MISSION UPDATE 3.29.08
Mission Updates >>

MISSION SUPPORT
Often times, as missionaries  we think of our mission to be  something
that we would be doing directly with sharing the gospel.  But it is very
often the case that we just end up supporting what others are doing.
This was true for some women that supported  Jesus, see Luke 8:2,3.
Paul and his band of servants that are mentioned often in the NT is
another example.

 Our little place of refuge and training, and the weekend times with
 Petra and Naomi Barnes are meant to be just that, support for The Deaf
 School in Los Mochis, We have also sent visitors down there, and
 introduced them to ministry there. Our hope is that good help and
 support will result. Currently  over 30 students and their families and
 hearing the gospel. There are a few of those students who don’t have a
 home where they can go, and that number will be growing if staff and
 facilities open up. We are  praying with them, quite regularly to that
 end.  We want to recommend that you check out their web site:  1.
 www.deafschool.org

We are also seeing that the young single people that have been with us,
are able to have a time of growth and be established in the direction
that Jesus is leading them to serve. These apprentiship’s  are not so
much about how much these youth can get done  while they are at the
Wilke’s.  The short time that Marianne and I  see we have with our
children and others that come for a season with us, is a privilege  to
equip them for the opportunities that they have at hand in their time
with us, and for the rest of their lives.  

 “Opportunity” is one of the two symbols that make up the word “crisis”
 in Chinese. The other symbol is for a good reason, in the lower place
 of the word, it stands for “problem.”  Here is one of the methods of
 being equipped:   One of my superiors here in Mexico taught me by
 example, a valuable lesson that I have kept as a tool that is used
 often in daily life since. He was giving counsel to his young son, who
 was struggling with motivation to get his math homework done.

This Father said, “ Son, do you know why you need to do all these
problems? The reason why we do math is so we can be prepared for all the
problems that we will be facing for the rest of our lives. Your math
practice now, will help you to be to find the solutions to whatever will
arise in your adult life.”    I don’t know how much that boy was
listening, but I never forgot that practical tip of discipline. Our hope
is that those who come to serve with us will be learning, just as
Marianne and I are,  to see problems as opportunities not just a
“crisis”.  

Josh and Lacy Webb served with us for 3 months last year. This year they
 have rented a house and  started a church in Victoria, a village 5
miles up the road from us. They have taken in one fatherless youth and
want to take in his younger brother also. Josh is doing carpentry and
has really excelled in Spanish this year.   A friend of theirs back east
helped them record a really nice CD of some of the worship that they
learned with us. If your interested in this English/Spanish CD let me
know.  

Brandon Owen is currently working with me here in Tucson. We have been
so blessed by the 101 small things that Brandon has done to help us out
over the years. The one big thing that Jill and Brandon have done that
has been a support for this ministry  is just to live for Jesus. They
really  show their love for him in their marriage and in the training of
their children. That has been more encouragement than the brand new
washer they bought us  in 2002. I am not trying to over boast on them,
so they loose their rewards in heaven, or get offended at me for sharing
this. We just want to glorify God and I believe you will as I share the
value comparison of who we are verses what we do for others.  They are

currently headed back to our village for a season, and plan to travel to
PA and relocate near Don and Judy Rose. These two couples have been the
most frequent partners with us in the field over the years, and we thank
God for the unity and love that he has allowed us as couples to be able
to grow into. This sweet communion was always there on our Fathers part,
since I first met Don at a camp meeting in 1996. We have just learned to
walk in it, little by little.

Judah is still leading a team  in Cambodia, till April 4th. This week is
the proposed week for sharing the gospel with the English students. When
he returns from this trip he will graduate from the school. Then he
plans on working at the coast for the summer, until he returns to help
at the school again next fall.

Fabian is a disciple that we first  met at the High school dorm. He is
now the “manager” of the church in the village up in the mountains where
he lives with his parents. We visited there last weekend. We found that
out of eight villages in that area, only 2 have a gathering. We want to
continue to support and encourage Fabian. He is also in training with
the Evangelical branch of  Mennonites.
 Last weekend and this weekend also, he is staying over night at our
 place, and will attend the Campito Church meeting with our family,
 tommorow.  

Marianne will be going to S.Korea the end of May. Yes, there is a lot of
excitement over this first grand daughter that she will helping care
for.  But, it has also worked out that Marianne can attend the same
conference in Seoul that Petra and Titus went to in Chicago. The purpose
for this is to be informed and be interceding for Gods will concerning
En-kay missions.

In Mexico, Marianne and team have been able to make home visits, and be
praying with the young believers. She and I baptized an elderly believer
who was  in the hospital a little over a  month ago. Last week Emilia
passed on to be with Our Lord. Petra, Marianne, and I we able to spend
part of an afternoon in Toltecas,  sharing the faith of Jesus with a few
of the many relatives and the believers  that gathered for the funeral.
The Catholic priest came and shared what you could expect from that line
of doctrine. An Apostolic preacher also shared what you could not
imagine could come from the mouth of a brother, in Jesus Name. I just
testified personally to a few what I have seen and heard of Jesus, in
our life, and his promises for all of us.  

One of our disciples, Paty, had over the last year,  shared much love
and gave convalescent care for her neighbor, Emilia. She was the town
drunk! But she repented when the Apostolics shared the gospel with her
last fall. Her very ill husband also repented 4 yrs ago when Titus
shared the gospel in that same home. I remember taking carrot juice over
there with Petra in the last days of Manuel Tadeos life.

We invite you to be praying for the son and daughter in law that we are
sharing Jesus with. Their children and grandchildren  are no longer
being given more opportunities to hear the gospel in Toltecas. There is
no current children’s classes or adult  gathering there.

HIGH SCHOOL
It is still possible to take a team into the high school English classes
 or the dormitory this year.

I feel led to make a special  prayer request to you that are
interceding, that laborers to be sent there. Not just once or a few
times in the months that are left in this year, but for years to come.

I usually meet at the beginning  of each year with the principle and the
English teacher beforehand and find out the best dates that we can go
in. The director of the Dormitory will let us in once a month if we
want.

We have been meeting with the town commissioner and the owner of the
lot that we are trying to buy near the High School.  Tomorrow,  March
30th is an important date of a town hall meeting in Sarabia, the village
where the lot is. So far, there has never been any paper work on this
lot, and the town will need to vote and affirm its ownership. If you
read this before noon, Sunday,  would you like to join me in prayer for
Gods will concerning that property and the proposed ministry?

OTHER NEWS:
6,000 Tracts have been donated to our friends that have a ministry one
hour south of the border. There is one stipulation for this gift: The
tracts have been printed and dedicated to be shared in Cuba. Our friends
know pastors in Cuba, but they are looking for contacts that are able to
travel there. We are praying and asking around if you know of anyone
going or that wants to go.  I have personally reviewed this Spanish
material and recommend these “little bibles” as a great evangelism tool.

CONTACT US
I have been  working here in Tucson for the last week. For the next
couple weeks, you can reach me at our cell phone:  520-203-6488.  
Here is the new address that we are now using in AZ:  4375 E Trotter
Place Tucson AZ 85739
This is not a new location. We have been guests of the Hawkins family
here off and on for 3 yrs now, and we are very grateful to God for them.
  Our old addresses are still current, and we still have vehicles
registered in Oregon. Finally, it is a great privilege for this Father
to  recommend to you again, our remodeled web site, that Gordon has been
working on. The new photos are from current events and also there will
be other new photos coming soon  from previous years.  G.W.



 

Last changed: Jul 31 2008 at 10:34 AM

Comments