ALSO: OUR DIVAS' SPECTACULAR COMMUNITY OUTREACH
newsvine
Fall 2012 Aiming for Awareness! International Magazine of REVIVAL CENTER UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH 825 7th Street, Modesto, CA 95354 Business Phone: 209-522-5365 TheNewsvine@gmail.com
EDITOR LEO AGUILERA
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Assist. Ed. Multi-media Assist. Ed., C.A.R.E. Business Liaison GRAPHIC DESIGN PHOTOGRAPHERS REPORTER YOUTH REPORTERS
“DID YOU KNOW?” MAILINGS DISTRIBUTIONS
Virginia Aguilera Joshua Aguilera Adam Mendoza Don Morris, Charlene Wilson Leo & Virginia Aguilera Leo Aguilera, Nicole Evans, Grover Hunt, Stephanie Ryan Carol Castillo Josh Aguilera, Aaron Gomez Jim Campbell Virginia Aguilera Norbert Feliciano, Nathan Garcia
CHURcH staff BISHOP RANDY G. KEYES pastor TODD JOHNSON
pastor-spanish speaking
assistant pastor assistant pastor assistant pastor assistant pastor YOUTH PASTOR resident missionaries aDministrative pastor church secretary SUNDAY SCHOOL DIRECTOR MUSIC DIREcTOR PRAISE BAND MINISTRY prayer ministries world missions ladies ministries discipling ministries L.E.A.D. director bible quizzing connect groups community relations wings of compassion apostolic man ministry heritage keepers Food for Thoughts, Food PantrY
Daniel Sandoval Robert Espinoza Uday Narayan Monty Albalos Adam Mendoza Jonathan Quinones Uday Narayan, Xenn Seah Don Morris Charlene Wilson Gilbert Quinones Tim Montez Joshua Aguilera Charles Bispo Jerry & Andrea Powell Sharon Keyes, Kim Johnson Adam Mendoza Carol Castillo Sujey Diaz Paul & Jenifer Winter Jeremiah Williams Gracie & Greg Delgadillo Alex Diaz Darrell & Jennie Wilson Nancy Williams, asst. Cathy Risch
CHURcH SERVICES SUNDAY - 9:30 A.M. 10:00 A.M. 11:00 A.M. 5.45 P.M. 6:00 P.M. MONDAY - 7:00 P.M. TUESDAY - 7:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY - 7:30 P.M. FRIDAY - 7:30 P.M. SATURDAY - 9:30 P.M.
Sunday School-Children - Tuolumne Sunday School - Adults - Sanctuary Morning Service - Sanctuary Prayer in Sanctuary & for the Sick REVIVAL SERVICE All-Church Prayer Starting Point for New Converts Mid-Week Congregational Service Pulse (Youth Service) Saturday Morning Outreach
NEWVINE is published quarterly by the United Pentecostal Church of Modesto, Inc., 825 7th St., Modesto, CA 95354-3414. Postage paid at 825 7th St., Modesto, CA 95354-3414. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Newsvine, 825 7th St., Modesto, CA 95354-3414. Any submitted articles to the Newsvine are subject to Pastor’s approval and editing by the Newsvine staff.
2 FALL NEWSVINE 2012
A Word from the Editors
M
United in Revival!
ore than ever, Revival Center is united in revival. We will reach this city for Jesus! Our loved ones, friends and neighbors will be at our altars speaking in tongues as they are filled with the greatest gift given to a people! We will proclaim our God with boldness and fight to keep this great church a haven for Christians citywide. With this intent, our church has reached out to our community in many areas of evangelism. One area is our Connect Groups led by Brother Paul Winter and his wife Jenifer. Its purpose is to retain new converts and continue building a strong church in this city, We now have five families in our church hosting these home groups and more are needed. Small Bible studies are given on basic Christian living but the focus is on fellowship. New Christians are finding strength in these personal connections, and they see the living testimonies of our veteran saints in these home meetings. Consistent and faithful for two years raising funds for Bible quizzing and other needs of the church, Sister Dwanda Scott makes herself totally involved, supervising the baking and selling of delicious pastries every Sunday after both services. Under the guidance of Sister Sharon Keyes, Sister Dwanda has spear-headed volunteers who are some of the best cooks ever! They have raised thousands of dollars for our children in various ministries. Talking about children’s ministries, Brother John and Amy Rodriguez have revived a much needed ministry during our Sunday morning services. In the youth hall, they have offered dynamic services for our children ages 5-12. Helped by Sister Nicki Coggins with her puppet team, the Rodriquezes also have help from several more who are determined to share the gospel with our visitors’ children while their parents enjoy the main sanctuary services. Since our last issue, a new fund-raising effort, Good Samaritan, has been led by Sisters Nancy Williams and Cathy Risch. Donated clothes are sold at great discount prices to the public every Thursday in the bus parking lot. It is also a great opportunity for the ladies to share the gospel with customers and invite them to church. But some of our saints are initiating personal evangelism with some great, noticeable efforts. This editor’s gym buddy, Wade Patton, youth pastor of the Salvation Army situated across the street from our church, noticed a stand in our parking lot with a sign saying, “Need Prayer?” There were several cars stopping, the drivers asking for prayer, and giving prayer requests to WHO? Sister Gracie Delgadillo and her sons had taken it upon themselves to offer this outreach to passersby. Wade thought