2013 Week 1, Day 7: Worship at the Dome Church, and Homeward Bound

It’s the last day in Mexico for this week’s POWER team!

First, a quick breakfast at the hotel — for those who didn’t sleep in too late. Then it’s boarding the vans for our trip to Reynosa and the Dome Church: Alianza Cristiana.

It’s also one last opportunity for Craig Gilbert to share his message to the team on what it means to be a man of POWER, and that is appropriating the power that God has given you. “If you don’t,” Craig said, “you’re just an ordinary man.”

Craig told the story of Hezekiah’s response to the Assyrian king’s threat against Jerusalem. Hezekiah was a man of power, but his kingdom was threatened by a vicious army, known to be superior in the region. What did he do? He prayed to God, who sent an angel that destroyed the enemy.

“How many soldiers in Hezekiah’s army had to lift a weapon?” asked Craig, “Not one.”

“There is a great power among us, and we don’t even know what it’s capable of,” said Craig, adding: “We’re still trying to do it our way, when the greatest battles ever fought were won with this power.” And you receive it, he added, by just surrendering to it. “The thing that distinguishes us as Christians is not a cross around our neck, it’s a surrendered life.”

Following the devotion, the POWER team headed over to the church, and took their seats. No more construction projects today — but they were still building relationships.

When it was time to head on stage, both POWER teams, totaling more than 100 men, sang and provided testimony. It was a highlight of the service, attended by more than 1,000 people.

Tomorrow is wrap up day, and return home for most of the Week 1 attendees.

2013 Week 1, Day 6: Festival at the Dome Church


Today and tomorrow, we’re back in Reynosa at the Dome Church: Alianza Cristiana. While there were work projects in the morning, this afternoon’s work sites were cleaned up, and the POWER teams prepped for the festival, which drew hundreds of local children and their parents to the church.

You might notice I said POWER teams in that last paragraph. While most days you only see the men wearing ONE color shirt, today there were two — with the brilliant blue color worn by the POWER team of Compass Christian Church in Colleyville, TX.

This independent POWER group is a brethren organization to POWER Ministries, running their own mission trips to the Texas / Mexico border. While their trip this week focused on a project at the Rio Bravo Children’s Home in Reynosa, they joined their POWER brothers at Alianza for the festival  today, and morning services tomorrow.

Today started with our POWER team departing the hotel at 7 AM for Border Mission and the continued Men of POWER devotion led by Craig Gilbert. Today’s devotion focused on Men of Reliance.

“When you look at all the great men in Hebrews 11,” said Craig, “one thing you’ll find is that they all relied on God.” Craig explained that to be a man of reliance, you had to start by understanding that God has a plan; you had to rely on God — and then you had to be a man on whom others can rely. 

“Life is like a game of tennis,” said Craig. “The one who serves best, seldom loses.”

Today’s assignments included continued work on the high school at Alianza and the clinic at Senda de Vida. There was also a cooler project at Border Missions. In the relationship-building department, there was bowling with the orphan kids from Big Heart — and of course a LOT of festival prep.

Scheduled to start at 2 PM, this year’s festival kicked off with the POWER puppet team stirring up a ton of excitement with the local children (not to mention silly string everywhere, and cannons shooting miniature soccer balls out to the crowd). The food crew prepared and distributed 1,500 hot dogs. There were games for the kids, cotton candy and popcorn. A photo booth provided near-instant souvenirs. Before we knew it, it was 6 PM and the festival winded down.

Sunday is another Getaway Day! The POWER team will be packed when they climb on the vans, and head for church services in Reynosa, and then they’ll be on their way back to San Antonio. But more on that tomorrow!

2013 Week 1, Day 5: Magdiel Bible School

GRADUATING CLASS OF 2013

Today is a day a lot of the POWER guys look forward to every year, and that’s visiting Magdiel Bible School (find it on Google Maps by clicking here: Instituto Biblico Magdiel). It’s in Matamoros, directly across the border from Brownsville. This is a relationship building day!

