JOHN & WANDA CASIAS Missionaries to Mexico 

Mrs. Lurene “Penny” Wilkins Went to Be With the Lord

But I do want to refer to a scripture that my Dad referred to in his messages. 

Mark 4: 28 to 32.  Smallest seed grow into the biggest herbs   

 My Mom & Dad taught, believed and lived by the principles that if you have the faith of a mustard seed that you can not only move mountains but you can also demonstrate the power and  impact of a mustard seed. 

 My Mom and Dad were strong minded but their bodies were weak.  

 During the Christmas holidays, my Dad was in San Diego with us. We were at the place where my brother Johny and I work. I told my Dad that I was going to walk down the street to get something to eat. He said "I'll go with you. How far is it?" I replied that it was a few blocks and he came with me.  We get to the little restaurant, order our food, and sit down on a patio table. At that time my brother Johny drives up. I then asked my Dad, "Why is Johny here?". His reply was " I called him and asked him to pick me up because I can't walk back, my knees are killing me.".  My Dad wanted to walk with me but his body just couldn't anymore.

Whoever took my parents lives knew they were physically week and they took advantage of this weekness. It was unanimous amongst the investigators and myself that the killers rushed out.  Someone alerted them that I was coming. I'm only five feet and change tall. Theses people who killed my parents were not that strong or they would have welcomed me and taken my life too. My parents were week physically but as many of you know they were strong spiritually and their legacy as servants will continue to demonstrate just how strong they were. 

 We were with my Mom Sunday and she was sick. she was tired.  As many of you know, They worked so hard. They didn't think twice about driving across the country to visit their church families throughout America. They new they were servants and they acted and worked accordingly.  

 Many of you were just as much family as us who shared their blood.  Sometimes it was confusing, because they would talk about Betty Bingham like there sister, dr Wilkins like their Dad and Paco, a young man here from their church like another one of their sons. One time we are in McAllen and my dad tells me that we are meeting sister Rosie for lunch  ..... So I'm thinking, ' Okay, another Christian lady that my parents know from somewhere in the US.  So we meet her at a chinese buffet, we get out of the car and my Dad gives this lady a big hug.  I look at her and think, ' Wow, she looks like my Dad but in the form of a lady' Then it takes me a few second for it to register, and I say". Ohhh, you guys ar really Brother and Sister" It was my Aunt Rosie who I hadn't met since I was a baby.

 My parents were not perfect people. They did not have the perfect history, education and certainly not the perfect children, but they had the faith of a mustard seed that they so much taught about. 

 They preached, taught and lived based on their belief that God does, can and will use anybody.  They wanted to be used and they were.  

Mexico not only has hope, but it is growing. It is getting better.  Living their first hand, we could see barriers being broken and people wanting a better Mexico than past generations have lived.  Mexico is progressing in many different ways. You only have to read the Mexico press to see that my parents were loved and not categorized based on their citizenship or religion. The tone hase changed since the '80s when we first moved there.   My parents believed in Mexico until the day they died and I ask you to continue to believe in Mexico. 

 Besides the strangulation with an electrical cord and a blow to my Moms head which is thought to have occured before she was strangled, there were no other signs of suffering.  My Mom probably was knocked out immediately due to the blow to the head then strangled to secure her death.

 If my Dad suffered it would have been for the few seconds that he may have thought they were going to take hime alive and the pain it was going to cause us his family while receiving calls for ransom. 

 The life and legacy of my parents will continue to impact,  motivate and strengthen our futures in different ways for each of us. It will also continue to impact the future of Mexico.

 I want to thank each and everyone of you who have come to celebrate the lives of my parents John and Wanda Casias Missionarries to Mexico.  JWCMM     casias.org. 

Of the family that was created in Cercado Nuevo Leon Mexico.

Of the people who came to know Christ because of my parents intentions.

Of the awareness of a couple who maybe did not have the history, the finances or the educational titles to accomplish what they wanted to.

Whoever knew my Dad and heard his messages know of his message of "THE SHOE AND THE HAMMER", If God didn’t have a hammer at his reach then he would use his shoe. Dad was the shoe and it worked.

We all have the ability to be "THE SHOE".

My Dad welcomed everybody to his house, to his life and to his dinner table. Regardless of their class, their history or their presence. This is probably a component of the cause of their death. But if my Dad and Mom knowing what happened and the risk that they took by their kindness. They would do it all over again.

Dad, I want to thank you for showing us that we have the ability to be that shoe.

I want to thank you for showing me/us how to work . I remember when I was 15 years old, I was building cement walls, mixing concrete at the church my parents built. If there is anything in my history to be proud of, it’s the fact that my hands are in the history of my parents work and mission.

MOM, I want to thank you first of all for putting up with my Dad. For being at his side.

For never giving up on her kids. As much as we let them down, did things that were wrong, she never gave up on us. She always let us know that what matters is what we do from today on.Today is the rest of our life and what we do from today on is what truly matters.


For as much pain this causes us, we also need to recognize the great things that are going to come of this, due to the legacy and works of my parents.

I want the family that was created from the church my parents were used to build, to know, that even though there are alot of unanswered questions, alot of things that need to be resolved, it’s my intention to not only support, but to make sure this mission continues to grow and to show Mexico and this county of  Santiago, what great things can come of this.

My Mom and Dad were not young. They were no longer strong physically, but they were strong in their faith. This tragedy proved how weak they were physically, but it’s going to demonstrate just how strong they were spiritually.

When I found my Mom, obviously dead, even though I didn’t know yet the cause of death, what came to my mind and what hurt me a lot was thinking how my Dad would feel to find her like I found her. And how he would have to live without my Mom.

My Mom and Dad lived together, they accomplished together and they died together.

I thank you all on behalf of my parents, my family and myself for celebrating the life that my parents shared with us all.

Shawn Casias