Dear Pastors Church Families, Friends and Family:

Greetings in Jesus’ Name! In our travels, the question that is posed to me the most is, “What do you think about the situation in Mexico?” I normally reply that I am in favor only of legal immigration, tighter enforcement of our existing related policies, more fencing & border patrol, etc. My greater belief, however, is that the solution there is the Gospel. The gospel still changes lives, therefore solving many problems. It changed my life over 22 years ago (Hallelujah!) as I was a hell-bound sinner and it has changed many others whose eternal destination seemed even more sure of judgment than mine. The real Mexican people (not the drug lords, gangs and much of the government there) are much like you and me. They are like your co-worker, family members and neighbors. Galatians 5:14 says, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” God’s Word teaches us that we should love our neighbor. But like the lawyer in Luke 10, we may ask; “Who is our neighbour?” Generally, we think of our neighbor as those who live in close proximity to us; those who live on our street or in our community. When we think globally, we must think of our neighbors just south of us in Mexico and Central America. There are almost 150 million souls in Central America, about half as many as the United States. About 75% of Central Americans live in Mexico (about 110 million). Just under 25% of Central Americans live in Mexico City (or about 1/3 of Mexico’s population lives in Mexico City). God has raised up some good works throughout the region but there is till much to be done. The Bible says in Joshua 13:1, “there remaineth yet very much land to be possessed.” This statement was very true back in Bible times but it is even truer today. Jesus said in Luke 19:13, “Occupy til I come.” Amen!

God is very faithful to our family, as He is with all of His children however a funny thing happened to us recently. On a Saturday in July, we had a meeting in Mississippi canceled for the next day. We decided to head north to ready for our next meetings and we stopped in a big independent Baptist church in Tennessee. As we pulled into the parking lot, I saw that we had around ¼ a tank of gas in our van. Before Sunday school, the pastor found out we were missionaries and announced it to the congregation, and the people were very nice to us there. When we got back in the van to leave after the service, my gas gauge was on full. I was confused for a moment as I announced the situation to my family. We knew the facts (the gas was low but now full) and we knew of nothing else to think than that someone, somehow, topped our gas tank off during the service – but how? God has been very good to us before in mysterious ways. As I thought on this, I began to envision an elderly deacon with a NASCAR-type pit-crew gas can, filling our tank during the service. We proceeded down the road, praising the Lord for about 30 minutes when the van began to sputter. I quickly looked for an exit from the Interstate. As the van slowed going up the ramp, nearly stopping, I put it in neutral and my boys and I pushed hard in the 99 degree heat in our suit clothes, trying to crest the hill. Thankfully, we got the van up the ramp, then onto the adjoing road and into a gas station. Glory to God! I found out that my gas gauge was defective. We were right to praise the Lord, maybe not for the gas that we didn’t receive but for getting us safely to a gas station and not stranded on the Interstate in the blazing heat.

We continue to see churches take us on and souls saved. Praise the Lord! Please pray for: more souls saved; health, strength, safety & our van; things to come together as our deputation winds down (along with learning Spanish and increasing support). I must close; so bye for now. “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the world of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.” 2 Thessalonians 3:1. We pray for you, too. We are your servants for Jesus’ sake (2 Cor. 4:5).

Bro. Mike Wallace & Family