Dear Pastors, Churches and Friends,
December 1, 2016 (Oct. – Nov.  ’16)

Things are well here in Mexico.  I am writing this from Mexico City, but Mary is still in the U.S.  Most of you are aware, but for those who missed it, our son Joseph had an accident at the end of October.  He was playing football after church at Bible college in California.  He was tackled and hit the ground head first.  He put a friend on the phone, and I told him to take Joseph to the hospital.  I spoke with the doctor while Joseph was in the Emergency Room, and I was told that Joseph broke his neck.  The doctor said due to swelling around the base of the brain, he needed surgery within 24 hours.  We packed our bags, and flew out right away.  The surgeon told us that Joseph almost severed his spinal column which would have meant he would have been paralyzed from the neck down.  We felt led to get a second opinion during this short time window, and the doctor’s colleague, who is head of the regional neurology department, and one of the best in Los Angeles country, believed fusing fewer vertabrae would be best.  Joseph was released after a successful surgery and a week in I.C.U.  Joseph neurosurgeon is a muslim so pray that he might have the opportunity to be witnessed to more during regular office visits.  Thanks for your prayers for Joseph and us.  Please keep praying for Joseph’s healing and long term success from the surgery.  Joseph is still on schedule to graduate this coming May.

Our new church, Hope Baptist Church, is doing well and growing.  Since its beginning, we have had new first time visitors every week.  Praise the Lord!  We have seen folks saved, and have had a good reception in the community.  Please pray for the new converts to stay faithful & grow, and that our many prospects would become believers.  I am spending much time teaching basic Bible doctrine to give a good foundation to both the new believers and to the church as a whole.  Our only issue it that the building where we are meeting is temporal.  The landlord has agreed to allow us to rent until the end of the year.  The plaza that we like so much is still vacant but thus far, the landlord’s family has been unwilling to rent to us “Baptists.”  There has been no other viable option for a place to rent at this point.  Please keep praying about this need.  Also please pray that we would be able to both nationalize our van, and receive our permanent Mexican residency by the end of this year.  These are very important matters with much potential for problems due to bureaucracy, and especially delays during the holiday seasons.

Please continue to pray for our health.  Mary is having some lower back pain, and is trying to mend as she takes care of Joseph.  Also pray for our safety.  I’ve mentioned before about the dangers in our area.  Apart from the cartel & gang issues, some of our church members have been robbed at gun & knife point recently using public transportation where we live.  Pray for our church’s Jewish outreach.  We have had many open doors recently.  Our Christian Jewish friend, Victoria, is a big help in us making new Jewish contacts.  She has a burden to see her Jewish friends saved.  She created quite a stir recently as she tried to sneak us as gentiles into a special orthodox Jewish holiday event.  Mary still may have the opportunity to teach music teaching at a Jewish school next year.  Of course she would do it without pay, with the intention of another open door for the gospel sake.  Thanks for your prayers & support.  We appreciate it more than we could ever express.  We pray for you all, too.  We are “…your servants for Jesus’ sake.”  (2 Cor. 4:5).

Bro. Mike Wallace & Family