NOVEMBER 3-5, 2023 – Puerto Rico, a vibrant island in the heart of the Caribbean, is renowned for its rich cultural heritage, lively music scene, and warm hospitality. It was an immense privilege for the New York Staff Band be guests at the PRVI Divisional Family Gathering – an event that saw the great people of this division coming together for the first time since the COVID pandemic, with the band serving as part of the larger worship music team involved throughout the weekend.
The band arrived in San Juan to beautiful sunny skies, and nice yet humid breeze! The family gathering was held at the Hilton Garden Inn hotel in San Juan so the local soldiers and families could enjoy the amenities and convenience of being close to the meeting rooms.
Friday nights opening meeting featured a worship set with Territorial Music Department members, Victor Morales (guitar) and Simon Morton (bass) joining forces with some of the local worship musicians before a warm welcome from Divisional Leaders, Majors Juan and Lydia Mercado. This set up the bands major work for the night ‘Creation’ which has been impactful everywhere it has been presented so far. This time was special, however, as the script was translated into Spanish and presented beautifully by Lydia Mercado.
Saturday morning allowed the band to enjoy a leisurely breakfast and a few members had a nice walk on the beach before heading over to the impressive T-Mobil Center – an outdoor venue with restaurants, staging and gigantic video screens everywhere you looked…even covering the entire ceiling. It was a perfect venue to once again present ‘Creation’ even though this was the first time presenting it in an open-air setting. Many people passing by stopped and engaged with the band and were drawn in by the music and visual presentations. Several strangers were seen with tears streaming down their cheeks as the final proclamation of ‘How Great Thou Art’ rang out for all to hear. Another moving moment for the band to cherish on this worshipful journey that ‘Creation’ has taken us on.
Heading back over to the hotel for the Saturday evening program, many members of the band joined in with the Puerto Rico Divisional Youth Band to assist them in presenting a work created especially by the youth of the division, incorporating drama and worship music to tell the parables of Jesus.
Sunday morning was a powerful time of worship which saw local Junior and Senior Soldiers enrolled whilst giving an energetic send off to soon to be retired Commissioners Bamford.
It was a special weekend in Puerto Rico and even though language can be a barrier, the moving of the Spirit was evident and a blessing to all.
