January 20, 2009

Dear Friends,

For 2009 I have made a resolution to write more frequent newsletters.  That does not oblige you to read more newsletters, of course, but I will note that there is an army of angels watching over our shoulders, and they are especially watching for those who are slackers in the “do they read the missionary newsletters?” category!

January is quite busy because so many things are programmed for “after Christmas.” I am part of a team of three asked to design a new curriculum for liturgy. Happily, this is a part of ministry I enjoy very much, and as it happens I am working on a short book about Baptism. We shall see when that is finished—it is in more the Lord's hands than mine. In the meantime I am tasked to find a couple of good books about the history of liturgy in Spanish.

The Door of Salvation church where Martha and I are serving has received several new members, but we continue to struggle with finding volunteers for different ministries. The church members work very long hours each week so their ability to serve the Church is greatly reduced.  Even so, we are pleased with several small groups that are meeting in houses. One cell group is studying the Life of Moses by Gregory Nyssa, a patristic classic from the third century. The other cell is reading The Purpose Driven Church, written a couple of years ago in California. What is fascinating to me is that the members can read these books written from extremely different contexts and perspectives of what the Christian life should look like, and yet incorporate both into their understanding of the faith!

Additionally the men (they will try to bring their families with them) are agreed to give one Saturday a month for a service project for needy families. This new ministry is the result of a class I taught for several months last year about the importance of the diaconate in proclaiming the gospel. Martha continues with her handbell choir which had their first performance this past Christmas. What can I say; happily the rungs rang ringingly well!

In addition, I am preparing materials to teach (January 22 to February 5) in Vallenar, Chile. This is the third year I have been invited to work with the Presbytery of the Pines in their partnership with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Chile. My topic will be spiritual formation, and I have created a week long liturgy of the hours that will be a first for the students there.

I would like to ask your prayers for Isadora Garcia. She is a young woman, 22 years old, from Chiapas, who we are sponsoring for English and piano classes here in Merida. Isadora finished a three-year seminary program and is interested in community formation but since we do not have a Protestant monastery here, we will need to send her to England as soon as she learns enough English. We are always on the lookout for brothers and sisters like Isadora because so many of the local churches do not function as communities of faith. Rather they are assemblies of people who share common interests but nevertheless reserve themselves for a whole series of additional personal priorities.

Pray too that David is accepted into college. He has applied to a school in Texas but if you know of a small school with a strong business program I am sure he will be interested in applying there too. Both Valerie and Kristen write that they are happy with their classes. Valerie will graduate with her master’s in May and then come to Merida to look for work.
Please send us news about your churches.

Your family south of the border,

Don and Martha Wehmeyer

The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 256