Pray for Chile on Sunday, December 29, 2013

Lectionary Selection: Psalm 148

Prayers for Chile:
Praise God from the ends of the earth, from the beautiful land of Chile: You great sea lions sunning on the rocks off the port of Valparaíso and the ocean depths that bathe this country along its thousands of coastal miles! Storms and rainbows, melting winter snows and billowing clouds, howling winds that spread the seeds of new growth and hope! You majestic Andes Mountains and protective coastal hills, apple, peach, pear, and cherry trees, mountain cedars and laurels, pumas, pudus (smallest deer in the world), vizcachas (an endangered rabbit-like critter), cows and oxen, horses and sheep. Yacas (a tiny marsupial), hummingbirds, woodpeckers and giant condor, New president and government leaders, Pastors, church leaders, Shalom Center staff, Children, teenagers and young adults, families, women and men from the Pentecostal Church of Chile who participate in the Shalom Center environmental education activities, Let us rejoice in the wonders of Gods creation, all praise the Creator for the natural gifts given to this nation. Gods splendor is above the fruitful central valley, the vast Atacama desert, the Southern forests and lakes, and the blue skies of this “copy of Eden.” (As it says in the Chilean national anthem.) ¡Gloria a Dios! ¡Amén!

Mission Stewardship Moment from Chile:
God does not make garbage, neither does nature. Just as nature recycles leaves, branches, and broken rocks into rich nutrients for new life to emerge, God recycles even the worst of human situations into something beautiful and life-giving. Out of the pain and devastation of the 2010 earthquake and tsunami in Chile, grows “Retoños en las ruinas: esperanza en el trauma” (Roots in the ruins: hope in trauma), the trauma healing and resilience development ministry of the Shalom Center of the Pentecostal Church of Chile. God creates the beauty of a healing space first in Chile and then spreads it to other countries that have suffered from the wreckage of human- made garbage such as violence, racism, drug-trafficking, and sexism. First Puerto Rico, then Mexico, soon Argentina, Paraguay and Nicaragua. Global Ministries supports and encourages the Pentecostal Church of Chile to share Gods recycling handiwork with others who long for healing. What a privilege it is to share in God’s work of renewal, restoration, reconciliation and recycling!

(Prayer and Mission Moment by Elena Huegel)

Mission Partners in Chile:

Video resources about Chile:
Raising Awareness of Violence Against Women, Pentecostal Church of Chile & the Shalom Center
Chile: Serving with the Pentecostal Church of Chile (Elena Huegel, GM Missionary)

More information on Chile: http://globalministries.org/lac/countries/chile/

Global Ministries Missionary in Chile:
Elena Huegel, a member of Iglesia Cristiana Ebenezer, Los Fresnos, Texas, serves the Pentecostal Church of Chile (IPC). She is an environmental and Christian education specialist.