Santa Cruz, Bolivia Festival – October 30 & 31, 2015
The festival will bring a week’s worth of evangelistic activities that will include community service, street evangelism, compassion aid projects, Pastor training, and a massive two-night festival that will include some of the top Christian Latin music artists in the world and a powerful Gospel message with a call for salvation. The heart of Mike Silva International is to reach as many people for Christ as possible, demonstrate His love to those in need through significant physical acts of compassion, and train and equip the local church in order to leave a longer-lasting impact. The following is how we do this…
Santa Cruz Festival Details
Counselor Training and Follow-up: In the months leading up to the festival, MSI staff and partners are training thousands of counselors throughout the city to assist decision-makers who respond in a commitment to Christ at the festival. Churches that will be receiving these new converts and discipling them in their newfound faith will also be equipped and supported.
Compassion Aid: We want to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ and demonstrate His love for people by meeting very real and significant physical needs. Our volunteer Serve Team will spend the week reaching out to local schools, orphanages, prisons, rescue missions, dumps, deaf communities, etc., sharing the love of Christ in a variety of ways in both word and deed. There is a great need in a number of the smaller villages for clean, safe water so our goal is to sponsor one or more water well projects. Projected cost for this is $10,000.
Two-Night Festival: At the core of our outreach is the evangelistic festival on Friday and Saturday (October 30-31) nights. The festival is completely sponsored by generous MSI donors in order to make this a free event for the city. Big name and widely popular music artists draw the crowds in excitement for a free concert. Mike Silva is then given the platform to proclaim the Gospel message in a clear, compelling and culturally relevant way. As people respond to the invitation, our trained counselors help us collect names and addresses of decision-makers that will be passed along to churches for effective follow-up and discipleship. Saturday night kicks off with our family festival called FestiKids. Families enjoy face painting, games, large inflatables, music performances, and much more. And the Gospel is once more presented and an invitation given to receive Christ.
Legacy: One of our great passions is investing into other pastors, evangelists and Next Generation leaders who will then go out and each reach even more people for Christ. Talk about a high return on our investment! Our outreach in Santa Cruz will include a special Pastors and Leaders Conference which will focus on evangelism, leadership and discipleship training. Because access to training is either unavailable or not affordable, MSI provides this ministry at no cost to attendees.
EMAIL US HERE for more information or call 503-614-1552.
CLICK HERE if you would like to join the U.S. Serve Team.
The Results Are In For Bello, Antioquia, Colombia!
- 11,115 recorded decisions for Christ
- 9,000 attended the “Festikids” children’s festival
- 3,200 attended the Pastors Conference
- 4,200 students heard the Gospel message
- 2,063 individuals were trained to pray with decision makers
- 58 partnering churches
- 1,115 people now have clean drinking water
Thank YOU for partnering with us to make this happen!
For more information about Bello and other festivals, be sure to check out our main blog.
Lives are Changed in Bello, Antioquia, Colombia!
And just like that…the week is over and we are headed home. What an amazing time! We stand overwhelmed and in awe of all we saw God do. We are incredibly humbled by ministry partners like you who so faithfully pray for and support us. Every trip makes us think of you, because we are there because you sent us and made it all possible. THANK YOU! You sent our ministry to Bello. You helped us provide a community of 1,000 families with safe, clean water. You gave the city a Festival so that the Gospel could reach thousands. Families were blessed by FestiKids. And through all of the work we were able to do with Pastors via gatherings and conferences, there is now more unity among the churches than ever seen in the history of the city. THANK YOU!
There has been a flood of thanks from the city and countless stories of lives changed, and with each one we praise God. A local Pastor called our festival director Bayron to share his story of how before the Festival he hated the other Pastors; some because their churches were bigger, some because they made more money, and others because they didn’t need the support of another full-time job as he did. He said by being a part of the Festival and working with these other Pastors over the past several months, the Lord radically changed his heart. And he began to weep over the deep love and gratitude for his newfound relationship with the other Pastors of his city.
The weather forecast for the entire week was thunderstorms and torrential rain. But as a direct answer to our prayers, the Lord held off the rain for us the entire week so that our Serve Teams could go out unhindered. He also held off the rain all during the first part of the Festival, all during Mike’s message, the invitation and while response cards were being filled out. And then, during the final performer, the sky opened up and the rain poured down, but it did not have an impact. Our God is so good! Thank you Lord for this awesome display of Your power and authority and for the firsthand reminder that even the winds and the rain obey Your commands!
Our Serve Team celebrated a great spiritual victory when we saw one of our own put her faith and trust in Jesus Christ the night of the Festival as well!
