thanking everyone for their support and prayers.  Your messages of encouragement are very much appreciated by both +Fanta and myself.  We arrived safely in Paraguay on Thursday evening and had a lovely meal with a couple of mission partners.  Yesterday morning I woke at 5am with the sound of thunder and the room lighting up with flashes of lightening.  I have never seen anything like it, at 11am it was still battering.  There was torrential rain in Asunción and the streets turned into rivers, but everyone seemed to just keep going on with their daily routines.  Just after 7:30am we arrived at San Andre's School where two SAMS Missionaries are on the teaching staff and one of them is the principal.  Gwen and Mags gave us the guided tour of both sites and explained how the school functions.  They are crying out for teachers - especially Math's teachers. Anyone fancy a challenge of living in Asunción and teaching here?
At 11:30am we got onto a bus and travelled a 6 hour journey to Concepcion to visit a SAMS Missionary from Northern Ireland called Claire Holmes.  The things that we saw on the bus journey will never leave me.  Extreme poverty, dirt tracks, vast open space etc...  However we arrived safely just in time for a meal.  We had a lovely time of fellowship with Claire, Bishop Andres and his wife.  Yesterday evening Bishop Fanta preached at a special church service, and at the end I was also asked to say a few words.  Claire is a really special gifted person.  She really is working in the 'back of beyond' and as far as I could see is the only foreigner around here.
Today Claire is taking us to see some of the mission projects she is involved in and then after lunch we catch the bus back to Asunción.  This is one part of God's vineyard I will not forget.
Tomorrow is remembrance Sunday in the UK.  I have been asked to preach at the English speaking Church in Asunción in the morning.  The theme I am preaching on is remembrance, which works well with me being a Padre in the Royal British Legion.  Bishop Fanta will be preaching at the Spanish Service.
Please continue to pray for:
- Our health and safety
- Travelling mercies as we journey back to Asunción
- Claire Holmes and her continued work in Concepcion
- Mags and Gwen and their work in San Andres school
- For us both as we prepare to preach tomorrow
- For this nation, that there will be an awakening to the things of God.

​This is the final day of the Provincial Synod, and worship this morning was led by the Church of Paraguay.  There is so much freedom in the worship which allows for the movement of the Holy Spirit to minister into heart and minds.  I am not saying that this isn't the case at home, but what I am saying is that due to the South American Culture there is always time.  Time is not an issue... and some how this is so liberating.  Worship could last 20 minutes or it could last 2 hours, and no one is in a hurry.  Today we were encouraged to think about the prophet Joel and the how God can, even in the midst of great distress, break through the clouds and pour his blessings into our hearts and lives.  When we fully open up our hearts and lives to Him and surrender all to Him, he will pour down His blessings upon us.  Then Bishop Henry Scrivener led us through a reflection on Luke 24 and the commission that follows the resurrection.  
    This has been an interesting Synod.  The Church in South America are facing similar problems to those that we have been struggling with in the Church of Ireland.  The balance between maintenance and mission.  The processes they are talking about are very similar to those we have implemented in Strabane.  This has been a tremendous encouragement to me, and I hope will also enhance the Vision which we have for Christ Church.  A further note for now... this whole experience has rekindled a thought in my heart that Camus-Juxta-Mourne could be a parish which helps others develop and strive to be a mission congregation in their aspirations in Church Growth.
    I suspect later this morning is going to be historic for South America as they elect their new Primate for the next 3 years.  Time will tell which of the very capable Bishops this will be!  Regardless of who this is, there is one thing for sure, this is a Church which is committed to making disciples and the faithful proclamation of the Good News of Christ.
    Yesterday afternoon +Fanta took me to visit two men who are totally committed to the Gospel.  Cristobal and Max.  It was so encouraging to hear how the church membership of where they are serving has grown in 6 years to over 90 people.  This is a new church plant in the city centre, however they currently have no building but rent a theatre on a Sunday morning.  It was a real blessing to hear of their plans for the future and to get a feel for what the Lord is laying on their hearts.  Then last night we met with a married couple - Pen (from Chile) and Luke (from Ireland).  Pen served on the Mission team that came to Strabane from Queen's University Belfast during my first year in the parish.
    Tomorrow our time in Santiago draws to a close on this part of the trip.  We fly to Paraguay to visit some missionaries and share some thoughts on the word of God.  May Bishop Fanta and I  fulfil the mission statement of Christ Church of 'Preaching the word... being shaped by the Word!'
Thank you for your prayers so far and please pray for:
- The election of the new Primate
- The vision of the Church in South America
- The continued evolving on the vision of Christ Church, Strabane
- SAMS Ireland
- Cristobal and Max
- Pen and Luke
- Our Travel, Safety and Health as we move to Paraguay