Magdiel has graduated more than 1,500 students, many of whom have gone on to become influential spiritual leaders throughout North America. POWER is committed to supporting the mission at Magdiel, and a visit from the POWER team helps the students raise money — but more importantly to meet with Godly men who care about the Magdiel mission, and about them personally.

More on that in a moment!
This morning the POWER team jumped in the vans before 7 AM, and headed for Luby’s Cafeteria. While not generally open for breakfast, today is different. Luby’s opens for breakfast just for the POWER team today, and we fill the restaurant. But great food is not the only thing on the menu.
Continuing his men of POWER devotion, Craig Gilbert spoke today on Endurance. He talked about Noah, and how it took him 75 or more years to build the ark, while the world around him scoffed. He was a man of endurance, and trusted God in his word. Craig explained that God wants us to persevere. Even in the face of those who may scoff at what we do. “Perseverance,” said Craig, “means you get back up when you fall down.”
He talked about how to build endurance, ancient runners would train with rocks tied to their ankles. “Then when it was time for the race,” Craig said, “they would throw them off.” That made the event for which they were training easier to run. 
Craig used this to compare becoming men of endurance by throwing off the things that hinder.
In Hebrews it says, “Let us throw off everything that hinders, and the sin that so easily entangles.”
“All the trials and things of this life are NOTHING in the arms of Jesus,” Craig said.

After the devotion, Dave Johnson got up to speak about Magdiel. “It just hit me that there are two people who aren’t with us today,” he said, “and they’re Ray and Jessie Morelock.” He added, “None of us would be in this room if it weren’t for these two.” 

Morelock was director at Magdiel from 1952 – 2008. When he passed away, the school went through a difficult period of transition. Today, it has passed through to the other side, and is growing again. Morelock’s name is included on a sticker on every box of bibles POWER distributes as a remembrance of what God accomplished through this man.

New dorms, a dining hall and worship center were started over the past few years — with the dorms just a cinder block shell when the POWER team arrived in 2012. When we arrived at Magdiel today, they appeared completed. Footings were about to be set for new classrooms, and the POWER team jumped into the excavation, praying over the new construction.
But today was not
a day for building projects; it was a day for building relationships. The POWER team was split into groups, and each group went to one of three classrooms (one each for first, second and third year students).
Joe Ramirez of Grand Terrace, CA played facilitator in the third year classroom. To help students and POWER men get to know each other, he brought up the POWER men, five at a time, asking the students to “vote” for the POWER man who they thought met a certain profile, like job, and special interests — a little like the old game show What’s My Line, and with some very funny picks. Young POWER guy Enrique Mejia of Reynosa was the interpreter.
Afterward, the room was divided into two teams, combining both POWER men and Magdiel students on each team for a game of Bible pictionary. Students received sweatshirts and backpacks from POWER, and sold tee shirts as a fund raiser. Lunch followed, and extended fellowship. Then before we knew it, time to leave. Dinner, and a drive back to McAllen.

During the night’s prayer team meeting, the students of Magdiel and the future spiritual leaders of Mexico were lifted up. 15 guys participated in the prayer team, and a lot of ground was covered. In addition to the students, we’ve had guys who were sick, men dealing with issues at home and work, family members needing prayer; what a great opportunity. To find out more about the prayer and praise reports, go to the POWER websites prayer and praise page.

Tomorrow we’re back in Reynosa, continuing work on the building projects — then it’s our annual festival time at Alianza Cristiana (the domed church). There are going to be some great photos and terrific stories to tell!

2013 Week 1, Day 4: Reynosa and Hidalgo — then Traveling to Brownsville

After a very short night, the POWER men were up again early this morning. If they had the time, they ate a fast breakfast at the hotel — and along with their luggage were on the vans by 7 AM. Next stop, devotion time at Ezequiel Aljandro’s POWER church in Hidalgo, TX (just across the border from Reynosa).

