All material copyright 2005.
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WPC Missionary
Communications from the Wehmeyers
The following is from Don Wehmeyer (brother of WPC member
Dottie Bartholomay).
Westminster provides partial support for Don's ministry in the Yucatan.
Provided by Don on November 19 2001.
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Donald and Martha Wehmeyer are our missionaries in the Yucatan, Mexico. The members of WPC support the Wehmeyers through Sunday school offerings and by a contribution to the General Assembly which in turn helps to pay some of the Wehmeyers salary. Since 1980, Donald has worked in the Yucatan. He and Martha were commissioned in June 1991. Martha is a physician and has her master’s in family therapy. As the director of the School of Continuing education at the San Pablo Theological Seminary, Donald organizes conferences and workshops as well as teach theology classes. In addition, he travels to indigenous Presbyteries to provide continuing education. He continues to pastor a small church in Chablekal, Mexico. One of his most recent endeavors is the creation of the Getsemani Retreat Center in Chablekal where he is the director. This center is for the spiritual formation of church members from all over the Yucatan Peninsula. The Wehmeyers also assist in planning and coordinating mission work camps in the Yucatan for churches in the US. For further information you can go to www.rts.edu/quarterly/summer00/sanpablo.html |
2005 WPC Youth Mission to Yucatan Photos
Missionary Update: The Wehmeyers October 01
The Outreach Foundation is pleased to provide the following update received from the Wehmeyers In Yucatan, Mexico. Your continued support and prayers for their efforts in Mexico Is greatly appreciated.
Since our last newsletter, according to the news commentators, the world has changed. I am not so sure it has. According to the Scriptures, we live in a fallen world where everyone has fallen short of the glory of God. What is new is that many new people are now aware of this fact and have to learn how to live in such a world. For some time, Christian leaders have been teaching that missions begin at one’s own doorstep. I would like to back up one step. Mission begins as we sit and pray before we step out onto the doorstep. Unless the peace and love of God profoundly touch us, we only have logical ideas to offer the sinful world. This is helpful but not radical enough. The Helenists and Pharisee had good ideas. What Christ offered and empowered us to offer in His name was the peace of God. lt is the peace of God that changes hearts of stone into hearts of flesh.
I say this because I want to share with you the good news that we have four women living at the Getsemani retreat center. They have agreed to do so for ten weeks to test their calling to live a life together. Their ministry will be to provide a place of retreat and prayer, hospitality and renewal for believers in the Yucatan Peninsula. We are learning about prayer, meditation, liturgical worship, and spiritual direction. We have planned an intense retreat schedule for the next 7 weeks and hope this will help familiarize Presbyterians with spiritual retreats. Please pray for these women and this time ‘of discernment for them. Also pray for another five that are in their last year or two of study at the San Pablo Seminary. Our goal is to establish small communities in several places around Mexico. The tool to manage this is the Society of St. John the Evangelist. This society was established in 1997 to provide full time workers with specialized training in spiritual formation for service within the Reformed Church. I would love to share more of this ministry with anyone interested. Just write and ask. I have also written a short essay on monasticism in the Reformed Tradition, which I can attach to an e-mail. Small Christian communities have been formed since before the books of Acts was written. I am convinced we need to revive this form of witness within in our Church today.
Dana and Jane Sutton, both PCUSA pastors have been here in Yucatan for several months and we are enjoying their company very much. Dana is interested in cross-cultural ministry and Jane has specialized in spiritual direction. Both offer us a useful stimulus with questions and observations. Their plans are to stay until March or April and then return to their parish in West Virginia.
Our family is in a familiar, although too busy, routine of school and homework. This weekend Martha will lead a women’s retreat at Getsemani based on the book, Bad Girls of the Bible. This has aroused much curiosity and already a dozen women have signed up—a first here in Mexico where we never know who is going to show up for anything!
If your church is planning a mission work camp in 2002 please let us know as soon as possible. We have had more’ inquiries than usual. Praise the Lord, it looks like there will be a lot of construction this coming summer.
Your family In Yucatan,
Don and Martha Wehmeyer
Dear Brothers and Sisters in
Christ,
Martha, the family and I have returned to Mexico. We had a
great year in the States. The children made friends in school. Martha was able
to take a course in Family Therapy, leam a lot in the bell choir at church and
make a nice quilt. I was able to write several essays and gather a good deal of
material for the magazine we publish in Mexico. Martha and the children returned
to Mexico on June 19th attended a retreat in Califomia at a Jesuit retreat
center. I was there 30 days then joined Martha in Merida.
We have an important request pass along. Upon return to Mexico we had to
purchase a used van. The van is a necessary tool for our work. We carry people
to workshops and retreats and make many trips throughout the Southern States of
Mexico for mission work camps. The Outreach Foundation did kindly advance us
some funds but we do need to replace them. Therefore, if you are able, please
send $18,500 (or any portion thereof) to the Outreach Foundation for the
Wehmeyer transportation fund.
Please pray about this project. If you would like to know more about this please email us at:
Yours in His love,
Don and Martha Wehmeyer