We are still working on collecting the final results of the outreach effort of this past week in Bello before we can report, but we will share as soon as we have that available. Again, we want to simply say thank you for all you helped us accomplish. And thank you for your fervent prayers and for following our reports along the way. Mike said it well when he reminded us of 2 Kings 7:9 – This is a day of Good News, we cannot remain silent! Thank you God! All glory and honor and praise is Yours!
Festival por la Vida – Bello, Antioquia, Colombia
Well of Life Changes Lives for Over 1,000 Families
Well dedication ceremony–Our Serve Team gathered in a small community within Bello, where our well project was located, for the official opening and dedication ceremony. Many of the 1,000 families this well will serve gathered to take part.
The local Pastor who will manage and watch over the well for the community, cut the ribbon with MSI Board members Pastor Ruben Guajardo (left) and Howard “Butch” Wilson (right).
Local Pastor pictured in front of plaque.
Safe, clean water! THANK YOU to all who made this gift possible!
FestiKids
Thousands gathered for Festikids – our children’s festival – which offers a variety of family friendly activities like face painting, nail painting, inflatable bounce houses, balloon animals, music, haircuts and much, much more.
Bello, Antioquia Festival
A massive crowd gathered Saturday night for Festival por la Vida in Bello – a celebration of “Buena Vida, Buena Música y Buenas Noticias” (Good Life, Good Music and Good News).
A Mike Silva International favorite, Raza for Christ, brought down the house with their electrifying “reggaeton” sound that is always a fan favorite in every city we go to.
The Lord used Mike mightily Saturday night. Your prayers for a great harvest of souls were answered and we praise God for His goodness and graciousness. Mike used the story of the Centurion whose faith was so big he believed Jesus to heal his servant just by speaking the words. The crowd was so captivated by the story and attentive to Mike’s delivery that when the invitation was given, and the free gift of salvation was offered to anyone who would believe and receive, an incredible percentage of the crowd responded! In fact, we are still counting the responses! We had heard earlier this week that there is only 1-2% in this Medellin-Bello area who professes faith in Christ. So we believe what we saw and experienced was simply a city that was ready and receptive for the message we came to share, and God’s gracious favor to use us to bring people unto Himself. We give God all the praise and all the glory as He so deserves!
Another miracle of the night was seeing one of our very own Serve Team members put her faith and trust in Jesus Christ during the invitation!
Artist Nathan Ironside
Mike was presented, by the Mayor, with the keys to the city and an invitation to return.
The rain held out the entire festival until headliner and Colombia native Alex Campos took the stage.
Touching Lives in Bello, Colombia
Last night, Pastors and Church Leaders from all over the region gathered for our “Fruit That Remains” Conference, with over 4,000 in attendance.
Mike encouraging local Pastors/Leaders at our “Fruit That Remains” Conference.
“Fruit That Remains” Pastors/Leaders Conference.
Our Serve Teams continue to see individuals say “Yes!” to Jesus Christ this week.
Serve Team members sharing the Gospel through a skit.
Students respond to the Gospel Message shared by one of our Serve Teams.
This local teacher thought God had abandoned her but rededicated her life to the Lord when our Team shared the Gospel. She told us, “Now I know God hasn’t abandoned me!”
Excitement Builds as the Countdown Begins!
Mayor Expresses Support and Thanks for Festival por la Vida.
Mike was able to meet with the Mayor of Bello last night. (Mayor is pictured to the right of Mike). The Mayor is very excited about the Festival and the potential impact on the city. He personally thanked our ministry for the well project in one of the areas of the city that so desperately needed safe water for the 1,000 families it serves. He expressed how he could not do this on his own and how grateful he was to have our help. THANK YOU ministry partners! This is another life-changing project YOU made possible!
After meeting with the Mayor, he walked us through the city and along the way we saw a number of our “grassroots” volunteer teams handing out fliers and inviting people to the Festival. Among them was the youngest “festival promoter” we’ve ever met – a five year old Pastor’s daughter – excitedly telling each person she handed a flier to all about the festival, who the artists were, the “FestiKids” children’s event, the location, start time, etc. Pretty impressive!
Setting up for Saturday Night’s Big Event
We are 24 hours from the Festival tomorrow night and the stage is almost set! It is so exciting to see this empty span of open space and know that in just a few more hours it will fill up with people. The lights will be flashing, the music will be blasting, the speakers will be booming, the crowd will be jumping, and the Festival will be in full swing! We heard from the Mayor that only 1-2% of the greater Medellín -Bello area of 4.5 million people are Christians who have put their faith and trust in Christ! This is one of the most exciting things for us – who have come to deliver the Good News of the Gospel – because it means we are not just in the right place at the right time but the potential harvest could be beyond what we even imagined! So PLEASE pray! Pray for Mike as he is in his final preparation of his message. Pray that he would speak with full authority of the Scriptures given to him by the Holy Spirit, that he would be bold and courageous and that the Gospel would be proclaimed clearly and simply. And as a result, that we would see an unbelievable move of God in this city as countless people say “YES!” to Jesus Christ.