Pastor Ezequiel has been on the POWER trip before, and joined the group again this week. When he opened his storefront church in Hidalgo, he asked the POWER leadership team permission to use the name. Now, the POWER men were meeting at the POWER church for morning devotion and assignments.
Craig Gilbert continued the devotion he started two days earlier in Del Rio. “To be a man of POWER, you have to be a man of WISDOM,” he said. Using Solomon as the great example, Craig pointed out that Solomon sought after wisdom. “You have to look for it and ask for it — and then you’ll be blessed by it,” Craig added.
“Wisdom will keep us out of trouble,” Craig said. “It will keep us on the path to holiness and righteousness.”
Devotion over, and ready to issue assignments, Dave Barnes chimed in: “The day is not complete until you can do something for someone who can NEVER repay you.” Today, we had that opportunity.
Building projects included a high school at the Alianza (Dome) Church in Reynosa, completing a senior citizens dorm, a clinic at Senda de Vida and shelves at the POWER church.
If you have followed this week’s blog, you know that POWER is also involved in building relationships — and today, that meant the puppet team performing for the children at Refugio Orphanage School. A work team also headed over to Border Mission on the Texas side of the border to handle the logistics of delivery of rice and beans and bibles to several locations. 
More hygiene kits, jeans and socks went on vehicles for delivery during the Reynosa Jail visit scheduled in the afternoon. After the visit, like the multiplication of loaves and fishes, there were enough extra socks and hygiene kits to deliver to Senda de Vida, where the director had been praying for socks and toothpaste for the men.
Following the projects, it was dinner at Rudy’s BBQ, and then traveling farther south to Brownsville, where the POWER men stayed the night. Tomorrow, it’s a visit to Magdiel Bible School in Matamoros.

2013 Week 1, Day 3 – The Work Continues!

In case you dropped by to see the Day 3 blog posting, and saw the great photos, but nothing else — well, like everything during POWER week, there’s a story behind this. And this story involves a dead battery in the POWER truck. 

If you noticed the “Getaway Day!” posting from the road, we had just finished up lunch at Faith Mission, and were on our way to Laredo for dinner at the Sirloin Stockade. Then it was down to the McAllen and Hidalgo area across the border from Reynosa. To put that into perspective, click on this link for a Google Map of the 329 mile 6+ hour drive (not including dinner in Laredo!).

After we wrapped up our visit to the restaurant, van and driving assignments were passed out. Your blogger David McKnight of Riverside, CA was assigned to drive the Box truck. Before leaving, however, we found a dead battery in the POWER truck. So instead of getting on the road for the three hour drive to McAllen, we tried jumping the POWER truck’s battery with the Box truck’s battery. 

After a few attempts, we tried pulling the truck to start it. That did the trick! We were off to the hotel in McAllen. It’s just that we didn’t arrive until after 3 AM. So, your tired blogger chose sleep over blogging.

But, we’re back tonight! And here’s a recap of Day 3…

Craig Gilbert continued his POWER devotion this morning. “To be men of POWER,” Craig said, “you must also be men of obedience.” Craig explained how a man of obedience acts and trusts — and that results in blessings. He used the example of how a parent expects his child should be obedient 100% of the time.

“How obedient are you to God?” Craig asked. “25%. Maybe,” he said, answering his own question. “Hey, we have horses at the ranch,” he added. “If they were performing at 25%, they’d be at the glue factory!” Then he spoke about how acting and trusting results in blessings.

“There is a simple formula throughout scripture: FAITH + OBEDIENCE = BLESSINGS.” And he used the example of Abraham in Genesis 22:17-18, where because of Abraham’s obedience through testing, God blessed him and his descendants. “If you want God’s favor,” said Craig, “you’d better be obedient.”

And in fact, that’s what many of the POWER men are doing this week. They feel a calling to participate in the annual POWER trips, and many come back again and again.

Continuing on the theme of building, David McClellan explained the importance of getting the projects as far along as possible: “We’d like to get the siding and the roof on at the Ramirez home project — since the family is sleeping under a piece of canvas right now.“ As is always the case, these building projects impact many people.