it was a fantastic service for the public. Now that is creative evangelism! One of the best ideas for creative evangelism is featured in this issue’s centerfold. Born in the hearts of the young ladies of our church, they came up with a unique “giving back to the community” outreach which had great soul-saving results! Thank God for young people with a burden for the lost. Many of these effective ministries are shared with our leaders during the quarterly leadership meetings led by L.E.A.D. Director Carol Castillo and Pastor Todd Johnson. These meetings have become vital in keeping all stakeholders focused, informed, and inspired. Our dedicated leaders and those involved with their ministries want to uphold the zeal to keep witnessing to hungry hearts in our community. Someone said it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes the whole church to disciple a new convert. In this issue are featured some astounding reports of how our pastors have continued to provide our congregation visiting preachers, drama presentations, and various seminars to keep us all involved in global outreach. We also have the gripping testimony of three sisters, and how Revival Center saved their lives and families--a must read! In times like this, the church truly is haven for all of us. It is the bastion of our lives that we must share with all. Maranatha! The Lord cometh! Editor Leo Aguilera and Associate Editor Virginia Aguilera
Did You Know... by Jim Campbell
Vacation Bible School
B
orn from a burden by Brother Tim Powell and Sister Angela Warren, Vacation Bible School has become a summer-time tradition in our church. Not only our church children blessed, but also our bussed Sunday School children as well. The church also uses this an opportunity to minister to children of family members, neighbors, and co-workers. This year’s theme was “Sky,” and when it comes to God, the sky’s the limit on what He can do! Left, Brother Tim shares a Bible story and children practice one of the many songs learned. Below left to right: Josh Aguilera and Kiah Jones lead in worship, Sister Joyce Jones teaches her class that nothing is impossible for God to do, and children enjoy snacks which were provided each night. A huge thank you to everyone who donated their time, talents, and finance to invest in the lives of our children.
Father’s Day Celebration
G
od works in mysterious way -- his wonders to perform. Miracles come in all types: instant healings, gradual healings, financial miracles, family restoration, and many others. This column is going to focus on a financial miracle that happened Tim Powell to Tim Powell, one of our own members here at Revival Center in Modesto. Thank you, Brother Tim, for sharing your miracle for all to read and to be encouraged. Brother Tim lost his job when the Great Recession hit the country. He looked for work at several companies, but, to his frustration, none were hiring. He prayed, his wife prayed and the church prayed for a financial miracle in his life. For two and half long years he looked for a job and lived on unemployment. Although circumstances in his life were challenging, Brother Tim remained faithful to God, singing in the choir, paying his tithes, and trusting God. Finally Brother Tim got hired by a local business as a salesman selling solar. This job did not pay that much, but it was enough to pay for the family medical insurance and to give his tithes with a small amount of money left over. He had no idea the blessings God had in store for him! Brother Tim kept praying for another financial miracle. After he had been in this job for about year, the owner of the company, who had made some personnel changes, asked Brother Tim if he would be interested in taking the Northern California Sales Manager position! Thrilled, Brother Tim accepted the position and with it came a salary that doubled his previous wages! He was now in charge of a sales team from Bakersfield to Redding. But, God was not finished yet! After one month God moved again and the owner asked Brother Tim if he would take the Regional Sales Manager position over all of California! Brother Tim eagerly accepted and once again his salary was doubled, and now an expense account came with the position. Brother Tim absolutely believes his promotion is a miracle because he does not have a college degree. Be patient and remember that God can make a way when there seems no way!
“My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” -- Clarence Budington Kelland, U.S. Writer Fathers carry such a responsibility as their children are constantly looking to them for a godly example. They note how faithful their fathers are to the house of God and to their financial commitments to the church, how involved their fathers are in reaching out to the lost and being active in the ministries of the church, and how their fathers treat others in the church and their own families. Because of the great role of fathers in the Christian home, we honor them each year on Father’s Day. Pictured from the left: the Seah family prays together, church children honor their fathers by spelling out F-A-T-H-E-R, a drama silhouetted, and Pastor Johnson exhorts our fathers.
FALL NEWSVINE 2012 3
Preaching in the church in Savusavu.
