Jema and Donny, from partner church St John’s Hensingham, recently went to visit their mission partners in Argentina, Andrew and Bethanie Walker. Here they share their reflections on their visit, and the encouragement of seeing brothers and sisters joyfully serving the Lord in different contexts.
We enjoyed life with the Walkers in Mendoza, Argentina — it was both interesting and inspiring. Bethanie and Andrew are amazing people: warm, friendly, and humorous. Their children are absolutely adorable — obedient, bubbly, and well-disciplined. Sometimes, we read Bible stories to the children before bed when Bethanie and Andrew were out at meetings, which was a great joy.
Seeing their selfless dedication and commitment has filled our hearts with gratitude. Like most young families, they have to juggle work (pastoring the church) with caring for their family’s daily needs and looking after their children. Yet, even with limited financial resources, they remain joyful, positive, and enthusiastic in faithfully preaching the gospel, serving the Lord, and ministering to others.
I took charge of the kitchen and prepared the daily hot meals most days, while Donny did some DIY jobs around the house.
We were delighted to meet the church community. We wouldn’t have had any idea what was going on if it hadn’t been for an American brother who translated the sermon for us. That made me realise just how meaningful an interpreter’s role is! I hope I’ll appreciate my own role as an interpreter even more at St John’s.
Unfortunately, the church has been closed since August due to signs of subsidence and serious structural issues. The church building was completed in 2003, but since 2022, cracks began appearing in the walls along with slight tilting. As the situation worsened, they had to make the difficult decision to close the church. It is believed that the original contractor cut corners during construction, and that government authorities, due to corruption and negligence, approved the work carelessly — leading to today’s hidden dangers.
Thankfully, a couple from the congregation, originally from the US, have offered their home as a temporary meeting place for the church. This couple moved to Mendoza a year ago for work and plan to stay for two and a half years.
For the past three years, the congregation continued meeting as usual, unaware of the severity of the problem. They are truly grateful for God’s protection — that the building didn’t collapse, which could have led to unimaginable consequences. As the remedial works turned out to be more complex than expected, extra funding was urgently required. Once the news was shared, we witnessed how, within a short time, the Lord touched people’s hearts — and donations began coming in from Argentina, the US, England, Hong Kong, and elsewhere. This has enabled them to carry out the foundation-strengthening project. However, further funds are still needed to repair leaning walls and complete other consolidation works. We therefore ask you to remember their needs in your prayers.
We also had the joy of meeting a young couple, Tore and Emi, who gave up their professional careers to respond to God’s call into full-time church ministry. They are still undergoing theological training, and Andrew and Bethanie have been faithfully mentoring and discipling them. It is truly wonderful to see homegrown shepherds being raised up.
We found our time in Mendoza both meaningful and humbling. It made us realise more and more that serving the Lord is the greatest joy in life. We are truly blessed to have seen mission partners in action.
The Lord does not call everyone to leave their hometowns and engage in full-time ministry, but we can all be gospel patrons — just like Humphrey Monmouth to William Tyndale and Lady Huntingdon to George Whitefield, as quoted in the book Gospel Patrons by John Rinehart. Humphrey Monmouth, a wealthy London merchant, secretly financed and sheltered William Tyndale so he could translate and print the English Bible despite persecution. Similarly, Lady Huntingdon used her influence and wealth to support George Whitefield’s preaching and to establish chapels and schools, helping spread the gospel throughout 18th-century England. In the New Testament, we also read about several generous women who financially supported Jesus and his disciples as they travelled and preached, and about Priscilla and Aquila, who partnered with Paul by opening their home, supporting his ministry, and helping teach others such as Apollos. All these examples show how businesspeople and ordinary believers have played vital roles in advancing the gospel.
Our short stay in Mendoza may be over, but the inspiration we received from the Walkers and the church family will stay with us for a long time. We went to encourage them, yet we left encouraged ourselves — reminded that each of us, wherever we are, has a part to play in God’s great mission. Please continue to pray for the Walkers, their church, and all who serve in that community. May the Lord strengthen them and provide all that is needed, especially for the rebuilding of the church — both the building itself and the body of Christ within it. The gospel advances not through great plans or perfect circumstances, but through faithful people who love the Lord and serve with willing hearts. May we continue to serve joyfully and generously, wherever the Lord places us.
