Conference in Mexico City

 This past weekend was our summer conference. It was held in Mexico City at Pastor Isai's newly built church. We rented this bus to take us over to Mexico City. Friday afternoon it dropped by Tabernaculo de Victoria to pick us up then went over to Los Apostolicos de Puebla to pick up Elder Wakefield's people. 

Our chauffeur, Señor Sergio 

 

The men slept down in the church and us ladies slept upstairs. This part of the church was just barely finished before the conference so it is a bit bare, but it worked great! We were the first churches to get there so we got to pick the best spots - by a wall, and near an electrical outlet :)

 

We got all set up, our beds laid out all nice and comfy. There was just one thing missing. There were no mirrors anywhere. Now, I didn't want to make a big deal out of this - it's not like I haven't done my hair without a mirror before. And I didn't want to be the spoiled white girl demanding extra amenities. But good ole Abner. He understands these white girls. It was perfectly providential - as I was hedging around the fact that a mirror would be nice, we look to the side and there is a bucket of nails. He found a hammer and wha-laaaa!

There's my mirror hanging on the wall. Also, the ladies of the Mexico City church gave each of us a rose to welcome us to their church. It was so sweet! 

Also, Nicole's fingers. 

 

This little thing slept beside me during our stay. She was so sweet to sleep through each night for us! 

Bro. PJ White preached the first service

 

The place was so packed out by the time Nicole and I got off the platform that there were no seats. People were standing in the back and sitting on the stairs. 

 

We had an awesome first night in the altars. 

 

 From the first night, Jerameel was in the altars seeking the Holy Ghost.

 

Tia Hayde and Nicole accidentally matched. Leopard tops, green skirts.

The bathroom situation made for an interesting stay. The only two showers were upstairs where the ladies were staying. So we decided that the ladies would get up and get ready until 9am and after that, we'd leave and the men would go upstairs for their turn to shower. 

We had a lot of fun getting ready. There were no windows in the "window holes" (?) of the building so the street noises woke us up pretty early. We had so much fun visiting, talking, laughing, getting ready together and doing each other's hair.

 

  

So many times I've walked into pre-service prayer to find Bro. Mario getting a hold of God in the altar. Elissa is usually beside him in her stroller, or like in this picture - at his feet. She is blessed to have such a good daddy that teaches her how to pray.

Elder Wakefield preached the first day service on Saturday. He went right down the line preaching standards, saying it like it is! One thing after another, he'd hit on a touchy subject and a chorus of "Ayyy!" would come from the congregation. It was hilarious! Everyone was on the edge of their seats listening to the man of God, but he was definitely doing some holy stepping on of toes. It was the kind of uncomfortable that is GOOD!

After church we all went back upstairs to eat the lunch that the home church had prepared. These ladies know how to cook!

 

Little friends :)

Buying chocolate at the store across the street

 Bro. PJ White preached the night service on Saturday and again we had an awesome move of God.

I love watching Bro. Isai pray for his family. He does it with such a burden and such passion. His children and his nieces and nephews have a good example to look up to. They are blessed to have this man in their lives.

  

After church we were famished and the guys in our group seemed incapable of making a decision. I am still annoyed about this! Everything I suggested, they had a negative response to. Finally Nicole and I said "Ok, you know what? There are lights down the block. We are eating there." Here we are in the middle of this huge city, not knowing where anything is and these dodo brains from Mexico City were no help at all.

Nicole and Monse

The dear dodo brains
(as in the dodo bird)

 Eeeearly Sunday morning, around 3am, something quite funny happened. The cistern in the church overflowed and completely soaked all of the men sleeping on the floor. Everyone in the entire building woke up - the ladies were helping their husbands dry off, others were pulling blankets off of their own pallets to give to the sopping wet men. Those poor guys - the only ones that were saved were the ones sleeping by the altar. There's a message in that!! Always stay close to the altar...it is a place of SAFETY! 

After about an hour of cleanup, we all went back to sleep and woke up early the next morning, only to continue laughing about what had happened.

Sis. Julia - she is a case!

Nicole Ana Belen and Eliana

More fixing hair

The pastor's daughter and her cousin

Sunday morning was the dedication of the new church building. Pastor Isai started the service out.

There were pictures passed around of the building project throughout the years. 

Elder Wakefield called the men up that had helped build the church, showing them honor and thanking them for everything they had done. 

He then asked the ladies to stand that had helped work, sell and fund-raise to keep the building project going.

  Elder Wakefield also honored the late Pastor Mark Brewer of Evansville, Indiana. Without his help this building would not even exist. He gave a very generous offering to this church in Mexico and also helped spread the vision to other pastors in his area. He donated and helped raise the majority of the entire building fund. Thank you Pastor Brewer and Bethel Pentecostal Church!

After honoring the people that were instrumental in the building of the church, telling stories and reminiscing about things that had happened through this time, Elder Wakefield asked the builders to choose a pillar of the church to stand by.

 The principal ladies of the church were asked to place their hands on the altar, to pray for the souls that would repent of their sins there. 

 

  

The saints were asked to go to the edges of the church and place their hands on the walls.

 

 

Elder Wakefield asked the pastors to place their hands on the pulpit. He talked about how this pulpit was going to honor the Lord and preach truth. Not just any man was going to stand behind it, but men of God that believe in the Oneness of the Godhead, that believe in the Holy Ghost, in holiness and separation from the world. 

We were instructed by Elder Wakefield to shout "TO GOD BE THE GLORY!" seven times then begin to pray for the church. The power of God fell so strongly - it was an incredible service. So moving, so powerful. We are believing God for a great revival of souls in Mexico City!

 

After the dedication service we went right into the regular service. Pastor Isai and his church did the music.

  

Jabes is quite the drummer!

  

Bro. Mario preached the morning service

A young lady from Elder Wakefield's church got the Holy Ghost! Since I was on the piano right in front of her, I got to see the whole thing from start to finish. It was incredible! 

She decided to be baptized after getting the Holy Ghost. 

  

Her cousin also decided to be baptized!

  

 For the grand finale, our very own Pastor Curtis Wakefield preached! 

Pastor Isai translating for Dad ... hehe

"What Will Keep You From Being Saved?"

 We had another incredible time in the altar.

The young people praying for Jerameel

Praying for the young men

Bro. Gelacio got the Holy Ghost at our last conference - now he is working in the altars helping pray others through!

Pastor Isai, Sis. Elvira, and Los Apostolicos de Mexico - thank you for your hard work. Planning a conference is stressful enough, but you guys did it while in the middle of a building project. Thank you for getting up to make us breakfast each morning, thank you for preparing a clean place for us to stay. Thank you for making us feel so welcome! Les amamos mucho! 

 ~Bethany~