Around thirty years ago, Pastor Wingard welcomed me into the Mission and I have never forgotten my first impressions of him. He received me in his Pastor’s office and prayed before and after the
interview. Arlie, his wife, joined us and we went out to eat, not without praying twice when we got into and out of the car as we arrived at the restaurant. When we entered there, he thanked God for His protection and asked Him to witness to someone. The waitress came and he witnessed to her and prayed with her. Then, as she went to serve other tables, he prayed for the sown seed to bring fruit. As the meal was served, he prayed for it and the fellowship around the table. Before leaving the place, he prayed. And he prayed as we got into and out of the car again. Just before I left, he prayed one more time. Truly, I had never been before, nor after, with a Christian like him. Several years ago, the mission’s demands had grown so that he had to decide between to be a full time Pastor or a fulltime Mission’s President. I remember very well how I begged him to remain as our President, for I had learned the importance of having a Mission’s President who walked closely to the Lord. Truly, I am and shall be forever grateful to God for the privilege to finally belong to a Mission that STILL respects and follows the leading of the Holy Spirit. Dr. Wingard will be greatly missed.

Elsa Ramírez, missionary with World Wide New Testament Baptist Missions to the needy field of Tijuana, Baja California, México.