| CELEBRATE JESUS FESTIVAL Mercedes, TX Livestock Grounds |
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With the last 2 years of difficulties in different parts of Mexico, American teams have been leery of traveling across the border. Over 90% of the nationality here is Hispanic with many being below poverty, possibly illegal immigrants and lack a spiritual existence. Way of the Cross (the ministry we trained under) director Ben Butler came up with CJF, similar to the Big Feed (our CELEBRANDO NAVIDAD) but...on stateside. After prayer and talking with the Mercedes Livestock Board it was agreed to lease the grounds for FREE, which normally cost $5,000. You can already tell how the event went just by the fact that GOD set that up! The Celebrate Jesus Festival was so amazing. 200 churches from multiple denominations each had a booth...giving out children's books, hot dogs, nacho's, snowcones, popcorn, clothes, face painting, multiple bands playing, preaching all day, 30#'s of food given out to each person. Everything FREE! Every couple of hours everything would STOP & each booth pulled out their evangicube to share the gospel to whoever was standing there. Those receiving Christ were discipled elsewhere. Thousands came. Thankful we were able to join in! Much of the GIVEAWAY items came in through WOTC which they gave to the church booths to hand out. |
| OPENING CEREMONY Early in the morning each ministry group & their flag made 2 lines with a path in the middle. Going down the center were men carrying the cross, a sign with John 3:16 and the Christian flag. The flags lowered as they passed. Can you even imagine when we actually get to be in HIS PRESENCE? |
| Activities were outside & inside! By the middle of the day you couldn't see any ground - it was packed! |
| Putting together the flags on poles weighted in concrete. |
| Early in the morning. At one point I was fetching food for different workers & COULD NOT get through the crowds. Christian bands played at either end & in the center of the building. |
| Doing blood pressure & diabetic screenings. |
| Everyone was given a bag to carry their goodies (clothes, candy, children books, & more. |
| The day before...in another building volunteers empty trailer loads of food & drinks to give away. |
| Ben Butler, director of WOTC doing office work. |
| Giving away hot dogs. |
| Sharing through a story. |
| Byron blowing the SHOFAR signaling TIME TO STOP everything to share the story of Jesus through the EVANGICUBE. Ministries had been trained through WOTC. |
| For several years Salamon carried a cross down the highway from one town to another. |
| Where ever you were...you shared the SALVATION message of Jesus Christ. I was passing thru & someone hollered my name & to GRAB A CUBE & share. I turned around, someone handed it to me & I shared in my area. |
| STOP EVERYTHING! |
| Everything was free...including receiving the SALVATION OF JESUS CHRIST. |
| COUNSELING NEW DECISIONS! |
| If anyone acknowledge receiving Christ as their Savior then they were brought to the counseling rooms (one inside & outside) and were directed to tables with pastors from their towns. Time was spent with each individual, explaining the decision they had made & what it meant. Bibles were distributed (including from Gideon's present). Annabell & Arturo & Nathan worked in this area. I was a floater....fetching, delivering, did counsel & used the Evangicube several times. |
| At the end of the day bikes & a used vehicle were given away thru drawings. Thousands lined up to receive a bag of 30#'s of free groceries for each person. GOD provided everything! |