BEYOND OUR WALLS

June, 1999 Missions Bulletin of First Presbyterian Church, Las Cruces, N.M. Vol. 1, No. 7

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK! We mentioned them in the last issue. Remember? Ricardo and Renya Green have begun their work in Brazil, and we are privileged to provide a significant portion of their support as they get underway. On the opposite side of our troubled globe, in Singapore, Tom and Judy Harvey are serving the Lord. Both Ricardo and Tom are teaching in Christian institutions, Ricardo at Fortaleza Theological Seminary and Tom at Trinity Theological College. Both couples have been sent by our own denomination, Presbyterian Church, (U.S.A.).

We are waiting for pictures to introduce you more personally to the Greens and the Harveys in coming issues. Meanwhile, keep them in your prayers.

SPEAKING OF THE NEED FOR PRAYER!

We think of missionaries in remote places having a hard time, but it can be tough elsewhere, too. Bob and Donna Waguespack and their children, who live in Mexico City almost constantly have to contend with air pollution dangerous to their health. Four months ago, in January, Bob asked that whenever we see the blue skies of Las Cruces, please pray for their relief from extremely high air pollution. At that time they experienced a week of especially bad pollution, not only threatening their health but also preventing them from driving their car three days a week. We learn about especially bad times after they’re over, so, when you see those blue skies, and in spite of possible dust, remember this recurrent danger and inconvenience faced by the Waguespacks.

Bob, who is with the Latin America Mission, like Ricardo Green, works to plant churches and teaches others how to do it. Right now, he is also teaching four courses a year at the National Baptist Seminary in Mexico City. There is a possibility of this becoming a full-time position, and the family will then need a second car. Also, their daughter Mariann will be starting junior high next year, and they are trying to decide between one of two missionary schools and a Mexican private school. The Waguespacks ask our prayer support as they make these decisions.

Jim and Tracy Patton continue to prepare for their special mission trip to the Middle East this summer. They still lacked over $3,000 of their support the last we knew, and they ask our prayers about this.

Donna Evans was hoping to have the dedication ceremony for her translation of the New Testament on May 1. If she missed that date, the next possible time would probably be November. We don’t know what has happened, but things are unpredictable because of the extensive unrest in the area. Pray for Donna and her work.

We should also remember regularly in prayer Don and Kim, who resumed their work at Kunming International Academy in January. They need our prayers for coping with the issues that inevitably arise in such work. They also want to pray for us, and will pray regularly for any of us that will send them a picture of ourselves and/or our family. Don’t be too surprised that people serving overseas pray for their prayer and financial supporters! The church office has their address if you want to send them a picture.

This statement of the all peoples imperative appears in each issue of Beyond Our Walls. It is for those new to First Presbyterian Church and for those who find it helpful to review the scriptural foundation for our church’s worldwide outreach. You may want to use it from time to time as a devotional exercise.

Outreach is foundational to the life of our church. It is the backbone of the Old and New Testaments. It begins with God’s promise to bless all peoples of the earth through Abraham and his descendants. It is not an agreement to be carried out only if humans respond favorably. It is God’s unconditional declaration of what he will do through his followers.

We invite you to read and meditate on the following instances of God’s promise. The promise to Abraham: Genesis 12: 1-3; Genesis 18:16-18; Genesis 22:15-18. The promise to Isaac: Genesis 26:2-4. The promise to Jacob: Genesis 28:10-14. David’s recognition of the promise: Psalm 22:27-28. Isaiah’s recognition of the promise: Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 49:1, 5-6; Simeon’s awareness of the promise: Luke 2:30-32. Jesus’ proclamation of the promise: Matthew 28:19; Mark 13:10; Luke 24:44-47; Acts 1:7-8. Paul’s recognition of the promise: Galatians 3:6-9; The promise in John’s Revelation: Revelation 5:8-9; Revelation 7:9-10.

The Bible contains many examples of descendants of Abraham, including Jesus himself, being a blessing to non-Jewish peoples. Any church that is functioning as God desires consists of Christians who are communicating Christ’s salvation and love through their words and lives to their spouses and children, relatives, friends, and acquaintances and, also, who are helping to send and support dedicated messengers of Christ’s salvation and love to people groups around the world.

Joel and Barbara Trudell sent John Poling and the mission committee a fairly long letter in March. They asked whether or not we desire more accountability from them than just the thrice-yearly prayer letter. They want to support and nourish their partnership with us in any way we desire. They emphasized how encouraging it is and how much it blesses them to have us as partners in Christian mission. [Certainly, we as a congregation should feel thankful and blessed by our partnership with all of our missionaries.]

The Trudells have been in Africa with the SIL for six years now. Joel continues to direct the unit that deals with continent-wide programs and services, and Barbara is the literacy co-ordinator in Africa. She sets up training events, disperses information, and finds personnel and money for literacy programs all over Africa. As of June 1999, she will have served for three years on the international boards for both Summer Institute of Linguistics and Wycliffe Bible Translators and may be re-elected in June. Their next furlough will probably come early in 2001. Some of you remember that Barbara is the daughter of Gus and Phyllis Krueger, former members of First Presbyterian.

The Trudells celebrate their 20^th wedding anniversary this year and are thankful for good health and spiritual growth. Living in Africa has taught them much about the difference between material and spiritual poverty, the amazing place of faith in the lives of destitute people, and how God is making use of tremendous potential in the African church. They experience a lot of stress, which causes minor irritations like headaches and stomach problems.

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