SAMS (South American Mission Society) Andrew and Maria Leake are our SAMS mission partners, working in Northern Argentina with ASOCIANA, an Argentine non-government organisation whose mission is to empower indigenous people in the Gran Chaco region to gain effective recognition of their rights to land, natural resources, education and health. Andrew also uses his Private Pilot's Licence to fly over the Chaco area, documenting by aerial photographs the advance of deforestation on lands used by local people. They have three children who are at local schools - Tomas (16), Cecilia (12) and Carolina (9). Our church rep. is Amy Nicholls, herself a former SAMS missionary.
Since 1844, when it reached Indian peoples in South America with the Gospel, it has built up mission teams to cover the whole of South America as well as Spain and Portugal.

SAMS MISSION is centred on Christ and based on the Bible, its goal is to spread the Gospel and lead folk into a whole relationship with God. To accomplish this, it partners the South American Church as it evangelises, trains, teaches, translates and transforms.

This is no easy task in a continent of contrasts in scenery, culture, language and not least in social and economic realities.

 SAM’s founder had a Mission heart for South America, he lived in an age long ago, but that heart for the Gospel still pulsates today.

St John’s have supported SAMS for many years in prayer and giving, we have had quite a few mission partners during this time, all with various gifts for serving the Lord in various Republics. Our Mission Partners at the moment are Andrew and Maria Leake with three children, Thomas, Caroline and Cecilia, who have worked with the Wichi Indians for many years to help them regain ownership of their land.

Andrew’s Grandfather, Alfred Leake worked in Northern Argentina in a very different age, with this present generation’s ancestors almost naked playing their native game of hockey, wearing ostrich feather headdresses and anklets; and fishermen in the river and families sitting on skins in the dusty ground outside rough brushwood huts.

Big changes have taken place, but the Gospel is the unchanging Message, and with the help of Radio and T.V. many have given their hearts and lives to God to serve Him around the world, we have South American Missionaries in England sharing that same Gospel with us. Praise God for all he has accomplished over the years. To see the national Church emerging is so exciting.

Please pray for Andrew and Maria and their children: for safety, good health, may they have much fruit for their labours, and may the Name of God be glorified.

Here in St John’s we have people who have served the Lord in varying ways—Barbara Kitchin in Northern Argentina , Thea Clarke in Paraguay, Amy Nicholls in the south of Chile and in Brazil and, of course, Phil and Rosemary Tadman called by God to serve him on the home front. Please pray for SAMS in these days of change, that God’s voice may be heard and obeyed.

Amy Nicholls