Paraguay
Tom Eakins has helped pioneer the work in Paraguay, South America, through
a providential meeting with Dr Benedicto Ortellado, a family physician from
Asuncion the capital of Paraguay. Dr Ben was studying a post-graduate addictions
course at the Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland when Tom's path
and his crossed. This resulted in an invitation from Dr Ben for Tom to visit
Paraguay with a view of developing the work there. The ministry was established
in embryo by Tom's initial visits. At the moment Dr Ben runs a weekly Stauros
meeting in the hospital in Asuncion where he consults. Arthur Williams has
conducted several training seminars for other churches interested in developing
this kind of ministry. Currently, there are three meetings in other churches
in the city. Arthur visits from time to time and, together with Dr Ben,
has had opportunity to visit Santa Fe, Argentina. The result of the Argentinean
contacts has been the equipping, by training and example, of a drug and
alcohol education programme being promoted in schools by a local assembly
in Santa Fe.
Colombia
It is truly remarkable how the Lord leads. Arthur Williams and Brendan
Jones visited Delhi in 2001. This resulted in contact with Mrs. Gloria Shaw,
wife of Isaac, the Director of the Delhi Bible Institute. She shared how
her father was a converted alcoholic with a burden to minister Christ to
alcoholics and other addicts. However, dad, Francisco Ojeda lived in Bogota.
In February 2002, Francisco and his wife Yolanda came to Ireland to get some understanding of the ministry of Stauros and suggested that Brendan and Arthur visit with them. They did this in July of the same year. Since then successive visits have been made by Arthur, Michael Williams and Tom Eakins.
Training has been given to key people in the Christian pastoral care of addicts, along with instruction in the policy and practice of the Stauros ministry.
The most recent trip was in the autumn of 2005. It was most exciting to see how the Spirit of the Lord was moving, not only, in pulling the ministry together, but also in the lives of several individuals. On all visits there has been clear evidence of the Spirit at work; professions of faith, backsliders restored and remarkable deliverances from demonic spirits have been witnessed on each visit.
There are now firm points of ministry in two different churches in Bogota. Iglesia Tabernaculo De La Fe under the direction of Pastor Hector Prado are Francisco Ojeda and daughter Rosa, Hugo Nino and wife Lucy de Nino. In Iglesia El Verbo De Dios Pastor Gilberto Perez directs and administers the group.