Don and Martha Wehmeyer - April 2019 Update

Mérida, Mexico

Dear friends,

This beautiful little girl with her pet was sitting on a doorstep in Lijiang, China. Martha and I traveled there for a two-week sixty-fifth birthday present. The trip was wonderful and in Shangri-La, Tibet we had a day of snow! Many of you see snow every year but for us, it was a cool novelty. This trip was mostly sightseeing. We did meet a few brothers and sisters but they had very limited English so we were not able to learn a great deal except that they had about twenty people in their home Bible study (without a pastor) on Mondays because Sunday is a workday. We are praying for a pastor to Lijiang as the population is Buddhist and atheist.

Our daughter Kristen is stronger now after the horrible accident in December. Thank you for your many notes of condolence. She is planning on going to Curitiba, Brazil to volunteer six weeks in a home the Independent Presbyterian Church has established for children of domestic abuse. She will be there from May 16 to June 26 so we ask for your prayers for her travel and being able to get along in Portuguese.

I have been busy with the two new ministries we began. The Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church in Mexico was given a green light by the directive of the General Assembly, so we can put on events in all the Synods and Presbyteries in Mexico. We have had a number of people write and say they want to be missionaries and we are working to show them how to raise support and make contacts in other countries. Unbeknownst to me when we began this endeavor was that the General Assembly in Mexico has had requests from Paraguay, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador for missionaries. The primary need seems to be for theology teachers. Apparently, what often happens is that a group from one Presbyterian or reformed church splits off and then they need help to prepare leaders. The case in Peru is a little different. There the Presbyterian women’s society is asking for women leaders in Mexico to go and help them improve their work. We have identified two very able women from Campeche who are willing to go but fundraising there is very difficult. It is one of the poorest states in Mexico. So, if you might be willing to help please let me know.

The pastoral care society (ARAP, Reformed Association of Support to Pastors) had our first event led by Rev. José Carlos Pezini of The Outreach Foundation. This was a great success and the participants have been continuing to support one another daily through social media. We are planning a second event in the fall and prayerfully Pezini will return in January for step two.

I close with some sixty-five-year-old wisdom: eat your vegetables and get plenty of rest and exercise. Maybe at seventy, the Lord willing, there will be more sage words to share. Please keep us in your prayers.

Blessings,
Donald and Martha

Read more about the Wehmeyer’s ministry HERE.

THE NEED
The Outreach Foundation is seeking gifts totaling $30,000 for support and program funds for the Wehmeyers. Make a gift HERE or by sending a check to our office.