Today the POWER teams worked on Sunday School rooms for Pastor Geraldo, two houses, a storefront at Mission 1 — and the JOY (Jesus, Others, You) Tour in Acuna, where the local children are blessed through POWER’s attention to the poor neighborhoods in the city. Be sure to view the photos if you haven’t already.

Well… You already have an idea of how the day ended. Tomorrow, building projects continue in Reynosa!

Getaway Day!

Week 1 projects are where they need to be in Acuna. We had lunch back at Faith Mission, and are loading up the vans right now for our first leg heading southeast for McAllen — with a stop in Laredo for dinner. Pray for a safe caravan. More on today after we get in to the Best Western tonight. We’re off!

2013 Week 1, Day 2: POWER Week Begins in Earnest


Building. That’s what everyone expects to do when they come on the annual POWER trip. 

Swinging hammers. Pounding nails. Chop saws and sawdust; there was plenty of that today. Walls were framed and roof trusses built with amazing speed.

In Ciudad Acuña, across the Rio Grande from Del Rio, TX, two homes were started — along with Sunday school classrooms, church pews and tables. But that’s not the only building going on during POWER week.

Relationships are built. Relationships between the men, between POWER Ministry and the missions it supports and with the people of Mexico in the cities that POWER touches.

Dave Barnes started Tuesday morning talking about how he loves it when people ask him what church POWER represents, expecting there is a denomination behind all this; there isn’t. It’s God working in the lives of men from all over the country. 

This year, that means 44 different churches. 11 different states. 59 cities around the USA. 

Craig Gilbert of Shiloh Ranch in Florissant, CO kicked off this morning’s devotion by asking “What’s the number one question men ask other men when they meet for the first time?” The answer: “What do you do?”

Craig added, “Not once have I ever heard the question asked, what kind of man are you?” He went on to explain that God cares more about the kind of person we are, then about what we do. “When you ARE a man of God, you DO great things,” said Craig.

“You are difference makers,” he said. We have an opportunity to make a difference in our homes, in our communities and in our neighborhoods. “When Jesus makes a difference in your life,” said Craig, “He makes a difference in your families.”

David McClellan of Riverside is a master builder and Construction Director for the annual POWER trips. In speaking about today’s building projects, he echoed Craig. “It’s a sacrifice for me to be here, and I’m sure for a lot of you it’s a sacrifice to be here — and that’s what it’s about.”

At day’s end, several men shared about their experiences today. In addition to the start of building projects, one team had the opportunity to make a visit to a local men’s prison. Today was a cold, windy day in Acuña. Overnight low was 30 degrees. A number of men in the prison walked around in shorts and flip flops, because it was all they had. The POWER team delivered hygiene kits, shoes and denim jeans, prayed with the inmates, and more than 20 men received Christ.

That is the kind of real building POWER is here for.


2013 Week 1, Day 1: Arrive in Del Rio

We’ve arrived! Faith Mission in Del Rio, Texas.

Dave Barnes of Corona, CA calls the group of more than 80 men (with a large contingent of first timers) to the dining room for the late night orientation. He jokingly scolds one of the bunk rooms. “We’re here less than an hour, and it already looks like a tornado has hit!” At least I think he was joking… Pat Schmeling of Faith Mission welcomes the men, and turns it over to the leadership team. Pat will have more to say in the morning as we prepare to head across the border for our first time this trip.

Bob Krull of Palo Cedro, CA has a few words for the drivers and shotguns: be safe and be serious. He covers basic rules of the road in Texas and Mexico. Mark Cygan of Riverside, CA announces the prayer team for tonight. Prayer is an important part of this trip, and there are prayer leaders and team members every night.

Marty Read of Riverside goes into the details we need to know to survive the week: Devotion starts at 7 AM. Sharp. If you don’t know what shirt color to wear for the day, wait a few minutes — there will be 10,000 guys wearing the right color.

