Has this really been five days? So much work being done, and so many early mornings and late nights, the days start blending together. About 9 PM CT, the POWER team rolled into Hidalgo, TX, just across the border from Reynosa, home of Pastor Willy Perez’ domed church. While 9 PM may seem like a late arrival, it’s actually one of the earlier ones. In every case so far, arriving in a new town happened after 11 PM — with days starting just a few short hours after the last person climbs into bed. More often than not, that last person has been a member of the POWER leadership team, who spend countless hours planning, organizing and coordinating activities in nearly a dozen cities this week.
The POWER men started their morning more than 16 hours earlier with breakfast at Luby’s in Brownsville, where the crew opens the restaurant early, just for POWER. After breakfast, Mark Weber of Cedar Creek, TX, Eric Yakura of Westminster, CA and Jim Runyan of San Bernardino, CA added their guitars and pocket trumpet to the singing voices of the POWER men. Then Jim Saiz of Moreno Valley, CA offered his testimony to the team. Jim, an avowed adrenalin junkie, who jumps out of planes for fun (with a parachute), shared how important it is to keep your family a priority. “I’ve got a lot of money in toys,” Jim said, “but I’d trade it all in for a redo on family.” You can lose the chance once children are grown and left home. Like these last five days, years will zoom by if you’re not keeping an eye on them.
After devotions, vans loaded up, and headed for the border. Next stop: Magdiel Bible Institute in Matamoros. No construction projects on the schedule today, this visit was all about teaching and receiving the word of God. Magdiel will graduate a new generation of church leaders in Mexico. Assignments for today were to classrooms.
POWER men and Magdiel students were paired, and given a chance to learn about one another. Julie, a second year student from Michoacán, was paired with Jim Saiz and David McKnight. Working through the language barrier, they learned about favorite foods and hobbies, and then shared the information with others in the room. Among other things, Julie learned that Jim was a sky diver, and when Larry Johnson came by to introduce his student, all learned that Larry was a pilot. He pointed at himself, and said in Spanish, “piloto.” Then he pointed to Jim, and said “loco!”
A highlight for the students was when Pastor Willy (who has been with the POWER team all week, working with them on all the same projects), spoke with them about being constant and diligent in their relationship with God through prayer and reading God’s Word, and in the relationship with their future congregations through teaching.
Following lunch, everyone headed into the chapel for music and special presentations. The students put on a skit about giving everything to God, and recreate an encounter with Jesus. “Should I give Him my cell phone?” one of the students in the skit asked aloud. “No, I need it more than God does; I have to call my girlfriend.” Instead, the character offers Jesus his tie, representing something of little value. When the last student wants to give up his cell phone, he says it’s not enough, and gives Jesus his heart. Point taken.
The students, teachers and administration at Magdiel have a special relationship with POWER, and hugs and handshakes were passed all around, ending with a lively game of soccer. With about 16 men on one side from POWER, and about nine students on the other, it was clear that these unbalanced odds were unfair. Magdiel should have had fewer students on their team.
Tomorrow we head into Reynosa on project work, and also for the annual children’s carnival. This should be a blast!
PS – Larry Johnson says hi to everyone, especially his POWER buddies in California, who will be out next week.