Paraguay: Mision Indigena

Give thanks for the recent Indigenous Mission Congress in Paraguay, where around 60 brothers and sisters from indigenous communities across Latin America gathered to celebrate what God has done over the past three years, share experiences, pray together and look ahead to the next three years. Pray that indigenous voices and leadership will continue to grow stronger within the church, bringing their unique gifts and perspectives to the wider body of Christ.

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Recife, Brazil: community market

Mission partners Rosie and Stu Bayford returned to the UK earlier this year, saying goodbye to much loved friends and communities in Recife. Rosie and Stu ask for prayer for the future of two girls who have been in the ReVive house for over seven years. The community market in Aguazinha has been handed over to new church leadership and we thank God that the market continues to serve the community. Please pray for more food partnerships to be formed so that there is plenty of food for the families that visit the market.

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Ecuador: Handing over of the Orchid Project

Sharon Wilcox is on her way back from Ecuador to the UK and officially retires as a CMS mission partner in April 2027. Sharon has been working at the Orchid Project in Santo Domingo. The project works with people with learning disabilities, teaching them life skills and seeks to enable them to become independent.

Please pray for Sharon as she enters this new phase of life and settles back in the UK. Please also pray for Mary (pronounced “Marry”), the new project coordinator, that she continues to flourish in the role and that the Lord will guide her.

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Argentina: impactful short term mission

This week, CMS office staff received a visit from Liam Kearns, who recently served as a short termer in northern Argentina. Praise God for the way he has been working through Liam to bless communities and share the gospel in northern Argentina in recent months.

Give thanks also for the way God has worked in Liam’s life and pray for Liam as he considers his next steps. Pray, too, for God’s leading for others who may be considering short or long term mission with CMS.

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Bolivia: flourishing ministry

Give thanks for an office visit from Andrew and Lisa Peart this week, which allowed them to share encouraging stories of their ministry with office staff in person.

Pray for God to continue to work powerfully through the many strands of Andrew and Lisa’s ministry, including a microfinance project, community garden, English lessons and savings groups. (Keep an eye out for a microfinance story from Andrew and Lisa in the next issue of CMS Magazine!)

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Brazil: prison ministry

Give thanks for the visit of Andy and Kati Walsh to CMS this week. They are in the country visiting supporting churches. Give thanks too for the news that a fourth prison has in-principle given the green light for the team to run their discipleship course for prisoners. But it is uncertain how long it make take for this decision to become reality – please pray for a speedy and smooth road to starting the course in this prison.

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Brazil: a growing church

Vineyard Floripa church in Florianópolis is a vibrant, growing church. CMS partner Katia Rocks, one of the leaders, writes that while new families are still joining, overall attendance has recently dropped for various reasons. Pray for wisdom for Katia and other leaders as they seek to help new families feel welcome and encourage the church to keep growing.

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Paraguay: gathering for meetings

Pray for CMS staff and partners from around the world currently gathered in Paraguay for meetings and an exchange of learning. Pray for relationships to be strengthened as people eat together, worship alongside each other and learn from each other.

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Video transcript

Hello and welcome to Hope from the Edges. I’m Andy Roberts, CEO of CMS.

In this episode, we’re sharing three remarkable stories of lives transformed at the edges, showing how God is bringing belonging, restoring dignity, and planting vibrant communities of faith in unexpected places.

First, we’ll head to Brazil, where a remarkable prison ministry has been given the go-ahead to plant a church behind bars.

Then we’ll go to Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where families living in conflict zones are finding sanctuary and hope as new local churches are planted there too.

And finally, we’ll visit a UK pioneer community where art and creativity are opening doors for people to experience church in a whole new shape.

We begin in Brazil, where hundreds of men in a local prison are experiencing life-changing transformation.

For years, CMS mission partners and local leaders have walked alongside these men, offering Bible studies, discipleship courses, and a chance to encounter the love of Jesus. The outcome has been profound. Men who felt completely written off are finding forgiveness in Jesus and choosing a brand new path. Andy Walsh, who works with CMS in the prison, reports that hundreds of men have come to faith. Yet for a long time they were not allowed to gather together for any kind of worship service.

Now, after persistent advocacy by Andy and local Christian leaders, prison authorities have officially granted approval for a church plant inside the prison. Every week a chapel time forms behind bars, giving inmates a supportive community and real hope for their future outside. Our hope is that this will become a model for other churches to be born in prisons across Brazil.

Next, let’s go to Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to see more churches growing on the edges.

For decades, the district of Kibumba has been deeply affected by armed conflict, forced displacement, and resulting trauma. Rev Innocent Kwitonda, vicar of St John’s Church in Buvira, was born in this area. And his life story reflects both the deep suffering and incredible resilience of the local people.

Where violent conflict has uprooted lives and shattered stability, Rev Innocent and St John’s Church have refused to let fear have the final word. During the most recent brutal conflict in Goma, St John’s welcomed war-displaced families, providing clean water, basic household items, and temporary shelter for over 2,000 households.

Now, at the direct request of this local community, they have also planted three new churches in the area. These churches continue to grow in size and impact. Women who suffered sexual violence and harassment are gradually rediscovering hope and dignity through biblical teaching, pastoral care and supportive fellowship. Children participate in trauma healing sessions, educational activities, and structured play times that help make their restoration possible.