T
wenty-eight years ago, Brother Uday Narayan met with Pastor Keyes to share his burden for his home country, the Fiji Islands. Moved, Pastor Keyes sent Brother Narayan to plant seeds of revival in the hearts of the Indian people. After this initial visit, plans were made for Brother Narayan in 1986 to make an extended missionary visit to his homeland in which he stayed approximately one year. God blessed his efforts with many converts, and Brother Narayan was able to establish works. This past year, Brother Narayan made his 25th missionary trip. He brought back many exciting stories of miraculous healings and conversions! n a few months, Elder Narayan will be traveling again to the country of India. Your prayerful and financial support will be greatly appreciated. “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace...” (Romans 10:15).
I
4 FALL NEWSVINE 2012
(Left clockwise) Brother Desmond, pastor of the Suva church, baptizes a trinitarian sister; Brother Narayan with youth choir of new, young converts in the Labasa church; church members passionately worship; Brother Narayan honored with a lei; Brother Ezekiel, just baptized, receives the Holy Ghost; Brother Rohit dances and worships God.
Gi t ve oM io iss ! ns
M
•
•
• •
any miracles happened during this missionary trip to Fiji. The following are just a few instances of God’s miraculous power:
During this trip they prayed for a man who was paralyzed. The doctors predicted he would die soon. “We went every morning and prayed,” recalls Brother Narayan,” laying hands on his legs.” God did a wonderful work, and this man not only lived, but he can stand and is able to walk on his own two feet. There was a woman who had a bleeding problem. She had cancer everywhere. Doctors told her to go home and die. The Fijian pastor prayed for her, and God miraculously healed her. She was baptized in Jesus’ name and received the Holy Ghost, and now her family is serving God. In fact, their church is so full, that many have to go outside to worship. A 21 year old man who is the son of a Trinitarian pastor was baptized in Jesus’ name. A man of the highest caste was sick with cancer. He had gone to witch doctors and prayed to the Hindu gods. A woman told him that only Jesus could heal him from his cancer. He and his family visited one of the churches. During the service, his wife stood up and said, “We were baptized wrong,” and they were then baptized in Jesus’ name. The man was healed of cancer. (Top right photo, seated before Brother Narayan). • A 19-year-old woman said her grandfather was a witch doctor who had dark powers. She described how on one occasion they went to a graveyard. There she witnessed her grandfather standing before the grave of a man who had recently died. As he chanted, the dead body rose from the ground, her grandfather cut off its head, and then the body slipped back into the ground. Today this young woman is now a Jesus’name baptized Christian. Pictured top from left: Brother David Venkat, pastor of the Lambasa Church since 1986, preaches during an open-air service. He is one of Brother Narayan’s first converts; because the church was too full during the revival service, these saints had to go outside to worship. Second row from left: A packed Labasa church worships; worship team leads the church in praise. Left photos: Brother Narayan stands with Brother Sam of the Sawani Church who is the longest standing saved Christian, saved since 1986; Labasa church ensemble practices before service.
FALL NEWSVINE 2012 5
“...but the greatest of these is love” --I Corinthians 13:13 This past July, Married Directors Brother Santos and Sister Cheryl Ramos sponsored a seminar for the married couples of the church. It was a time of renewal and reflection. The main speaker for the evening was Brother Scott Mayo who spoke on the topic, “The Heart of a Servant.” He shared his deep commitment to his wife, Lenore, who for many years has been battling multiple sclerosis and is now in a wheel chair. His love for his wife was evident as he described how he completely cares for her needs, including bathing and dressing her, and even styling Lenore’s hair for church. He said this experience has made him a better Christian and husband, and that he loves his wife more than ever. Pictured from top: Brother and Sister Ramos welcome couples as they arrive to the seminar; Brother Scott Mayo shares his personal story; Brother Mayo kisses his wife Lenore on the cheek; refreshment table; Gabbie Ramos beautifully conveys a song in American Sign Language; (left photos) and married couples listen as Brother Mayo exhorts them to be willing to serve their spouses with love. 6 FALL NEWSVINE 2012
Breaking the Worry Habit by Sister Carol Castillo
M
y mother had an expression for it. “Majoring in the minors,” she said. Or, “Making mountains out of molehills.” Either way, she was right. My worry habit was more than a habit; it was a career. I fretted that the twinge of pain in my chest signalled heart trouble. When it rained I worried about flooding. If the car made strange noises, I got nervous. My busy life offered multiple opportunities to push the panic button. And if things went well, I worried about that too. As a Christian I knew what the Bible had to say about worry. “Be anxious for nothing.” I also knew God had it all under control. I just couldn’t shake the conviction that He needed my help. And no sermon or Bible verse could change my mind. It took a major earthquake to shake me up, literally, and break the worry habit that beset me for so long. Living in California, I knew the threat of earthquakes always lurked beneath the surface. Surprisingly, I didn’t worry about them. We lived in the Central Valley, away from most major, active fault lines, and I had only felt two slight tremors. On October 17, 1989, I was at home relaxing on the bed after work; my husband was cleaning up from his job at a rock quarry. Our daughter was doing homework, and our little boy played at her feet. In the San Francisco Bay Area, 65 miles to the west, thousands were gathering at Candlestick Park for the World Series between the Oakland A’s and the San Francisco Giants. Many of my co-workers were there. The time was 5:04 p.m. I heard a noise like a roaring freight train, then felt a sharp jolt and the waterbed nearly pitched me to the floor. “Earthquake!” I shouted. Both children bolted into the bedroom to find me, and my husband joined us. Together we huddled under an interior doorway. The floor shifted and swayed ominously under our feet. I met my husband’s eyes. “It’s a bad one,” he said. When the rolling stopped, I immediately turned on the radio. “The Bay Bridge has collapsed!” yelled an excited announcer. Meanwhile a live feed from Candlestick Park beamed pandemonium across the nation as players and fans raced across the field in search of safety. Like the rest of the country, I watched and listened in horror as the