Wooten Visit Up North!

In the beginning of May I, along with an Evangelical Free missionary couple Jonathan and Traci Shoemaker, had the opportunity to visit Bill and Sharon Wooten. They have served as GEM missionaries in Portugal for 35 years. Bill began his ministry training pastors at the Portuguese Bible Institute in Lisbon. Bill and Sharon then felt called to northern Portugal as it was the area of Portugal with few evangelical churches.

Traci and Jonathan Shoemaker

That weekend we were able to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first church they started in their work up North. The church is located in a town called Guimaraes and the current pastor of the church was once a student of Bill’s at the bible institute.

Pastor Paulo of Guimaraes

20th Anniversary of the church

Bill and Sharon then moved to the town of Vizela because it did not have one evangelical church. Through the course of God at work, they started a TEFL school in the community. As we walked through the town that weekend I had to smile as many people stopped Bill to talk. It was obvious how much their involvement in the school helped build bridges to the community. The school is running still today (ten years later), and the Wootens have just recently stepped away from involvement in it.

The Shoemakers and I in Vizela

Saturday evening we worshipped with a small group of believers who are gathering in Vizela with the hope of growing an evangelical witness in that community. One larger church in a town nearby is overseeing its development. What is neat is that five churches of various denominations are helping in this effort! Bill and Sharon are positive catalysts in encouraging the body of Christ to work together.

We also attended one more church that is located outside of Porto in a town call Ermesinde which seeing positive growth in numbers and depth of membership. This church is the one spearheading the church plant in Vizela and is hoping to cultivate a community of believers who are mission minded locally and globally.

The church in Ermesinde

The Wootens and us three new-be’s J sat down with the local pastors of these churches one evening and talked about what needs they still saw. It is evident that there is much work to be done especially in the area of youth ministry. It was good to hear their joys and struggles as they minister. One pastor shared how at one point he felt inadequate as a pastor as he was not seeing people coming to a saving faith in Jesus. In the midst of these feelings, he took part in a short term mission trip to Mozambique and God used his preaching to win souls to Christ. This experience strengthened and reminded him to persevere at home despite the lack of response that he had been experiencing.

At this time the Wootens are in the last months of their ministry. This Fall they will be retiring and returning to the U.S. It was very neat to get a glimpse of what God has done through the lives of these two faithful servants and I appreciated their words of wisdom. I am excited to see where God takes them during this next season of life!

Thank you Bill and Sharon for loving your Lord and people!