Raleigh, North Carolina!!!!

The Primera Iglesia Congregation

From St. Louis, Missouri I traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina to attend IMPACTO '12 with my dearest friend's The Vitanzas. I was invited along with my parents to sing and promote my AYC missions trip to Switzerland. Bro. and Sis. Vitanza pastor an amazing church that words alone cannot describe how sweet and so very kind their congregation were to my parents and I! From the moment I walked in the door waiting to meet with Sis. Rhonda about the service, one of the young ministers Sylvester (not as in the cat or Sylvester Stallone) met my mother and I asking us if we needed anything or what they could do to make our stay more hospitable. I felt so welcomed and very much at home! Walking into the sanctuary hearing people worshiping and in the presence of God was powerful and moving. God was most DEFINITELY there! At the start of the service the musicians singing and the congregation worshiping and dancing before God was so very powerful. The little children were dancing and praising God too!

My daddy preaching 

I was very nervous about singing but I know God would give me strength and if I left it up to Him He would do the ministering and I just gave my heart out to Him and worshiped with everything I had. My sound track got left at another church I had visited back in January and I since have not replaced it but so thankful for technology that I was able to sing my song with my iphone. I felt the presence of God while I sang and I'm so thankful God moved!!

The hermanas (ladies) cooked for the ministers and boy did they make some of the

AWWWWWWWW.....

most amazing homemade mexican food I have ever tasted...wow, I wish I had some right now! My plate was so loaded I couldn't hardly eat it but the second and third times I finished and got seconds it was that good. The preaching and fellowship was so amazing got to meet some new friends and was "adopted" by the Vitanza kids. They are some very, very special kids and I had so much fun being their "other sister." I sang on the second day and at the conclusion of my song,  I was presented with an offering from the church for my missions trip...totally unexpected WOW! I was in shock and felt so very special to have receive it. I am very thankful more then that I can't express for what they did for me. I am taking 1st Church with me on my trip along with many others too. THANK YOU PRIMERA IGLESIA and Pastor Vitanza! 

Singing. 

We had a personal chauffeur well not really a personal one but he took us to the hotel and back a few times, Bro. Guizar who also was a special speaker at Impacto. Bro. Guizar preached on Friday night and Sunday Morning of Impacto as well as to the Singles which I so enjoyed very much.

Bro. Vitanza interpreting for Bro. Guizar 

The town where the church is located is a very country and amazingly beautiful. Old buildings, cemeteries, houses, farms and churches. Trees', lakes and very green grass surrounded the beautiful country landscape and I fell in love with the beauty that God created for my eyes to see. I saw some amazing sights and wished I had more time to enjoy it. People everywhere were so kind and super friendly! Yes, I most definitely was in the South!!

Bro. Vitanza playing his guitar

On Sunday, at the conclusion of the services we were honored to be in a private concert with Pastor Vitanza, he plucked his guitar and it "talked" some amazing classical music, I sat in owe at what I was hearing. I had heard him many times before but never in a private setting where he just played his heart out. I already contracted him to play in my wedding someday. Bro. Vitanza is one of the best concert guitarist I have ever had he privilege of knowing. I loved it!!! We left the church to the most amazing weather it was such a mist of cool air and quietness surrounded the country. I did not want to leave I wanted to just sit and grasp the quietness and beauty of what I was feeling. My time in Raleigh was now over but I have a reason to return to visit once again someday. I left with a huge blessing,  a fresher mind and new heart to what God has in store for me! Bro. Vitanza was our chauffeur to the airport but also traveled with us all the way back to St. Louis, Missouri that was a very fun flight!!

People weeping at the alters.