tragedy unfolded. While my family and I huddled under the doorway, another family 80 miles west in the Santa Cruz Mountains had done the same. When it was over, the man of the house stepped out his front door to find his yard split like a crushed melon. Meanwhile, a mother in San Francisco carrying her baby to the changing table never made it. The top floors in the apartment collapsed, sending mother and son in a deadly slide of rubble to the garage below. On the busy Cypress Freeway in Oakland, a car driven by a mother taking her children to the dentist was crushed and buried when the top section of the freeway buckled. And on the Bay Bridge, emergency workers unwittingly herded cars to danger, not realizing the top section had broken off, leaving a gaping 50 foot hole. The first car in line carried a man who had just been picked up from the airport by his sister. The car hit the breach and bounced, smashed into the opposite side and then dangled tenuously, saved from falling into the bay only by its rear wheels. Helplessly, the man watched his sister draw her last breath. Reports of death and damage continued to pour in. For weeks my attention was riveted by the drama. My co-workers returned to work unhurt but shaken, and said it took four hours just to get out of the parking lot. I heard first-hand tales of fires, broken utility lines, demolished homes and cars. But nothing tore my heart more than the fate of those entombed beneath the Cypress Freeway. For three weeks rescue workers continued to dig victims from cars smashed flat by the crumbled concrete and twisted girders. How horrible, I thought, to have met such a tragic end while doing nothing more than going about their daily business. And I grasped the fragility of life, and how each moment is a gift from God to be treasured, not wasted. Weeks later my husband was laid off. Construction work is seasonal, and we had experienced other lay-offs, but it was particularly wrenching during the holiday season. On hearing the news, the usual anxieties and fears clamored for attention. Then I remembered the Cypress Freeway. Given the choice, its victims would have preferred a holiday lay-off to being ignominiously crushed beneath the foot of fate. But they had had no opportunity to choose their fate. They had run out of something I still had. Time. I took a deep breath and smiled at my family. “Don’t worry,” I said. “We’ll make it with God’s help.” And with God’s help, we did.
S
ister Kellee Hopper was born in Turlock, California, to Brother Gene and Sister Karen Hopper, attending Full Gospel Tabernacle as a young child under the pastorship of Leon Brokaw. When her family moved to the Fresno area, they attended Truth Tabernacle with Pastor Vaughn Morton. “Brother Morton anchored me in the Apostolic truth,” said Sister Hopper. She graduated with honors from Clovis West High School and attended California State University, Fresno for several years, majoring in business. When her family moved to the Bay Area, she transferred to San Francisco State University, graduating summa cum laude. During this time, she attended First United Pentecostal Church of San Jose under Pastor Jimmy Shoemake. Sister Hopper began her career with the Golden Gate Bridge Administrative offices while still in college, working as an administrative assistant. Since being hired, she has had six promotions and is now the Vice President of Administration and Development in charge of: Information Systems, Human Resources, Planning, Marketing, Customer Service, Environment Health and Safety, Disadvantaged Business Utilization, and Affirmative Action. When asked why she has stayed at the same job all her life, she said it was the challenge. “I don’t have a routine day,” she said. She handles a wide range of activities, attending an average of 25 meetings each week. Also being at a job where she can make a difference is very important to her. The Golden Gate Bridge Administration not only manages the Golden Gate Bridge but also the bus division, which runs 200 buses along Highway 101, and it also oversees the largest passenger ferry system in the Bay Area. Eight to ten million people visit the Golden Gate Bridge each year with 55,000 people commuting to work across this world famous suspension bridge. The Golden Gate, opened in 1937, is considered one of the eight wonders of the world. Many people ask about its beautiful golden color. Officially, it is called International Orange, the color of its original primer paint. To maintain this 1.7-mile span bridge is a massive effort, employing 100 workers. Because of the harsh environmental conditions, the bridge is in continuous maintenance, requiring workers at times to brave climbs of 776 feet to the top of its towers. When asked by this editor if she has ever climbed the towers, Sister Hopper emphatically said no—she is afraid of heights! You might ask how Sister Hopper got such an amazing job. She believes without a doubt that God placed her in this position. “I never dreamed I would have a position like this,” she said. At the time this job opened up, she had been the marketing director for seven years. Always looking to challenge herself, she thought she would apply for the job. There were many qualified people applying for the same position, so she did not think she had a chance, but thought the process would be a good experience. Her interview lasted an hour. Within this time, she had to manage her time in order to answer 16 questions, as they were evaluating not only knowledge, but also each candidate’s time management abilities. She was relieved when she completed her interview within the allotted time. She was hired, and about a month after the interview, started her new job. “I am happy that I can be a financial blessing to the church,” she said. Her parents taught her to tithe, and she is a strong believer in the important of paying one’s tithes first and then trusting God to meet one’s needs. Sister Hopper is a very busy woman, not only in a challenging executive position, but also at our church. She works and stays in the Bay Area during the week and commutes to her home in Modesto each weekend. She is the Praise and Worship Communication Liason for Revival Center, is a faithful member of the choir, and is a DIVA teacher for the young ladies of the church under Sister Kim Johnson. “I’ve always had a heart for young people,” she said. She enjoys mentoring and modeling for them. Her advice is: “Be committed. Let your passion be your purpose. Be ambitious and always pursue your goals. You should always have a goal in your life. Be faithful in your time, commitment, and finances.” We commend Sister Hopper on her success and appreciate her commitment and faithfulness to the work of God. May the principles of her life be an example to all of us to challenge ourselves and to continuously set new and higher goals. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).
