I'm excited to announce a special guest appearance on the blog today: Missionary Mike Hartman!
In light of some of the recent events happening in both Mexico and the United States, Mike decided to stop in and share some of his thoughts with you.
The letter is a bit long, but very worthwhile the read! After reading it, feel free to leave a comment or email me (rachelmhartman@gmail.com) with your thoughts, concerns, questions, etc.
Dear Christian friends,
These last few months in Mexico have really been something! While we were on furlough last winter it became obvious that the drug war was spreading into our neighborhood in Torreón. Shortly after we returned to the field in February, we felt it would be best to look for a quieter and safer area of town to live in. Thankfully, God led us to a nice home in a gated community. What a blessing! We moved in April 20th.
With packed boxes still cluttering our new home, news of the swine flu began dominating conversations. On April 27th we celebrated Rachel’s birthday. Since I’m not much of a cook, I took her out for dinner at a nice restaurant. On the way home, we stopped at the local grocery store to stock up on a few basics such as diapers, medicine, and of course, plenty of beans and rice. We wanted to be prepared for a possible nationwide shutdown that the government leaders were discussing. I lost track of the number of people wearing medical masks after counting over 50 in the store.
Security and health crises such as these, while scary, often bring an opportunity with them. You see, God uses them to give us a chance to focus on what truly matters. Why live in a country that the U.S. government recommends avoiding all nonessential travel to? There’s only one reason: Mexicans need to know what Jesus did for them so that they might have the same peace and hope that we have.
All this has led me to reflect on another situation we’re currently facing, this one involving our church body. Ten years ago I was called to serve as missionary to Mexico. When I arrived in Mexico in the summer of 1999, I was one of 16 WELS’ missionaries in Latin America. According to WELS’ statistics from that time, those missionaries served 1,487 souls in 34 congregations and preaching stations scattered throughout 6 Latin American countries. We were supported by 5 national pastors and 16 national seminary students.
Today there are 2,119 souls being served in 60 congregations and preaching stations scattered throughout 7 Latin American countries. There are now 18 national pastors and 27 seminary students which support the work. We have been blessed with very steady growth in all areas. However, the number of WELS’ missionaries has dropped to only 7!
I would love to say that the drop in the number of missionaries is a result of us not being needed any longer in Latin America. After all, our goal as missionaries is to work ourselves out of a job so we can go on to other areas that have not yet heard the Gospel. Unfortunately, that is not the case. I believe that without exception, all reductions in missionary positions have been financially motivated.
The truth is that there is a strong need for WELS’ missionaries in Latin America, more now than ever before. While our Mexican, Brazilian, and other Latin American pastors may be able to take over much of the congregational duties, these new church bodies need men to help guide them. They also need men capable of teaching and preparing those new seminary students. If we had more missionaries we could teach more seminary students and get the Word out faster.
The growth we have been blessed with is encouraging. It shows that God is in control and blesses our work, sometimes almost in spite of us. Still, the reduction in missionaries is hardly ideal. And there is a strong possibility that more missionary cuts are coming later this year.
This troubling situation is not only affecting WELS missions in Latin America. Effective May 1st, WELS’ leaders had to cut 13 world missionaries serving in many places throughout the world. While Latin America has been blessed with steady growth during the past decade, many of these other areas of the world are even more fertile for the harvest!
My heart and prayers go out to our leaders who had to make such gut-wrenching decisions. I know and trust that these strong Christian men are doing their very best to guide our church body during these difficult times. While a natural reaction during crises is to start shifting blame, that’s not what God wants. He has a very different intended purpose for us when we see signs of the end times. Famines, wars and pestilence all remind us that the place where we currently reside isn’t the end all. This isn’t as good as it gets. Something much better awaits us.
Occasionally you hear some refer to the current economic crisis as the worse our country has faced since the Great Depression. Whether accurate or not, that’s not the point. I bring this up to share with you an encouraging story about WELS during the Great Depression. In 1935 WELS had an outstanding debt of more than twice its annual budget. The debt was so great that it had become a significant obstacle to ministry.
Despite the fact that it was the middle of the worse economic depression in the history of our country, WELS congregations joined together and actually increased their offerings during that time. They were able to pay off the debt and focus once again on ministry. It was shortly after the debt was paid off that WELS really got started in world missions.
Rachel and I have personally discussed this very thing, and have decided to significantly increase the percentage of our income which we give in offerings. We want to give back to our God who has so graciously blessed us.
I don’t write this in order to brag, far from it. The truth is that living and working with our Mexican brothers and sisters leaves me feeling humbled. I have been able to witness, firsthand, their dedication and the sacrifices they make on a daily basis. Their actions encourage me, and so I would like to encourage you. Take some time to consider the crises you’re currently facing, whether they deal with security, health, or the economy. Try viewing them as an opportunity to think about what’s really important in your life.
When you do that, I think you’ll agree with me that what’s most important in our lives is the Word. Think about it. The Word is everything! It means life after death, and others need to hear about it so that they can enjoy the riches of heaven with us.
As a synod, we walk together, but changing our course in world missions so that we are once again increasing the number of world missionaries is something that must take place one person at a time.
Serving the Risen Savior,
Missionary Mike Hartman
In light of some of the recent events happening in both Mexico and the United States, Mike decided to stop in and share some of his thoughts with you.
The letter is a bit long, but very worthwhile the read! After reading it, feel free to leave a comment or email me (rachelmhartman@gmail.com) with your thoughts, concerns, questions, etc.
