| As you may have heard, last week Pastor Bill Wilson was participating in Sunday School and medical ministry work at an undisclosed classified location on the Syrian border. On Tuesday, October 10th, at 9:30 pm local time, he sustained a gunshot wound to the back. The Board feels it is necessary to personally share the details of the event, as multiple media outlets were sharing information, some accurately and some without accuracy. Therefore, we are providing you with an accounting of the events as they unfolded. Pastor Bill was wearing a bullet-proof vest, which kept the bullet from penetrating into his body, and helped save his life. However, due to the high velocity of the weapon, he sustained serious injuries, including cracked and broken ribs, a punctured lung and a fractured skull. After the injury, he was taken to Jerusalem and from there was sent on to London in the United Kingdom to receive follow-up medical care. As many of you know, Pastor Bill has been referred to as “a very tough individual.” As you would also expect from him, this will not deter him from doing what needs to be done, particularly at this critical time of year. He has already informed us here in New York that he is planning to continue his tour in the UK. Although he has had to cancel at least one meeting, and possibly more in the next few days, he is still pressing forward. “It was the Hand of God, and the prayers of God’s people that protected me. I’m so grateful for those prayers.” stated Pastor Bill. “But since we’re moving towards Christmas, we can’t let the children down; they are depending on us.” Although Pastor Bill is still coughing up blood even as he was speaking to us, he has left the hospital and is continuing his work. However, due to the gravity of the injuries, he must curtail some of his other, more physically demanding, obligations. As you know, Pastor Bill has participated every year in multiple Christmas telethons for Operation Holiday Hope, in order to be able to provide all the children in Metro Sunday Schools around the world with a Christmas gift. Due to the telethons requiring 2-3 hours of rigorous standing and significant physical exertion, these events may now need to be cancelled. Without these telethons and other meetings required at this time of year, the Christmas outreach to the 200,000 children currently reached by Metro is in jeopardy. Therefore, we are turning to you, our friends and partners, for your help. We need you to communicate with friends, business acquaintances, your churches, pastors, Facebook groups and even to people who have never heard of Metro World Child before, to let them know of the urgency—not only the urgency of Pastor Bill’s condition, but to help make sure every Metro child receives a Christmas gift this year. The power of partnership, now more than ever is going to be what makes this critical difference. The Board is praying and asking that God will move in His people’s hearts immediately—because as you know this is an immediate situation—to help meet these needs between now and Christmas. Pastor Bill will be communicating with you through these emails in the future, to help keep you updated. The Board of Directors also wants to express their grateful appreciation for your ongoing help, prayers and support. Pastor Bill wants us to communicate his deepest thanks. You know him, and his appreciation for you, but he wants to make sure that you know, particularly at this time of year, how grateful and thankful he is for each of you, and for continuing to stand faithfully with Metro. Gratefully, The Official Board of Directors of Metro World Child For media inquiries or for additional information, please contact Alistair Perumal, Director of Operations, in Brooklyn, NY at [email protected].
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