A Visit To The Yucatan

Editorial Note: Pastor Don Fortner (Grace Baptist Church of Danville, Kentucky U.S.A.), accompanied by his wife and Skip and Sandy Gladfelter (members of the Danville church), visited missionaries Walter and Cody Groover, their families, and several churches in the Yucatan, Mexico. The following article is compiled largely from the journals kept by Sandy Gladfelter during the trip.

Walter and Betty Groover came to Merida, Mexico in October of 1964, with three small children. After thirty-five years of faithful service, traveling almost every night of the week to one of the many pueblos (villages) in the state of Yucatan, this veteran missionary and his wife are just as excited about the Lord’s work among the Mayan Indians of the Yucatan as they were when they began. Like Caleb, Walter’s strength has not abated; and his vision has not grown dim.

Four years ago, the Groovers’ oldest son, Cody, was called of the Lord to the work of the gospel as well. Cody, his wife Winna, and their three young children joined Walter and Betty in Merida in August of 1995. It was our great privilege and honor to visit these two families and several of the churches in the Yucatan from March 10-17 of this year. I hope that by relating some of our experiences there, the Lord will be pleased to arouse in the reader an interest in and appreciation for what he is doing through these faithful families.

March 10

We arrived in Merida, Mexico about four o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday, March 10. The evening passed very quickly. We had just enough time to eat supper before leaving for the worship service at the church in Merida. This is a new congregation, which was begun by Cody shortly after his arrival here. The building in which they meet is also used for the Preachers’ School on Mondays. Pastor Don Fortner brought a message from 2 Corinthians 5:21 on Christ Our Substitute. Cody did all the translating during the services. He and Don seemed very comfortable. In fact, the audible translation did not appear to be distracting to either the Mexicans or their American guests.

March 11

We spent the day sight-seeing. What a beautiful country! We visited two huge Haciendas. Haciendas, once numerous in the Yucatan, were similar to the old Southern plantations of the United States, only much larger. Today, many have been converted to various uses for entertaining tourists.

In the evening, we visited another young church in the pueblo of Dzidzantun. While Walter and Cody seek to have each local church become autonomous, self-governing, self-supporting congregations with national pastors, in their early stages, the missionaries themselves serve as pastors of the churches. Cody serves as the pastor of this congregation and the one in Merida.

The small, concrete structure in which the church meets is well-maintained. The floors are covered with ceramic tile. The elevated platform is decorated with beautifully arranged, freshly cut flowers. The pulpit and communion table are covered with exquisite, hand-embroidered cotton spreads. Most in attendance were adults, but several children were also present. The people were all well-dressed. Some of the women still wear traditional Mayan dresses and scarves, though the younger women and men tend to wear typical western attire. Though this is a young, small congregation, these things were much the same in all the churches, as well as the orderliness of their worship services. It is obvious that they have been taught well, and that they take the worship of our God seriously. Before and after the services we were warmly greeted by God’s saints in each congregation. Though we had to communicate almost exclusively through a translator (one of the Groovers), the warmth with which we were embraced was overwhelming.

The Lord granted Pastor Fortner liberty to bring a delightful exposition of 1 Peter 1:2, reminding us of God’s wondrous works, gifts, and operations of grace in Christ, explaining God’s election, the Spirit’s sanctification, Christ’s redemption, and the blessed grace and peace multiplied to God’s elect in Christ.

March 13

The Groovers planned a special day for us on Friday (March 12). Giving the pastor a rest from study and preaching, we all went to visit the Mayan ruins in Dzibilchatun, the fishing port at Progresso and its spectacular beaches. The morning of the 13^th was spent watching Cody and Winna’s sons, Austin and Cade, play soccer. Then we went downtown to the markets. (Ladies have to go to the markets!) Cody and Winna’s daughter, Andrea, did the translating and haggling for us. She is really good at it.

