2016 POWER TRIP ….. Week Two – Day Six
You are at the Border Crossing …. Make the Right Choice!
Each time our work teams cross the Texas-Mexico border, one person in each van was appointed to pray for the crossing. The driver would pay the border guard the required fee. After making it through across the border we would praise God for the successful crossing. Additionally, as we approached the border everyone had to be awake and sitting up, not using their cell phone or other devices, with sunglasses and hats removed … So that the border guards could match each person to their passport picture. Most importantly, no one could take pictures of the guards. Crossing the border required a choice to follow these prudent procedures …. Lack of compliance could be problematic!
The scripture passage selected by Pastor David Burkett for our Day Six devotional was Jonah 1:1-12; where we are introduced to Jonah’s attempt to outrun God’s plan for Jonah to preach to the Ninevehites. Like Jonah, God has a plan for each of our lives. Obviously, Jonah’s attempt to run away from God’s plan had negative consequences. Jonah had to find out, the hard way, that following God’s plan required 100% surrender. Not unlike Jonah, we have to respond to God’s plan for our lives …. Do you surrender and obey, do you try to alter the plan to fit your needs, or do you choose not to follow at all. There is a right choice …. Just ask Jonah!
Today work continued on three of our Day Five projects. One team installed a metal roofing system, electrical wiring, and insulation, exterior trim and painted the Victoria School Dining Hall. The second team constructed roof trusses and installed most of the roof decking and electrical wiring at the House for the Aguilar family. The third team constructed the roof trusses and installed the exterior siding on the two story classroom building at the Heart of the King Orphanage. (Note: The Week Three Team will complete the work on these three projects, as well as other projects in process during Week Two.)
A fourth work crew stayed behind at Faith Mission International ( our home base for Days Five and Six); to make needed repairs and improvements to the Faith Mission facilities and to the Power Warehouse located at Faith Mission.
In addition a fifth work crew made a visit to the men’s prison in Acuna; with plans to distribute blue jeans and hygiene items donated by the Week Two Team members, as well as Spanish gospel tracts to the inmates. Unfortunately, the prison guards did not allow us to distribute these items directly to the men. Prayerfully these items will be distributed by the prison staff. Our Power Team led by Pat Schmeling, the Director of Faith Mission and the pastor of a small church in Acuna, and by Missionary Mike McGee, were joined by women and teenagers from Pat’s church, The Passion Vision Ministry.
Our combined team led the men in several Spanish praise songs (most of the Power team participated in the international language of clapping enthusiastically!). At the request of Pat about forty of the men stepped forward to be prayed over by our combined team. Two of the Power Team gave powerful testimonies of having been saved from lives of alcohol, drugs, and in one of the two cases, acts of violence, to lives of following Jesus. Following these testimonies, Missionary Mike invited the men to make a decision to accept Jesus as their savior. About thirty of the men raised their hands and followed Missionary Mike in praying the prayer of salvation. Praise God, the author of changed lives! Our visit ended with a distribution of white athletic socks and Spanish bible tracts. Please pray for these men, as conditions inside this prison are very Spartan.
Much was accomplished to meet both physical and spiritual needs before our 3:45 pm departure from Faith Mission to San Antonio; marking the beginning to the end of our Week Two Power Trip, as men will be leaving for home following our Thursday morning debriefing meeting and lunch.
Before we could return to the United States after the conclusion of Day Six work projects, one more border crossing from Mexico to Texas had to be navigated. The passengers of each van had to choose to follow all the border crossing procedures to facilitate a safe crossing. During our week on the border we have been challenged to grow in our spiritual maturity by seeking God’s presence, by moving toward God in times of trial, and by trusting fully in God and surrendering to him in all circumstances. In addition we have heard multiple testimonies throughout the week from local border missionaries who surrendered to God’s plan for their lives.
Surrendering to God’s plan for your life is the most important “Border Crossing” in our lives. We have to choose to cross the border from our old way of life to a life of total surrender to God. Not unlike crossing the Texas-Mexico border, there are requirements and restrictions about what can be taken across the border. God calls us to leave our doubts, fear, insecurities, and pride behind …and fully trust in him? This week we have been called to do something that can be very difficult, but it is the Right Choice when a life of full devotion to the King of Kings is waiting on the other side!!