Doug Stringer served as a moderator as pastors gathered to “Fill the Bowls,” a prayer gathering held in McAllen, Texas, on February 29, where pastors from both sides of the border came to pray for one another and for our nations.
“We were blessed and honored to be a part of building on the foundations and sacrifices of those who over the decades have been praying for revival in the Rio Grande Valley,” Doug said.
Doug and the ministry have been connected to this area since the 1980s, when he began taking teams to serve at an orphanage in Reynosa, and alongside churches on both sides of the border. Many relationships were birthed during that time, with new friends being added over the years.
One pastor, Jim Venita, has had a passion to see a unified church in his community for over 30 years. “He first invited me to come minister this message of unity to his colleagues in the region over three decades ago,” Doug recalls. “There were storms the night I was scheduled to be there and my flights were delayed and finally cancelled, but Pastor Jim encouraged me to do whatever it took to get there. God heard his prayers and I finally made it to McAllen.” Pastor Jim also wrote an empassioned letter to all the pastors in the region around that same time, saying that if they would come together in agreement and pray, then revival would come. “This past weekend, we believe we saw God answering his heart’s cry, as pastors from both sides of the border gathered to pray for one another and for our nations.”
The event was organized by ministry friends Leah and Larry Ramirez. “The obedience and willingness of Leah and Larry to gather many for Fill The Bowls in McAllen Veterans Memorial Stadium will bear much fruit in stirring the winds of revival in the region and beyond,” Doug observed. He also noted how, during the offering collection, the McAllen event organizers kept nothing for themselves but instead chose to pay it forward.
“It was such a beautiful moment when the only offering received during the day was to sow into the next Fill The Bowls that will be across the border in Reynosa, Mexico in September.”
When we think of the tumultuous time our country finds itself in during this election year, gatherings like this are critical. Whether it be a Somebody Cares outreach event, a disaster relief effort, or by serving alongside other ministries of like mind and heart, we are committed to God’s call to let the world know SOMEBODY still CARES. He has the answers the world so desperately needs.