Huge church opens in Guatemala

Guatemala’s President Oscar Berger was one of the 12,000 worshippers present at the inaugural service of the Iglesia Fraternidad Cristiana’s new building in San Cristóbal, Guatemala. Other guests at the service included mayors, local pastors, business leaders and candidates in Guatemala’s forthcoming Presidential elections.

Why we flee from Carnival

The glitzy, colourful, fun-packed version of Carnival that the guide books and international television show is very far from the reality of the five days of seedy revelry that the majority of Recife’s residents take part in.

An Ecuadorian Christmas

With all of my traditions coming out of a long heritage; with all of my rushing to and fro to get the cards and gifts sent in time; with all of the hectic busyness of the season, why should I have assumed that Pablo - coming from a community where knowing the blessings of Jesus Christ is only one generation old - would have all kinds of traditions he had to fulfil?

Ruth raring to go!

With two years experience of work and study in Chile Ruth is no stranger to the challenges she will face over the coming months. A degree in Hispanic Studies combined with experience of teaching English as a foreign language will also set her in good stead as she works alongside the Christian Union movement or GBU (Grupos Bíblicos Universitarios) as it is known in Chile.

Latin Link moves to Reading

Latin Link Britain and Ireland has moved out of central London to occupy new premises in Reading.

(July 2006)

Toybox and Latin Link to work together

A new partnership between Toybox and Latin Link will help more people join projects working with street children in Latin America.

(July 2006)

Language school in Costa Rica trains for global ministries

Sometimes the most routine job can have global and eternal consequences. Just ask Julie Chamberlain. She is the director of the Spanish Language Institute here, a school that has taught Spanish to between 13,000 and 14,000 evangelical missionaries [including members of Latin Link] since it was founded in Colombia in 1942. 

Student volunteer in Peru dies in tragic accident

The funeral of Steve Corbin, 22, took place at Westbury-on-Trym Baptist church, near Bristol, on 26 May. Steve had been spending a year abroad as a Latin Link Strider in Peru when he met his death in a tragic accident. He was playing football when the ball went up onto a roof and, as Steve tried to retrieve it, he fell, hitting his head. He died in hospital shortly afterwards on 10 May. It was as a member of two Latin Link Step Teams in Lima and Arequipa in 2003 that Steve first developed a love for the country. His return was part of studying for a Modern Languages degree at Cambridge University. 

(May 2006)

Help Orlando bloom - Help small business grow!

Orlando Castro saw how growing flowers could help raise his neighbours out of poverty.
Just last year he helped lay on clean, drinking water in the small community of Nuevos Horizontes. Now flowers are replacing some of the traditional banana crop.
In this part of Ecuador small farmers are paid less than one US dollar for a whole big bunch of bananas, the plant's entire yield.
Growing flowers as part of a community cooperative will pay them ten times more.
There is an urgent need for better jobs and ethical business practice throughout Latin America. Latin Link is supporting a variety of projects, as much more than flowers, it's people we want to see blooming!
Orlando's story appeared in the Winter 2005/6 issue of Latinfile. 

Pray with Bolivian Christians for President Mesa

Bolivian Christians are praying for stability in their country following weeks of chaos caused by road blockades, organised by the main political opposition party. Demands for high tax increases on foreign energy companies are being met half way by President Carlos Mesa’s government. A vote by Congress on 16 March to raise the tax on profits from 18 to 32 per cent has resulted in the blockades being called off...click title to read more (March 2005)

Lula launches call to end poverty

The Global Call to Action Against Poverty was launched by Brazil's President, Luis Inácio Lula da Silva, at the World Social Forum (WSF) in Porto Alegre on 27 January. The meeting was organised to coincide with the annual World Economic Forum for world business and political leaders meeting in Davos, Switzerland, the same week...click title to read more (February 2005)

Who do they trust now?

Shops in Argentina’s urban centres are thronged with tourists taking advantage of the cheap peso and the exhilarating nightlife. Farmers from the pampas are splashing out on new harvesting machines. Almost across the board, the country’s economy is picking up...click title to read more (January 2005)

Peruvian pastors take up Sunday school teaching materials
Churches across Peru are snapping up the Buena Tierra ('good soil') teaching materials for children ranging from pre-school to teenage. Latin Link's Brenda Parkins is seeing success as she works with a Peruvian team to produce these Bible-based teaching aids.
(April 2004)

Church planting? Surely not me, God!
In a shantytown on the outskirts of Lima, Peru, Latin Link member Margaret Saunderson unexpectedly found herself running a kids club. That was in 1986. Today, out of that pioneering work, four churches have been planted in areas where no church previously existed.
Margaret's inspiring story, 'Lights in the Darkness', is now published in English.
Click here for a preview and details of how to order your copy.
(08 Dec 2003)

The price of coffee in Nicaragua
World market coffee prices continue to fall. We hardly notice in the West - it doesn't make a cappuccino in Starbucks any cheaper. But it does make a huge difference to coffee pickers in Nicaragua.
(13 March 2003)

Brazil's new President praises evangelical values
Brazil's new left wing President, Lula, says he is counting on the contribution of evangelicals to help him achieve his aim of creating a more just society.
(20 January 2003)

Bolivia provides harsh testing ground
Trained vet, Linda Bethell, describes her first experiences testing for TB.
(13 August 2002)

New Latin Link leader with a pastor’s heart
Marcel Dürst has been appointed as Latin Link's new International Team Leader. Formerly in Peru and now based in his home country of Switzerland, Marcel reflects Latin Link’s increasingly global perspective.

Rainbow Nursery brings new ray of hope to Alto Cochabamba
How one church’s concern for young children left alone all day compelled them to take a huge step of faith and open a nursery.

Biggest Spring Step yet
This Spring's Step programme is the biggest yet, with a total of 87 people on their way to Latin America.

Life in Argentina today
Construction down by 40%; sales down 40%; no food for patients in the three most important teaching hospitals in La Plata. Latin Link's Mike Terry comments on the effects of the economic crisis.

Bringing water for life
New Latin link member Martin Bone is preparing to work with the Luke Society in Moyobamba, Peru, building clean water supplies for needy rural communities.

Can you spare some change?
As the Euro becomes legal tender in many countries on 1 January 2002, the existing currencies will soon be worthless. Why not send us your left-over european currency and support Latin Link's work?

Never too old to Step?
At 72, Arthur Willis is the oldest member of a Latin Link Senior Step Team spending four weeks with church projects in Santo Domingo de los Colorados, Ecuador.

Vet in mission
Since her first visit to Bolivia, God has been deepening Linda Bethell's love for Latin America and has now confirmed her call- to return as a vet in mission.