The blessing of Beans and Rice

At Kids Club on Saturdays we give out a bag of beans and rice to each kid that comes and participates.  We have heard from kids and family members over and over how this little bag of beans and rice has saved them from going hungry during the week.  It has been a great outreach for these families and a way to serve them with Christ's love.  This past Saturday, a lady who has been coming with the little boy she cares for asked if she could speak with me as we were finishing club.  She began bringing him to the park about 6 weeks ago and has been attending church ever since with the little boy on Sundays and is really walking with the Lord.  She shared with me that last week they had no food.  Their rent was higher this past month and electricity as well and they had no money left for food.  Then, as she was praying she remembered the bag of beans and rice she got from Kid's Club and asked the little boy to go and get it.  (The little boy was saving it in his room under the bed, she said.)  She said that she was thanking God for providing this bag of rice and beans for them as she cooked.  She then emphasized how much this bag of beans and rice saved them this week.  On Monday she cooked it, they (3 people) ate, and she put the rest in the refrigerator.  On Tuesday she took the pot out to serve lunch and there were more beans and rice in the pot.  She thought it was strange, but they ate and she put the pot back in the fridge.  She did this for each meal on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  Each time she took the pot out for a meal, there was more beans and rice.  She came to me perplexed and said, "Do you all add something to the rice to make it grow?" I told her it was the hand of the Lord working a miracle and multiplying the food for her family.  (There are only 2 cups of dried beans and 2 cups of rice per bag)  She began leaping in the air exclaiming--"This is a miracle!  I knew it was a miracle!  As I prayed, God answered my prayers!"  I began jumping with her in excitement and we both gave glory to God for His provision!!!  She said, "Sarah, we have been learning about the miracles of Jesus here at Kids Club each week and now He did a miracle in my life!"  We talked about how much our faith is increased when we experience a miracle first hand.  This story blessed me so to see one's faith grow before my very eyes...and to know that these bags of beans and rice truly are making a difference!  Glory be to God for His faithfulness in our lives!!!

Women's Fellowship Fun

On Tuesdays we have our Women's Bible Study in INVU.  It has been a wonderful time of growth in the Lord, a deeper understanding of His word--of who He is.  I can't even express in words how blessed I feel to be a part of this circle of sisters in Christ.  We are all growing together and the Lord is really knitting our hearts together in a special way.  Yesterday after our study, we went and joined in with Iglesia Radical and their once a month women's fellowship.  We had a wonderful time in God's Word, eating, fellowshipping, making Christmas ornaments, etc.  God is moving in the hearts of the women here in the church and we are so humbled to be a part of it!!!

My precious group from Tuesday's Bible Study...LOVE these women!!!

Baptisms

Today was a celebration as 3 were baptized as part of the new church plant, Horizon Church.  It was a wonderful time of fellowship and celebration as many came out to support these 3 special people as they step out in obedience expressing outwardly what God has done in each of their hearts!  Praise God for His work in our lives!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us!  We love you and are so thankful for all of you!!!

Hearts for Jaco in Action!

Our very good friends, Scott and Melissa Huey, from our home church were part of the church mission trip that came and served alongside us in June.  To say they left a little piece of their hearts here is an understatement as the Lord has given them such a heart for Jaco and a vision to reach kids/families.  From this vision, "Hearts for Jaco" was born.  The first phase of this program is a school scholarship program for kids who are older and have dropped out of school or have not been attending for various reasons.  There is a new school in town, La Academia, that is tuition-based and is perfect for these students to be able to complete high school in about 3 years.  We have been praying through this with the Hueys and after lots of paperwork and prayer, our first 3 kids started classes yesterday!  Yuliana, Cristian and Dania attended their first class and LOVED it!  They called me last night so excited and really motivated to study and finish high school--something they thought was out of reach for them at this point.  Dania (18 yrs old) and Cristian (almost 16 years old) are in 7th grade and Yuliana (19 years old) is in 8th grade.  We are so excited about this and my heart is so thankful to those who are sponsoring these 3 precious teenagers to attend the school. There are requirements to attend such as attending weekly tutoring sessions, active in youth group/church and getting passing grades.  Please pray for these 3 as they have a huge challenge ahead of them, but as Dania told me on Monday, "Sarah, con Dios todo es possible"  (Sarah, with God all things are possible)!

If you would like to know more about Hearts for Jaco ministry please check out the website at:  www.heartsforjaco.org.  Here you will find profiles and pictures of each young person available for sponsorship.

Here are the three registering for classes:

Dania

Cristian

Yuliana

Halloween Outreach

On Wednesday night, a group of us hit the streets to minister to people who were out and about in central Jaco .  Here in Jaco, there is not much good that happens on Halloween due to the influence of satanic activity, the heightened practice of witchcraft this night, and the prostitutes decked out in full costume roaming the streets and soliciting customers.  We felt this year that the Lord was saying to go out and be "light" in the darkness so that is what we did.  We bought flashlights and printed on them "Jesus is the light" in English and Spanish and then went evangelizing in the streets.  We had some really great conversations with people, one in particular with a "woman of the night" named Maria (not real name).  As I began to speak with her she immediately said to me "Why am I wearing this?  What am I doing?" as if she had been awakened instantly from a bad dream.  She told me that she felt in her heart earlier that day that something was telling her not to dress up and go work but she did anyway.  She then began to ask me if God was mad at her.  I told her over and over how beautiful she was, how much God loved her and has a wonderful plan for her life....how He is not mad at her but His heart really hurts for her.  It was an amazing time with her and I truly feel like the Holy Spirit was speaking to her through me.  I prayed for her and because she lives here in town we agreed to meet up again.  I know that God's Word penetrated her heart this night and if she was the only reason I was out that night, it was all worth it.  Please pray for her and all of the others we were able to minister to that night!  Jesus truly is the light of the world and we are called to be that as well!