FALL NEWSVINE 2012 7
Photos by Leo Aguilera and guest photographer Mehgan Johsnon
Community Day at Robertson Road Park
Enjoying the hula hoop contest.
Sister Johnson with Cecelia Villa and her son Ivan.
Michelle and Janine Barkow came to church and were baptized along with John Barkow below.
“It’s awesome! We like it!” said the Barkow family. “We are going to go to church in the morning.”
T
he church left the building this October and took to the streets and what an impact it made! The DIVAs, under the direction of Sister Kimberly Johnson teamed up with n’Motion, our young people under the leadership of Brother John Quinones, for a day in the park and homeless outreach. It was an amazing event! Born out of the DIVAs’ desire to give of themselves to benefit the community, all banded together to make this day a success. To raise funds, Sister Johnson and Sister Ashley Quinones made and sold a $1000 worth of cupcakes by scratch! Others pitched in including Brother Matt Aguirre who donated food items for lunches for the homeless and Brother Steve Medina who drove the church bus to transport various homeless people to the park. The weekend started with an outreach on Friday night
(Continued on next page)
Brother Santos Ramos barbequed hundreds of hotdogs.
Dedicated Task Force!
DIVAS with a purpose!
More than 200 lunch bags were handed out at parks to the homeless (left). Below Lindsey Johnson poses with Sister Aguilera and Ashley Quinones and Sister Johnson. (Below) Cheryl Ramos and Kellee Hopper pose with a happy child.
from 5:00 PM until dark in which the area was canvassed with flyers passed out. Afterward, it was down to the church to assemble over 200 brown paper bag lunches which included a sandwich, a fruit cup, sunflower seeds, a Capri Sun, and a Granola bar. At 10:30 the next morning, everyone gathered together to set up the event from started at 12:00 and ran for several hours. Children and their families were treated not only to a lunch, but also to face painting, cotton candy, music, and a myriad of games led by n’Motion youth. In addition, groceries and toiletries were given out free of charge. When we spoke with Sister Johnson at about 1:30, they had already served 175 people and were continuing to serve more arrivals. After leaving the park, church members traveled from park to park delivering sack lunches to many grateful homeless individuals across our community. The highlight of the event was the number of visitors we had at the altar the following Sunday which was a direct result of this outreach. We were also excited for John Barkow and his family who were baptized! Go DIVAS and n’Motion!
A big thank you to Sister Mercy who arranged for the bounce house donations.
Revival continued
through the summer with the long-awaited encore performance of The Day After directed by Brother Danny Gregory. The altars were packed and many were baptized and received the Holy Ghost! (Photos by Sister Stephanie Ryan).
10 FALL NEWSVINE 2012
Our pastors always invite the best preachers to foster great revival from the pulpit. This summer was no exception. Above, from left to right: Brother J.J.Bourn, Brother Mark Drost, and Brother George Guy delivered challenges to the congregation and consistently led Holy Ghost breakthroughs.
THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL
Also visiting this summer was Evangelist Rodney Burks who is son-in-law to Sister Chris Cardova, our bishop's wife's sister. He delivered a fiery message titled, "Over my Dead Body!"
Brother Mark Morgan delivered a remarkable message of Acts 2:38 directly to this editor's fellow teacher friend, Steve Tyler. After months of witnessing, Brother Morgan convinced him in one night. In these photos can be seen the progression of full salvation in a single evening.