​Yesterday we left our accommodation at 7am to begin a journey which would turn out to be an amazing day.  On the bus Fanta and I were chatting to a lovely couple called Luis and Maggie.  In the process of chatting to them I felt compelled to pray with them.  Everything was in Spanish so Fanta was interpreting.  As we prayed I felt the Lord laying on my heart the verse from Joel "I will restore unto you the years the locus have eaten."  When we shared this with the couple they started to cry, Fanta was crying and I was crying.  It turned out that the lady had once been in a very abusive relations and all she needed to hear was the words restore from the Lord.  Please pray for them.
In the afternoon we attended the ordination of 2 Deacons and 4 Presbyters.  This was a remarkable service and I felt blessed to be present for this significant event.  One of those Ordained to the Priesthood was Daniel Kirk, an english man!
When we returned from the Ordination, my dear friend Isabel Sanchez from Peru had arrived in Santiago.  Isabel is the wife of my 'hermano' Pastor Anderson Sanchez who we worked with last year in Peru.  I am so happy to see her.
The reunions continue... this morning at breakfast, I saw a young man who I thought I recognised, and he me.  When we got speaking, we realised that we studied together in St. John's, Nottingham.  Francisco was a full time international student in St. John's for one year.  I was a part-time student and was present for the teaching of 2 modules during his time.  It really is a small world.  He is also in Santiago for the provincial Synod.
Today starts the provincial Synod for South America in which Fanta preached at this morning.  He unpacked the importance of the message behind the Transfiguration.
Please pray for:
- Our continued safety
- The Synod
- Fanta as he continues to network
- Me as I meant new and old friends
- As we continue to minister to missionaries and mission partners.
- Our continued health.

​
We arrived safely yesterday at our destination in Santiago, Chile yesterday afternoon at about 2:30pm.  There was little time to rest and refresh before work began.  Fanta and myself had a quick walk and a bite of lunch before our first meeting.  We had a meeting with several mission partners and about the importance of equipping missionaries and how as organisations can support each other.  Then we met with the South American Bishops.  After dinner it was an early to bed night to catch up on some sleep.
Thankfully I slept really well.  This morning after breakfast we had a time of worship.  The bible reading was lead by the world renowned Mission Theologian Andrew Kirk.
As we were eating our lunch we felt the tremor of the earthquake which hit Cuicio today.  Thankfully no damage was in this area and within minutes life was back to normal.  Cuicio is about 200km south of Santiago. 
Fanta and myself had a lovely walk and cup of coffee after lunch with Bishop Greg Venables.  He is such a Godly man and truly loves the Lord Jesus.
This afternoon we are in more discipleship meetings and then tomorrow morning we are meeting with the Bishops again.
Please pray for:
- Our continued safety
- Continued Health
- The progress in these meetings
- The Bishops meetings
- For the unofficial conversations

The journey has started and the adventure has begun.  Bishop Fanta and myself have completed two legs of the journey.  We are now in Brazil and waiting on the next flight to Santiago.  Please continue to pray for us.

Could I ask for prayer cover please?
Tomorrow Bishop Ken Clarke and I go to South America.  We fly from Dublin to Heathrow, then Heathrow to Sao Paulo, then Sao Paulo to Santiago Chile.  Arriving Thursday afternoon.  We will be in Santiago for one week at a conference, then we fly to Paraguay for 3 nights (which will also involve 2x7 hour bus trip) before flying back to Santiago.  We arrive back home on Wednesday 16th November.
Please pray for:
- Safe travels (I am not the best fan of flying)
- Health (that we would keep well and not take ill from the food)
- Safety while at the conference and visiting Paraguay
- For our hosts
- That we will both encounter God in new and real ways

If and when I get internet access I will try to post updates of our trip on this blog.