Meetings and Serve Team Projects Continue Today
Serve Teams Make an Impact In Local Schools
Serve Team member sharing his testimony in a school.
Serve Teams present the Gospel through skits.
Serve Team member playing with a child at the school.
Wordless bracelets being distributed. The Gospel Message is told through colored beads on a bracelet.
Getting the Word out via Radio
Mike had 2 radio interviews this morning, one being with the largest local radio station during peak listening time, reaching an estimated 180,000 listeners.
Mike doing a radio interview.
More Pictures from the Ministry in Bello, Colombia
We continue to be blessed by those we’ve met in Colombia. Mike had the opportunity to meet and have lunch with the key Pastors of the Pastors Association of Bello.
Here are a few images of Bello and the people we’ve met since we arrived.
Mike with the Pastors Association of Bello.
Mike having lunch with the Pastors Association of Bello.
Local kids playing soccer.
The bustling city of Medellín where our Serve Team is staying, just outside of Bello.
The city of Bello.
Bello Day 1
Our Team has arrived safe and sound in Colombia! We excitedly hit the ground running on Day 1. Here are some images from the day! Please continue to pray for open doors and hearts!
Mike had an opportunity to appear on one of the largest television stations in the Spanish speaking world, reaching about 45 million people around the globe. The network is owned by Christians but the programs are not heavily religious, reaching a mostly secular audience. The Lord gave Mike great favor during the interview and he was asked by the network to record a number of spots that can be shown on a regular basis, with each giving a life lesson and pointing the audience to Christ. Mike will record several spots later this week while we are here and they will begin airing immediately!
Our Serve Teams had the opportunity to visit an orphanage as well as an organization that feeds street kids. This is a photo of the Team sharing testimonies and presenting the Gospel to the street kids whom they served.
Two of the street kids who heard the Gospel today from our Serve Teams.
This is Angelica. She has lived in the orphanage for 9 years. Her mother died when she was 10 months old, leaving her with an abusive father until the orphanage found her at the age of 10 and received her into their care. She is now 19 years old and is grateful for this home and the people who have cared for her.
A local Pastor and his staff who operate the outreach to street kids.
The kids at the orphanage loved meeting our Serve Team members and interacting with them for the afternoon.
At the orphanage, we found empty cupboards. We were able to provide a couple hundred dollars of rice and beans that will feed the kids for a month! What a blessing! THANK YOU for making this possible!
Please pray with us as we share the Gospel in Colombia. Together we reach more!
You make a difference and are changing lives for eternity!
A note from Mike:
“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel.” (Apostle Paul) Ephesians 6:19 NIV
These words from the Apostle Paul give me hope. The most renown evangelist in the history of the Christian Church asked for prayer; prayer for boldness in sharing the Gospel. As we make ourselves ready for the festival in Bello, Antioquia, Colombia on March 28 – would you pray for me?
Please pray God would give me the right words to say to the people of Colombia, that they would come to know and believe that Jesus Christ is Lord of the universe, and that by believing in Him, thousands more would have life in His name.
It won’t be long now before we jump on a plane for Bello and continue the mission God has set before us: to practice and proclaim the life-changing message of the Lord Jesus Christ. That’s why your commitment to pray for us has never been more needed or appreciated!
May the Lord richly bless you for your faithfulness to pray for us.
Your Partner for His Glory,
Mike Silva
Prayer Requests from Bello, Antioquia, Colombia
The Festival in Bello, Antioquia, Colombia is less than four weeks away! Please keep praying for a mighty work of God there.
Also, please lift up these special requests before the Lord:
- For our Latin team to have endurance and good health. The stamina and energy required to prepare for a festival, all of the Compassion Aid projects and other ministries is immense!
- For the local churches to be unified together for the work of the Gospel. So far, 61 churches have partnered with our ministry for the festival. Please pray many more would join us.
- For the government officials and local authorities – that they would continue to support the festival and grant us all the necessary permissions.
- For the “Friends of the Festival” (trained counselors) who will be positioned in the crowd at the festival to minister to those who make a decision for Christ.
- Ultimately, for the hearts of those who will be attending the festival – that they would be softened to hear the Gospel message and respond to the invitation to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.
45 Days Out — Bello, Antioquia, Colombia!
We are only 45 days away from our Colombia Festival! Please watch the video above and see a special message from Mike Silva.