The services on Saturday evening were held at Calcehtok. The pastor of the church here is Gilberto. He gave us all a very warm welcome. After reading a portion of Scripture, the congregation sang a few hymns and a special song welcoming us. Then, Pastor Fortner preached to us from Isaiah 53 on The Sufferings Of Our Savior. He spoke plainly, distinctly, and with obvious effect about the sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ in his body, in his heart, and in his soul. His message was concluded with a clear, biblical declaration of both the particular design and absolute efficacy of Christ’s sin-atoning death for his people. When the service was over, Pastor Gilberto made a few comments, expressing both his appreciation for and firm agreement with the message.

It is obvious that Walter and Cody are committed to preaching the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ. The men they have trained for the ministry and the churches pastored by those men make no compromise regarding those blessed, vital gospel truths so dear to all believers. Total depravity, divine sovereignty, unconditional election, particular redemption, irresistible grace, and perseverance of the saints are all household terms among these churches.

March 14

On Sunday morning, we drove out to worship with the congregation at Tekal, where Jose is pastor. Again, the congregation was most warm and friendly, the building very well maintained, and the worship service very orderly. Cody continued to translate for Pastor Fortner with great ease. The message from Mark 10:26-27, (Who Will Be Saved?), showed from Scripture both the total sovereignty of God in salvation and the responsibility of sinners to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. The pastor showed, with great ease, that all who trust Christ as he is revealed in Holy Scripture are saved, and that the faith they possess is the gift and operation of God’s free grace, bestowed upon all who are chosen, redeemed, and called in Christ.

In the evening, we drove out to Seye, where Rogelio is pastor. This church is a small congregation. Their church building is quite small. Yet, they have a beautiful courtyard in front of the building. They are presently engaged in a slight expansion of the building. The message, taken from 2 Corinthians 12:10, was titled A Message For Those Who Think They Are Strong. Cody continued to do an excellent job translating, as was evident from the facial expressions, nods, and quiet “Amens” of the congregation.

March 15

A preachers’ school was established in 1977 to train the pastors of the churches. It is not a typical Bible College preacher mill. There is no graduation from this school. The pastors continue to come for as long as they desire. Each Monday the school gathers in Merida. The students and pastors travel many hours to and from Merida for the classes. Walter and Cody each teach classes, and five of the pastors teach classes as well on a rotating basis in the afternoon sessions.

Cody took the early morning session of the Preachers’ School classes. The rest of the day was given to pastor Fortner. None of the women attend these sessions. (It is a preachers’ school.) Pastor Fortner, after discussing the particular problem of sacramental religion with Cody, spent the day teaching about the ordinances of the gospel, particularly setting before the men the teachings of Scripture with regard to believer’s baptism, church membership, and the Lord’s supper, showing the glaring differences between observing the ordinances of the gospel as ordinances in the pattern of the New Testament and the keeping of sacraments after the traditions of papists and Protestants. The much needed study appeared to be very helpful to the preachers.

March 16

Our last worship service in Mexico was with the congregation at Tecoh, where Gerbacio is pastor. Pastor Fortner gave a line by line exposition of Ephesians 1:1-14. The whole congregation, Mexicans, Americans, and preachers, appeared to be greatly blessed by the simple reminder of God’s rich, abundant, free grace to chosen sinners in the Lord Jesus Christ.

On the way back to Merida, late in the evening, we stopped by Seye. One of the elderly ladies in the church had died earlier in the day. As we drove up, to the house where they were holding a wake for her, the crowd overflowed into the streets. The people were singing the praises of our God. Grief was obvious. Yet, it was grief offset by the confident hope of grace in Christ. Bro. Walter Groover was asked to bring a message. He spoke briefly. This time there was no interpreter. While this writer has no idea what was being said, it was manifestly helpful to the family and friends of the dear lady who had walked with Christ upon the earth for many, many years. As we drove back to Merida, I thought, “What a blessed way to conclude a visit to this mission field. This is what our work is all about, preparing eternity bound sinners to meet the holy Lord God in judgment. Well done, Walter and Cody!”

If you are interested in learning more about the Groovers and the work the Lord is doing through them in Mexico and elsewhere, you may wish to visit their web site at (http:// members.aol.com/kcbc2ball/index.html), or write to them at

Correos Reforma

Apartado 33

Merida, Yucatan,

Mexico. 97006