I praise God because I am part of CrossTraining ministry and serve God through chaplaincy. CrossTraining made me remember my times as a Chaplain and pastor of a congregation in the past. I called Project Piedras Negras to the trip to my home town. Where I had the opportunity to visit the Eastern Annual Conference and spend time with my friends there. And, I had the opportunity to share jerseys of the Colorado Rapids. Without doubts CrossTraining Ministry is a blessing for my life.
CrossTraining has been an opportunity to find myself and revitalize my spiritual life. Through CrossTraining I am not only part of the Colorado Rapids, a professional soccer team, but I am an instrument on the hands of God taking care of this wonderful city of Denver, Colorado. God has called me to take care of all the people around me in this city, and it is a blessing to be part of this awesome team of chaplains and counselors that are serving God through CrossTraining.
Last month, I had my vacations and I decided to go one more time to Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico; my home town. I still have my parents, brothers, relatives and a bunch of friends. I like to spend time working in my house (where I would like to live when I retire!). When I was planning my trip to Piedras Negras, one of my friends, a pastor in Texas, asked me if I could go to the Eastern Annual Conference of the Methodist Church of Mexico. This conference was where I began my ministry 25 years ago, and I still have a lot of friends there. So, when I heard that, I checked the dates, and I saw if I was able to attend at least one day of this event.
In the same time, I remembered that as CrossTraining we have the Timothy Project, and I thought the possibility to share one jersey of the Colorado Rapids with the Pastors of Eastern Annual Conference of Mexico. Then I talked about possibility with Chaplain Brad Kenney and he approved it. After that, I talked with Rev Fernando Fuentes, resident Bishop of the Eastern Conference of the Methodist Church of Mexico, and shared with him about CrossTraining Ministry. Bishop Fuentes liked the idea to share a jersey of the Colorado Rapids with each of the pastors of his Conference, and also invited me to share about the chaplaincy ministry.
When the time of my vacations arrived, I took 200 jerseys of the Colorado Rapids and crossed the border to my home town. Piedras Negras is right on the border between Mexico and Texas, across the Rio Grande River. Few days later, I attended the Eastern Annual Conference in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico and I was there only one day. I had the opportunity to be there before the opening worship service and the first Session of the Annual Conference, and after that, I had the opportunity to talk and give the Colorado Rapids jerseys to the Bishop Fuentes. I gave him a greetings from my Bishop in Denver, and shared with him about the chaplaincy ministry that we do as CrossTraining. This time, was a wonderful opportunity to share with friends, pastors, and lays there about my ministry, as Chaplain of the Colorado Rapids, and after that, I enjoyed a delicious dinner, returning to PIedras Negras very blessed for that opportunity.
CrossTraining Ministry gives us the opportunity to share with others, beyond the United States, a little bit of all the blessings that we receive serving God through this wonderful ministry. When we go and share a jersey or a soccer ball to the youth or children of those places, we have the blessing to see a smile in those faces, their eyes showing the joy that they have just for receiving something from us. I praise God for this blessing and for to be part of CrossTraining.