Rev Innocent says, “We firmly believe that the Lord alone is the healer of broken souls, and that the Church remains his chosen instrument to bring healing, reconciliation, and lasting transformation to wounded communities.”

Finally, let’s return to the UK, to the London area, for a wonderful story from CMS pioneer training graduate, Hayley Humphreys. A story of creativity, community, and connection.

What has become known as Art for Wellbeing, or Art Church, began a few years ago with 10 people, a table, and some paint and brushes. Hayley says, “There was no grand strategy, no detailed blueprint, just a sense that creativity mattered, that people needed connection, and that God might be present in the simple act of making something together.”

People who are unlikely to feel comfortable in a traditional church setting arrive, often carrying loneliness, grief, anxiety or doubt. And they are finding a non-threatening space where everyone belongs, no matter their artistic ability or background. Each session opens with a simple spiritual reflection, followed by open time for conversations about life and faith.

The fruit has been beautiful. Participants have discovered hidden gifts. Seven new leaders have stepped up from within the group, and people have taken significant steps in faith, including baptism. This year the group was formally recognised as a fresh expression of church. It is a powerful reminder that church doesn’t always look traditional.

As Hayley puts it, “The Kingdom of God is appearing right there in brushstrokes, conversations, and cups of tea.”

What strikes me about all three of these stories is the power of belonging, whether in a prison cell, a conflict zone, or around an art table. God’s love meets people right where they are.

Thank you for your prayers and financial support that empower local leaders to bring this hope to the edges.

Please share this video with your church or small group to encourage others today.

Until next time, we are so grateful for your gifts and prayers as together we go:

With Jesus
With each other
To the edges

ENDS

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Argentina: women leaders

Please pray for the indigenous women leaders God is raising up across the Diocese of Northern Argentina – for them to be empowered to serve across the diocese’s five language groups and help meet local needs as God is calling them. Lift up CMS partner Mirna Paulo as she travels, teaches, pastors and encourages women of all ages, alongside supporting the ongoing work of AMARE (a local movement affiliated with Mothers’ Union).

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Paraguay: gathering for meetings

Pray for CMS staff and partners from around the world who are gathering in Asunción over the next couple of weeks for a mission network meeting followed by a leaders’ gathering and learning exchange. Pray for safety for all those travelling and for a good time of networking and learning from each other.

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Rt Rev Abelino Apeleo, the first indigenous Anglican bishop in Chile and an inspiration to CMS staff and partners, died suddenly on Monday 24 August 2026.

Bishop Abelino was a longstanding partner, both as bishop and as rector of the Instituto Bíblico Rural (IBR), playing a hugely significant role in training indigenous church leaders. His life and ministry laid foundations that would eventually shape Misión Indígena, a CMS-facilitated group supporting indigenous mission across Latin America.

Paul Tester, mission director at Church Mission Society, commented:

“Our relationship and partnership with Bishop Abelino spans so many years – as a partner, friend, advisor and a wonderful example of Christian leadership. He has been an inspiration to so many, including myself, and has always been an incredible witness.”

Joel Millanguir, a CMS partner and current Bishop of Araucanía, shared this moving tribute to his friend and colleague with CMS manager in Latin America Alonso Silva:

Bishop Abelino was very important in the life of the church here in Chile and for the development of mission in the Araucanía region. He was a man who preached the gospel, not just with his words, but with the testimony of his life. His humility, simplicity and deep commitment to Jesus made him respected and beloved pastor among the communities he served.

Personally, Bishop Abelino profoundly marked my pastoral ministry. He was a spiritual father whose closeness and accompaniment were constant over the years. I had the privilege of being ordained by him as both deacon and priest, and then he preached at my consecration as bishop in 2023, moments that remain unforgettable for me.

We worked together for many years, especially in the rural ministry of our region and the ministry with the Mapuche people. In that walk I learned from him genuine love for the people from his land, his respect for indigenous culture and his tireless concern for the spiritual and human well-being of each person. For Bishop Abelino, mission wasn’t a programme, but a particular expression of the love of Jesus towards the most remote communities.

One of the qualities that most stood out was his extraordinary closeness to the people he ministered among. He knew how to listen with patience, tackle difficulties with calm and offer advice full of biblical wisdom and pastoral discernment. His leadership wasn’t instilled by authority, but born from service, compassion and by example.

Bishop Abelino had a fundamental role in Misión Indígena as a mentor in biblical training and pastoral ministry. His experience, leadership and deep knowledge of indigenous experiences have contributed significantly to the growth of discipleship initiatives, leadership training and the growth of a mission contextualised and faithful to the Scriptures.

This collaborative work seeks to strengthen the links between indigenous people in South America – Mapuche, Wichí, Toba, Chorote, Enxet and Angaité, among others – encouraging the exchange of experiences, cooperation between dioceses and building a mission that values the cultural identity of each people while proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord.

I give thanks to God for his life and ministry. His legacy continues inspiring those who had the privilege of walking alongside him, and his testimony lives on in the churches, the leaders he trained and the indigenous communities, to which he faithfully dedicated much of his life.

We pray for Bishop Abelino’s family and friends as they grieve, and give thanks to God for his life and witness.

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