He has him stand and uses a step by step revelation of scripture. Then Steve is convicted and prayed for by Assistant Pastor Albalos and myself. Finally, he is baptized by Pastor Johnson, and filled with God's Spirit. Afterwards, Brother Steve Tyler and Brother Morgan pose for me with the joy of conversion felt by both. Today, Brother Steve is a great fellow Christian to have at Thomas Downey High with this editor. The POWER OF GOD"S WORD IS AWESOME! Left: Praise for those being baptized!
FALL NEWSVINE 2012 11
O
ne of our best bilingual services was held a few weeks ago during the Labor Day weekend as these top photos show. Our church was thrilled to have Elder Wynn Drost, a long-time missionary to Mexico and South America and father to Brother Mark Drost. His sermon was filled with wonderful miraculous accounts from his many years of ministry. It was a great gathering of worship and hearing the anointed Word.
A Special Ordination
N
12 FALL NEWSVINE 2012
ewsvine Editors Leo and Virginia Aguilera were mightily blessed to have their son Joshua Aguilera ordained a minister by the Revival Center International Evangelism Association during this bilingual service. Top photos show the important laying on of hands and prayers, and the two ordained pose with the pastors. Bottom photos show Joshua posing with proud grandmother, Sister Emma Aguilera, and a large gathering of family members who came to witness the event. Joshua is currently a senior at Stanislaus State University and will be assisting the pastors as needed.
B
by Assistant Pastor Adam Mendoza
ishop Keyes has taught me that we can sometimes create an environment where God can manifest himself in a manner that cannot be duplicated in any other setting. This year’s men’s retreat is an example of that truth. We experienced a unique powerful move of God. Men’s lives were changed. I believe that we came back from Old Oak Ranch as better Christians, husbands and fathers. It would be difficult to pinpoint any single experience as the highlight of the retreat. The entire retreat exemplified a spirit of excellence. The preaching we received had an impact. Brother Sam Emory delivered a powerful message Friday night entitled “Stay on Course.” He spoke to the men to not allow things to pull us off course, and of the danger of “be-
ginning right and finishing wrong.” Saturday morning we were inspired by the testimony of Bishop Keyes’ upbringing. Bishop conveyed to us the examples his dad taught him. It became apparent that only a few in the audience have had the blessing of having a godly man as their father. Brother Dustin Forest from Gustine summed it up well when he said, “I never grew in a home like the one Bishop Keyes grew up in, but I pray that my sons can testify they had a father that knew how to pray.” By the end of Pastor Johnson’s message entitled “The Measure of a Man,” the men at the retreat were on their faces seeking the mercy of God for their lives. Pastor Johnson conveyed that eternity is too long and the lives of our wives and children too valuable to not be the men God created us to be. Not only were we blessed by the
preaching, I, for one, was strengthened by the opportunity to fellowship. This was by far the most enjoyable retreat I have ever attended. After the Friday night service, men were sitting and talking around the campfires, and others were playing basketball. It was funny seeing some of the younger men doing some acrobatic dives into the Olympic-sized swimming pool, while others did belly flops and mega cannonballs. Men were playing volleyball until close to 2:00 AM. I could hear laughter coming from the recreation room until past 3:00 AM. The next morning a few of us went on a short hike, and others went fishing. I enjoyed Men’s Retreat and appreciate all the effort and labor our men’s director Brother Alex Diaz put into this outstanding event. My life was blessed, and I am looking forward to next year’s men’s retreat with anticipation.
Top left photo shows Pastor Keyes having fellowship with Brothers Donnie Wilson, Robert Jackson, and Mark Fletcher. Top right photo shows the intensity of a Holy Ghost breakthrough for the brothers who attended. Bottom left photo is Brother Sam Emory delivering sound advice. A big thank you to Brother Alex Diaz who is posing with his wife Sister Sujey. His dedication to our local Men's Ministry is to be commended.