Then the serious business. “Wherever we go, we need to remember we are guests,” he’s says. “No wandering off on your own,” he adds. And for some men, there will be challenging times, where they need to step away and take a breath. “If you see one of the new guys struggling, go talk to them,” Dave Barnes added.

Tonight, men were also called on to receive their three-year jackets. While many in Southern California making the third year plunge, were recognized at a meeting last Saturday, not everyone on this trip is from SoCal. Martin Foster of Georgia, Dan Bruxvoort of Iowa, Lincoln Yee of Ohio, Ben Sullivan of Oregon — and Pat Schmeling of right here in Del Rio, were all recognized.

Dave Barnes closed the meeting with some reminders. Don’t get all caught up in this being about the projects. We’re here to impact lives.Have a servant’s heart.

Be open to whatever God has in store for you, adds Marty. Oh, and of course… The color of the shirt for Tuesday is“Gravel.”

US Highway 90

We’re about 45 minutes out of Del Rio on Hwy 90 in a caravan of 12 POWER vans, having stopped for dinner in San Antonio. Richard Chabolla in our van was the facilitator, introducing guys to one another, learning how they ended up on the trip this year. Joel Ontiveros is our driver. More on our stories after we get in to Faith Mission sometime after 11 PM tonight…

I'm writing this from a US Airways flight, heading into Austin, Texas

This year, rather than flying in with the POWER guys from Southern California, I used frequent flyer miles to save some green, staying with friends in Austin Sunday night. 

Traveling as a single for a trip like this offers its own opportunities. From Ontario to Phoenix, I sat next to Ryan, a signalman for the BNSF Railway. And in case you think you’re particularly smart (like I did, until Ryan set me straight), “BNSF” does not stand for “Burlington Northern and Santa Fe” — it’s an acronym for “Better Not Start a Family.” 
Constant travel is a big part of his job: on the road many days at a time, up to 12 hour shifts and work in remote areas. For some of the “younger” guys (the 22 year olds as Ryan explains it), they’ll get back to the hotel after sundown, and go out carousing.
But at 31, Ryan is one of the “older” men. He’s in the middle of the age range on a crew working around Barstow, California in the Mojave Desert. The oldest on his crew topped out at 42. They install equipment that allows dispatchers to safely control trains remotely (often from hundreds of miles away).
Now, Ryan at 31 is not so old (at least not from where I sit). He still wears a ball cap with the bill spun around backwards. Burly without being big, he sports cleanly cropped facial hair and displays colorful tattoos running down both arms. From upstate New York in the Adirondacks, Ryan has settled 45 minutes south of Tucson, Arizona with his Eugene, Oregon wife and six year old son. They have, he says, moved to the opposite end of the spectrum.
When I told him what POWER is doing this week along the Texas and Mexico border, he explained that from where he lives, he sees first hand the impact of neighboring what is in so many ways a third world country to the south. 
Most Americans who visit Mexico don’t visit the poverty stricken colonias. They stick to the groomed sand beaches of Cancun or Ixtapa. But for the next two weeks, 132 men of POWER (from all across America) will not be like most Americans. They’ll move for a short while to the opposite end of the spectrum.
We’ll be building Sunday school rooms, new homes and church pews in Acuna. Stopping in the colonias, providing warm hats, gloves and toys for the kids, visiting a local prison, praying with inmates.
Heading to Reynosa and Hidalgo, we’ll be working on a high school, senior citizens dorm and a clinic. We’ll deliver beans, rice and bibles — and the puppet team will perform for the children at Refugio Orphanange.
We’ll be privileged to fellowship with the students of Magdiel Bible School in Matamoros and participate in worship services at Alianza Cristiana with the people of Reynosa.
Want to be a part of it? You can! Just come back here every day over the next two weeks to read the blog postings and see the photos. And pray: that God is revealed in every project and every visit.
Also, do me a favor and pray for Ryan and his family as they plan to move from the desert up to the Flagstaff area later this year — and for my friends Arturo and Susan and their four great kids here in Austin who have put me up for the night.

I’m excited to see what God has in store for us this week!