Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
From left to right: Joey, Jaylin, Jazlyn, Joe and Yesenia Colunga
Thank you FBCW for giving to our Beach Reach offering that sent 12 students from UTRGV to minister to spring breakers on South Padre Island. We may never know this side of heaven what kind of impact your offerings had on someone’s life. I received this message from Joe Colunga, one of our newest deacons, after Kayleen May’s Beach Reach testimony this past Sunday:
Once upon a time, my friends and I got picked up by the Beach Reach vans. We thought it was a party van, but it ended being a tripped out experience because we never imagined that it was a van full of Christians. It was a total buzz kill at the time!
I remember feeling so bad for my sin and I felt terrible for judging them thinking they were partying, only to realize they were doing God’s work. I appreciated the ride and enjoyed the pancakes, but mostly, I remember feeling humbled because they had prayed for us. I’ve always treasured that experience in my heart.
Many years later after becoming a Christian, I told my wife I wanted to go to the church on the island that served the pancakes. It’s just something that I felt in my heart because I was grateful for that cool experience. We weren’t Baptist at the time, but we were really impressed with Pastor Bill Waddle from the Island Baptist Church. My wife, Yesenia, said she was really able to understand the way the gospel was presented.
Years later, when we were looking for a Church, my wife said, “I want a church like the one on South Padre Island. Somewhere we’re they preach like that!” So, she is the one who found WESLACO First Baptist online. She spoke to Liz on the phone, and, well you know the rest!
It’s amazing what van rides, pancakes and prayer can do. I wonder how many future deacons climbed into a van this past Spring Break? Remember, we are God’s Holy Spirit inspired witnesses everywhere we go!
In Christ,
Pastor Ray