FALL NEWSVINE 2012 13
TESTIMONY OF FAITH
FROM THE MIRE TO THE MIRACULOUS! A GRIPPING STORY OF THREE SISTERS
Text by Editor Leo Aguilera
O
PART ONE
nce California was a part of Mexico--its majestic mountains, fertile valleys, and spectacular coastlines were envied by kingdoms and nations. But it was the Americans who came, hungry for land and gold, who challenged the Mexicans, fought a war, and won the land over 170 years ago. Americans no longer had to squat on the arable land, but now they could own it, farm it, and leave it to their children. In the great Central Valley of the state and the other fertile valleys of Santa Clara, Salinas, and San Fernando, the early twentieth century found those children selling their farms, and these small farms were disappearing to the businessmen who formed large corporate farms. Farming in California became a huge industry, and they needed pickers to harvest the crops. Once again the Mexicans came back to the land, but this time everything was different. To say that Mexicans faced rough living conditions in the fields is to recognize the demands the farming industry expected of its laborers. The work was usually hot, miserable, and physically exhausting. The crops changed for the picker--from fruit trees to the stoop crops, depending on the season. But it was the stoop crops, sweet potatoes, artichokes, lettuce, cauliflower, that made the picker crawl between the rows, stay on his knees for hours at a time, and bend his back to pull the sack of cotton. The laborers’ wives and daughters were not spared these discomforts, yet all were paid the same starvation wage for each full basket or sack that might be enough to feed one’s family if each family member worked sixteen hours a day. It was in this culture of labor and poverty that Julio and Joaquina Hurtado started a family. They were migrant workers and newly-weds, she from Texas, he from California, who started picking the harvests in the Imperial Valley of Southern California in the late forties. They soon discovered that to make the most money was to follow the crops’ harvests from one end of the state to the other. For that reason, Rosie was born in San Jose, Josie was born in Ventura, and Jackie was born in Santa Clara, not to mention their other siblings who were born in different locales. The earliest memories of the three sisters were the fields. Their parents needed everyone working. Rosie recalls working with her oldest siblings as young as nine. She remembers the heat, the sweat, and the long hours picking everything from grapes in Fresno, strawberries in Salinas, potatoes and carrots in Watsonville, to string beans in Santa Monica. California was different back then. There was less concrete and more open farmlands between the cities and towns. That is how Rosie remembers seeing the state in the late fifties and early sixties. She recalls when Josie was born, their mother had to place the newborn under the shade after a good feeding, so she could sleep while their mother picked. But it wasn’t long before other women laborers came to Joaquina and told her of a crying Josie. The young mother had been threatened by her husband to keep picking the vegetables, but she refused and returned to a bawling Josie, covered with insects, begging to be picked up. Someone
14 FALL NEWSVINE 2012
Jackie Hurtado, Rosie Estrada, & Josie Barraza
had to stay home and take care of the young ones, like Jackie, who was the baby of the family of Julio and Joaquina. Turns were taken, but Julio needed everyone picking. Those baskets and sacks had to be filled, weighed, and valued by the quantity to get the few dollars that began to add up by sunset. Josie and Rosie remember at the age of eight and nine, their mother applied lipstick and makeup to their young faces to make them look older, so the foreman of the field would not hesitate to hire them on the spot for the next field to be picked. The labor camps were at best shacks of one room for entire families to find shelter, or sometimes, the back of barns would have to do. There were only camping stoves to cook the beans and rice, and heat up the tortillas that were the staples of the migrant families from Mexican roots. Hung blankets served as room dividers, and the outhouse was shared by several families in the row of shacks found on any large corporate farm. With no air conditioning and limited floor heaters, the Hurtados were at the mercy of the weather, which fortunately in California was tolerable year round. School attendance was another story. Only until the harvest was picked, were the Hurtado children then enrolled in the school of the town they found themselves in late October. Rosie can hardly remember how many schools she and her older siblings attended. She doesn’t recall when she began to read and write. The sisters remember the harvests were the priority of the family. School attendance was sketchy, at best. The winter months were the cruelest. Most of the fields across the state had been picked. Whatever money their mother had managed to save was for the food they would need until the spring. The girls recall that with the misery of poverty came shame. Teachers soon began to take notice of the Hurtado children. They were the ones without warm clothing to guard against the cold wind and rain. Their shoes were mended to cover up the holes in the soles, heals and toes. After walking to school in a cold down pour, the school secretary would let the Hurtado girls warm up in the office, letting their clothes dry out, before sending them to their classrooms. Back at home, it was not just the poverty that gripped the family with the curse of bitterness. Julio was a ladies’ man, a gambler, and a hard drinker. He was also very jealous of his young wife. It was incomprehensible to the girls seeing their hard-earned money
during a hot summer week wasted in one single night at the local beer joint, in the poker room in the back--with a few dollars left over to feed the family until the next pickings. Joaquina had to endure his vices, and then his beatings, if he was so inclined. The girls remember how beautiful both their parents were to their own fault--he to attract the women, she to attract his jealous rage in violent outbursts. And the beatings were not just directed at their young mother. The sisters painfully recall the kick from his heavy boots, and, after a while, they feared to be alone with him. They loved their mother unconditionally, and sadly, many times she took the hits that he intended for them. One time Julio was out all night, and Joaquina had just put the children to sleep on some packing crates in their shack. She then saw a large lizard head under one crate, and she pulled it out, discovering instead that she was holding onto a large snake. Her screams brought a neighbor in who killed the snake. Upon his return home the next morning, Joaquina told Julio