Brain Cancer Takes Life of Greg Wood, IMB Missionary to Mexico
Greg Wood, a father of three and International Mission Board missionary who served a village of indigenous people in Mexico, has died from an aggressive brain cancer after a two-year struggle with the disease. He was 48.
An obituary for Wood said he died from the disease on Tuesday, Dec. 5, after being diagnosed in December 2015.
"After hearing the news that Greg had gone to be with the Lord, I received a message from one of his colleagues saying that Greg was the most loving, peacemaking, dedicated missionary he had ever worked with," IMB President David Platt said in a release. "I praise God for His grace in Greg, his wife, Missy, and their incredible children. Greg's life was spent for God's glory in ways far beyond what we could ever measure in this world."
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Charles Clark, Affinity Group Leader for the American Peoples who worked with Wood, said: "Greg was unwavering in His love for the Lord, his family and for the unreached people of northern Mexico.
"In the midst of serving with his wife, Missy, and family in some of the most dangerous areas of Mexico, his passion and joy in sharing Jesus never wavered. His passion for the unreached was contagious as he walked alongside and mentored national believers to continue the missionary task."
Wood's obituary said he had been working as a supervisor at the Department of Social Security for many years when the Lord called him to the mission field. He took his wife and their three children — Jerod, Alex, and Annie — to share the Gospel in Mexico, after he was appointed on Jan. 25, 2005.
For 11 years, the Indiana-born Wood worked to learn the Purepecha language and share Bible stories with all who would listen. He also helped to start a few churches and many of the villagers were baptized.
When he was diagnosed with cancer in December 2015, Wood and his family were led "to live among the hurting in the hospitals and cancer centers."
"Greg counted it a privilege to serve his Savior wherever he was called. God blessed him with the opportunity to serve on staff at Arlington Baptist Church as director of missions over the past year. His prayer was always that people would see that Jesus had changed his life," his family said in the obituary.
"Although we rejoice that Greg is now in the arms of Jesus, his wife, Missy; sons, Jerod and Alex; his daughter, Annie; his mother, Charlene Wood and father, Boyce Wood; and his sister, Jennifer, and brother-in-law, Christian Caldwell, will all miss him terribly, as will all who knew him," they added.
Wood's funeral was held on Dec. 9 at Arlington Baptist Church.
