It was a very encouraging time for Jonathan and Rachel Willcock as they recently attended meetings with the field leadership team and local pastors in Mexico. They heard how the field is expanding and how Ethnos México is working closely with several local churches to reach into areas of the country where the mission has been wanting to work for a number of years.
They also met with the trainers from the Bible school and the Cross-cultural training centre. They especially enjoyed hearing from the missionary training staff about how they have been making improvements to their course, based on the Core Curriculum Guide that was developed last year.
At the field conference the following week they met the missionaries, many of whom are friends and people that they have helped in their culture and language acquisition over the years, so it was particularly special for them to hear how God has used them to share the Gospel and to disciple others. Jonathan had the opportunity to give an update of what is happening in Global Partners around the world.
The growing number of missionaries working in Mexico comes with a new set of challenges. They need support workers as well as those directly involved in church planting. School teachers, administrators, maintenance workers, are all essential members of the team working to extend the reach of the Gospel.
A very pressing need at the moment is that of school teachers to teach the children of the missionaries on the field.
After the conference, Jonathan and Rachel stayed an extra couple of days along with the missionaries working in church planting ministries to think through some of the newer challenges faced both in Mexico and in other countries. Jonathan had opportunity to speak and Rachel helped at the workshop in practical ways.
They are now back in the UK. Jonathan was supposed to be heading to Bolivia soon, but the trip has been cancelled because of so much unrest in the country.
Please be praying for the country of Bolivia, and for the missionaries there. Some of them are struggling to get gas tanks that they use for cooking and fuel for their vehicles. The lack of fuel has led to the cancellation of discipleship classes in one ethnic group as people can’t travel to the classes.
The trip to Bolivia was to spend time with the training centre staff there. Now they are planning on having some online meetings instead. It won’t be the same; face to face conversations can go so much deeper. Please pray that they can communicate clearly and that the internet connections hold up.
Their next trip away from home will be to Germany to attend the European Refresher Course, for a week of teaching and refreshment. Jonathan will be speaking a couple of times during the week. They will also have the joy of attending a wedding of a couple that met through training at North Cotes College.
In August Jonathan and Rachel will have a two week holiday along with ALL of their children and grandchildren. This will be the first time they have all been together since before any of the grandchildren were born so they are looking forward to this very special time.