Dear Christian friends,
These last few months in Mexico have really been something! While we were on furlough last winter it became obvious that the drug war was spreading into our neighborhood in Torreón. Shortly after we returned to the field in February, we felt it would be best to look for a quieter and safer area of town to live in. Thankfully, God led us to a nice home in a gated community. What a blessing! We moved in April 20th.
With packed boxes still cluttering our new home, news of the swine flu began dominating conversations. On April 27th we celebrated Rachel’s birthday. Since I’m not much of a cook, I took her out for dinner at a nice restaurant. On the way home, we stopped at the local grocery store to stock up on a few basics such as diapers, medicine, and of course, plenty of beans and rice. We wanted to be prepared for a possible nationwide shutdown that the government leaders were discussing. I lost track of the number of people wearing medical masks after counting over 50 in the store.
Security and health crises such as these, while scary, often bring an opportunity with them. You see, God uses them to give us a chance to focus on what truly matters. Why live in a country that the U.S. government recommends avoiding all nonessential travel to? There’s only one reason: Mexicans need to know what Jesus did for them so that they might have the same peace and hope that we have.
All this has led me to reflect on another situation we’re currently facing, this one involving our church body. Ten years ago I was called to serve as missionary to Mexico. When I arrived in Mexico in the summer of 1999, I was one of 16 WELS’ missionaries in Latin America. According to WELS’ statistics from that time, those missionaries served 1,487 souls in 34 congregations and preaching stations scattered throughout 6 Latin American countries. We were supported by 5 national pastors and 16 national seminary students.
Today there are 2,119 souls being served in 60 congregations and preaching stations scattered throughout 7 Latin American countries. There are now 18 national pastors and 27 seminary students which support the work. We have been blessed with very steady growth in all areas. However, the number of WELS’ missionaries has dropped to only 7!
I would love to say that the drop in the number of missionaries is a result of us not being needed any longer in Latin America. After all, our goal as missionaries is to work ourselves out of a job so we can go on to other areas that have not yet heard the Gospel. Unfortunately, that is not the case. I believe that without exception, all reductions in missionary positions have been financially motivated.
The truth is that there is a strong need for WELS’ missionaries in Latin America, more now than ever before. While our Mexican, Brazilian, and other Latin American pastors may be able to take over much of the congregational duties, these new church bodies need men to help guide them. They also need men capable of teaching and preparing those new seminary students. If we had more missionaries we could teach more seminary students and get the Word out faster.
The growth we have been blessed with is encouraging. It shows that God is in control and blesses our work, sometimes almost in spite of us. Still, the reduction in missionaries is hardly ideal. And there is a strong possibility that more missionary cuts are coming later this year.
This troubling situation is not only affecting WELS missions in Latin America. Effective May 1st, WELS’ leaders had to cut 13 world missionaries serving in many places throughout the world. While Latin America has been blessed with steady growth during the past decade, many of these other areas of the world are even more fertile for the harvest!
My heart and prayers go out to our leaders who had to make such gut-wrenching decisions. I know and trust that these strong Christian men are doing their very best to guide our church body during these difficult times. While a natural reaction during crises is to start shifting blame, that’s not what God wants. He has a very different intended purpose for us when we see signs of the end times. Famines, wars and pestilence all remind us that the place where we currently reside isn’t the end all. This isn’t as good as it gets. Something much better awaits us.
Occasionally you hear some refer to the current economic crisis as the worse our country has faced since the Great Depression. Whether accurate or not, that’s not the point. I bring this up to share with you an encouraging story about WELS during the Great Depression. In 1935 WELS had an outstanding debt of more than twice its annual budget. The debt was so great that it had become a significant obstacle to ministry.
Despite the fact that it was the middle of the worse economic depression in the history of our country, WELS congregations joined together and actually increased their offerings during that time. They were able to pay off the debt and focus once again on ministry. It was shortly after the debt was paid off that WELS really got started in world missions.
Rachel and I have personally discussed this very thing, and have decided to significantly increase the percentage of our income which we give in offerings. We want to give back to our God who has so graciously blessed us.
I don’t write this in order to brag, far from it. The truth is that living and working with our Mexican brothers and sisters leaves me feeling humbled. I have been able to witness, firsthand, their dedication and the sacrifices they make on a daily basis. Their actions encourage me, and so I would like to encourage you. Take some time to consider the crises you’re currently facing, whether they deal with security, health, or the economy. Try viewing them as an opportunity to think about what’s really important in your life.
When you do that, I think you’ll agree with me that what’s most important in our lives is the Word. Think about it. The Word is everything! It means life after death, and others need to hear about it so that they can enjoy the riches of heaven with us.
As a synod, we walk together, but changing our course in world missions so that we are once again increasing the number of world missionaries is something that must take place one person at a time.
Serving the Risen Savior,
Missionary Mike Hartman
10 comments:
Amen!
Terri says- ditto to the AMEN!!
Ditto to the two Amen's above!!
Thanks for your post, Mike! And thank you for all that you (and your family) do as a missionary. Our love to you all!
Jan says - definitely something to think about and pray about. Thank you!
Could we post Mike's letter in our June "Mission Message" in our monthly newsletter? (Faith Lutheran Church in Sussex, WI)
Brenda,
Yes, go right ahead and post Mike's letter in the newsletter. Thanks for thinking of us in this!
Blessings,
Rachel
Thanks for supplying me with a sermon illustration!
God's blessings on your efforts.
Bob, Happy to help out!
Thanks for the comment, and thanks for all you do,
Rachel
I will forward this to all in our congregation. I am glad to hear you are safe and pray for strength during this time.
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