about the neighbor doing the family a favor the night before. Suddenly, Julio began to savagely beat his wife in front of the children--no explanation given. Another time, Josie recalls hugging a puppy in the back seat during a drive. She became aware that her father was watching her in the rear-view mirror. He then stopped the car and began hitting her with a shoe. Again, no explanation was given. His abuse of the family would go on through Rosie’s and Josie’s teens. Julio was a con man and used his good looks to get that special attention to make a deal on the side, even jeopardizing the security of his family. The sisters reminisce how he used them in several “coyote” schemes at the border between Mexico and the U.S. The illegal aliens were placed under a tarp in their van. Then they and their siblings were seated on top of the tarp, or stretched out, feigning sleep, while Joaquina was passed through customs. Yes, it was their mother who had to drive the immigrants over the border, for Julio refused to do the pick up of the immigrants in Mexico. He would be waiting for them on the U.S. side, where he would collect the money and then make the drop-offs of the immigrants in the various towns of their destinations. Finally, someone told the authorities about Julios’s criminal scheming, but it was Joaquina who was arrested at the border, the children placed in temporary foster homes, and the weeks it took to get Joaquina out of jail and the children out of foster homes before Julio finally stopped this criminal activity. Despite the dysfunctional parenting of Julio, he seemed to be a devout Catholic. The most compelling memory of their childhood was taking a trip to Mexico City. There, Julio made his children watch him crawl on the hard stones of the plaza in front of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe for the penance of his sins. Despite the pain and torn knees, the sisters saw him make it into the large church. But it was Joaquina who instilled into them the belief that there was a God to whom they could pray. They saw their father make the sign of the cross many times, but it was their mother they remember seeing praying for them and for their safety. But all the sisters admit that there was no personal relationship developed or fostered between them and Jesus Christ. It was a void they did not recognize at the time. Most of the time, the Hurtados stayed in the Los Angeles area. They lived in the projects, and finally a home was bought by their parents in the unincorporated town of City Terrace in East Los Angeles. It was here where the sisters in their early adolescence began sneaking around and drinking any alcoholic beverages they could obtain. They would hide or fool their father when he followed them seeing what they were up to. Josie admits that she may have
already been an alcoholic in junior high. The Hurtado marriage was finally reaching a crisis when Rosie and Josie reached their mid-teens. Too many fights, increasing violence in the home, and their father running into the streets, taking a large knife and threatening suicide, took a toll on the sisters. Then the trauma reached a climax. Josie was sleeping uneasily after her parents had an unruly argument about close relatives. The sound of a gun going off awakened her and her siblings. Josie ran to the living room, finding her father lying on the floor next to the stereo. He had been hastily covered with a sheet. Her mother was standing near the body holding a .22 long rifle, her eyes glazed, and she was muttering incomprehensible words in Spanish. Rosie came running into the room so fast that she slammed into the wall knocking herself down to the floor. Their brother, seeing the horrific scene, began leaping into the air again and again, totally in shock. He tried to grab the rifle from his mother, trying to damage and disable it, but Joaquina would not let it go. The children flung the sheet away from the body and found their father drenched in blood. Jackie, only ten-years-old, grabbed towels from the bathroom and ran back to her father, pressing them to his head, trying to stop the flow of blood. Suddenly, their father staggered to his feet and holding his balance against the wall, made his way to the couch where he collapsed, still gasping for breath. Josie heard her mother say to her children, “What do I do? I need to free you from him!” That’s when Josie noticed the green foam coming out of her mother’s mouth, as she quickly walked to the couch, aimed at his head and pulled the trigger one last time. The screams awakened the entire neighborhood, and the police were there within minutes. The daughters immediately tried to take the blame for the shooting. They loved their mother, and they wanted to protect her. A red-haired cop was surprisingly sympathetic, even to their mother, and quickly surmised what had happened. Their mother was taken away in a catatonic state, and the six children were immediately sent to the home of maternal relatives. Joaquina was placed in the psychiatric ward of the county jail. Three days later, it came to her what she had done. She screamed, and then begged that she be allowed to go to the funeral. She was not permitted. For nine months she went through intense psychoanalysis in prison. Some of the motives that made her pull that trigger twice began to be revealed to her therapists. She knew her husband was not only terrorizing her children but why her daughters feared to be left alone with him. Several times her psychiatrists broke their pencils in disbelief, and two even exclaimed, “What took you so long?” Nine months later, the judge determined on the advice of the state psychologists and supportive character references letters that years of mental, physical, and verbal abuse had caused Joaquina to suffer temporary insanity. It was an incredible miracle for that time that she was released from incarceration to be reunited with her children. The sisters admit they were left psychologically scarred for many years, but at the same time felt RELIEF that the toxic marriage was over. Now identified as a single-parent family, the Hurtado children would find themselves no longer bound to the fields or their father. Rosie, Josie, and Jackie could sense everything was going to be different. They were young, attractive, and determined to start enjoying life. But they were each heading toward a divine intervention that would light a different path for each sister-- like nothing they could ever have imagined!
- TO BE CONTINUED FALL NEWSVINE 2012 15
Newsvine
United Pentecostal Church of Modesto 825 7th Street Modesto, CA 95354-3414
Congratulations to newlyweds,
Angelica & Isaac Pena We are pleased to announce the nuptials of Sister Angelica and Brother Isaac Pena this past Labor Day weekend. Both are exemplary young people, involved in choir and outreach. May God richly bless their marriage!