Overview -

Well my friends, I have talked to many Barquisimeto MaM Congreso Team members and non members alike about this event and I’ve looked intently at the hundreds of photos taken by Alitha. She became our “default” photographer. (Thanks Alitha for using your art to serve us & the students). And even though I have re-lived this event as I shared the stories in Christ Church Nashville this past Sunday, the memories just don’t capture the true impact of this Venezuelan worshiping arts event. Everything about this Congreso was memorable. The anticipation of the Las Buenas Nuevas worship team & staff was infectious. They believed they were going to witness a “revolution in worship”. (my words) The pastoral staff fully supported the event because they too saw the anticipation in their musicians, artists and young people in general in their churches and in the area around Barquisimeto.

Specifics –

Though operating under tremendous political, social & economic stress the Venezuela people were warm, loving and gracious…….and beautiful. The pictures speak for themselves! In 2009 we began using local singers to aid us with giving the MaM Band sound a “pad or wall” of vocals. It’s proven to be a hit because local talent can experience being on stage with MaM. Pretty cool! So the Ensemble was from churches in Barquisimeto and they were already rehearsed and ready to sing when we arrived thanks to director, Ivenessa Sánchez! 

Drama was alive & well even before MaM arrived in Barquisimeto. The Las Buenas Nuevas churches have a thriving & vibrant group of talented actors who were a blessing to work with.

Having Pastor Frank Daal and his dear wife Jacky with us was a personal highlight for me. Frank & Jacky & I are members of the Luis Palau “Next Generation Alliance” fellowship of ministries. We met almost two years ago and they pastor The Good Samaritan Church on Aruba and hosted MaM in April of this year. Thanks guys for blessing us with you gifts and mature presence among us!

Challenges:

This all sounds wonderful doesn’t it? Well, this victory came after an intense battle that was even evident during the event. Some team members canceled their participation just weeks before the Congreso; and others the loss of jobs making it impossible to buy their airline ticket; promised support money not arriving or arriving the day before the team member was to travel; even the loss of life within families. During the Congreso there was a lot of sickness, friction, misunderstanding and bruised feelings. (Hey we’re human and we’re artists!)  Cold showers; monotonous meals; the theft of valuable gear and traffic issues that made transportation a real problem. But, God! He showed up anyway and did what he always does………………..he proves his faithfulness! How easy it is for us to slip and forget that these events are about others instead of us. It’s the true nature of missions and the Lord has a humorous way of keeping us familiar with a pie called “humble”!

More challenges:

The truth is that this event almost didn’t take place. The leadership at one period of apprehension wanted to cancel just weeks before the event was to start. But God…….well you understand. Obviously the Congreso happened and changed lives and the enemy was/is not happy. Jamie & JR brought home pretty serious head & chest colds that made ministry at Christ Church Nashville’s Global Impact Conference through missions a real and present challenge. But God……….again was so gracious to us!

Victory in faithfulness –

Long, really long lines of very patient students of all ages waited for two days in registration lines until over 1,150 students had filled out their forms indicating their identity and interests in arts & music. The closing worship celebration saw over 650 certificates of acknowledgement of participation handed out to qualifying students. In order to be less of a financial burden to our hosts, we agreed not to require the church to produce our normal student booklet to be given free to each student attending this event. It was a concession that saddened us but it seemed necessary at the time.  But the Lord spoke to me and said you can ask your friends and supporters to help underwrite the costs of the book. So God caused it to happen and we were able to raise the funds in time to receive the money in Nashville, then wire transfer them to the church and have the books printed in time for the Congreso. This book is critical to us as a teaching ministry!

With grateful hearts –

All in all, I wouldn’t change a thing because we really worked well and saw the evidence of God’s favor as we ministered in Venezuela!!

So, I proudly present to you the names of the artists, musicians and support staff for the Barquisimeto Congreso who are all warriors in the Kingdom:

Alitha Enoy, Carlos Daniel Rios, Carolina Coulon, Dellys Arzolay, Jeova Pinto,

Eliebel Guevara, Ester Santos do Nascimento, Esther Leiva, Frank & Jacky Daal, Gunther Ramiro, Gustavo Samaniego,  Jamie Wigginton, JR Hilton, Carlos Salazar, Laura Montero, Myrna Enamorado, Robert Villarroel, Florencia Coulon, Abdiel Vina, Aura Rosa Guzman, Eduardo Gómez and me…………………..for Músico a Músico, Wayne Hilton!

Blessings to all!

Visit the gallery page today HERE!