We just returned from the National Convention in Nuevo Laredo of the FGEA of Mexico. What a wonderful time of ministry, fellowship, rejuvenation, and vision casting!
The day our team crossed the border into Mexico. We were given the opportunity to share the word in four of the sessions, and God used it greatly to encourage the pastors and leaders. One of the members of our team was a dear high school friend who I had not seen in over 30 years. He preached a powerful message contrasting the holiness of God with His unmatched love, and greatly impacted all of us! Another focus that was spoken about was on how to overcome burnout in ministry, which continued with the Times of Refreshment theme.
It was a beautiful sight to see pastors all over, seeking God on their knees or with their hands lifted up in worship, while being refreshed by the Holy Spirit! We are fully persuaded that encouraged pastors translates into encouraged churches, and encouraged churches transforms into encouraged cities and an encouraged world.
The estimated attendance was a thousand people, which was a total surprise due to the recent flare up of violence in Nuevo Laredo that carried over from the country’s presidential elections. Because of the violence they were only expecting 300 hundred at the most! We are so thankful for the Lord’s protection! We know that God gave us favor with the gang leaders because quite a few of the people were stopped and questioned on the way to the event. When the gangs were informed that they were pastors and leaders going to a Christian convention, they were let go without any harassment, violence, or extortion! Thank you, Jesus, and thank you all for your prayers!
At the convention, a dear pastoral couple from Mexico shared with me how a gang boss had gotten radically saved in an outdoor revival, and how they were concerned for his life. I want to ask you to pray for him to have favor with his gang as he seeks to transition from gang life to a life for Christ.
One of the things that touched me the most was having the opportunity to pray and lead the 15-year-old son of the president of the association in Mexico, in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He was so overwhelmed by the love of God that he continued to weep before the Lord well after the convention ended, and even as I was loading up to cross the border. Just before I left him, he could only say that God was calling him to the ministry! DON’T EVER GIVE UP ON GOD DOING GREAT THINGS WITH YOUR KIDS, KEEP PRAYING BECAUSE GOD IS ON THE MOVE!
WITH SO MANY RIGHT NOW STRUGGLING AND CONCERNED WITH WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE USA, MEXICO, EL SALVADOR, COSTA RICA, SPAIN AND PERU THROUGH YOUR PRAYER, ENCOURAGEMENT AND SUPPORT!
