Special Trip to Coronado

Gabe, David (friend from SC), Bruce (member of our church) and I (Daniel) had the privilege of going to Coronado this week to work with a rehab ministry there in the mountains. Coronado is located in the mountains at 7,000 feet above San Jose. There our missionary friend, Keith Britton, runs a rehab facility for drug addicts and also works with a feeding ministry for needy children. Our church partnered with them about a year ago and we are really excited to see all that they have going on there. There are currently 12 men in the program there and each of us had a chance to teach during the Bible Study times. We had some great conversations with some of the men and really got to pour God's love into them while we were there. Our church collected many items that the center needed such as clothing, blankets and toiletry items and were able to take them and bless the ministry. We were really excited to hear that the night after we left Javier, one of the guys in the program, prayed and received Christ as his Lord and Savior. Please keep Javier and all of the guys in your prayers. The Lord is doing a great work there. We look forward to visiting with them again soon.House where the guys live.

Us with the guys at the facility

David and Gabe leading Bible Study

Our New Pet and other things...

Well, we now are the official owners of a pet turtle. The boys are very excited! Daniel found the turtle crossing the road and decided to bring it home for the boys. They have had so much fun "playing" with it and to be honest, it is extremely low maintenance. (This is the only reason I let them keep it.) Our backyard is cemented in and he cannot escape so we let him play outside during the day and at night we bring him in to an atrium area that we have. The boys have named him "Max" and are very proud to introduce everyone to him.

This is a picture of our friend, Jose. He and his wife Rosa are caring for their 2 grandchildren and they attend our church. He sells sunglasses and flowers on the streets to make money and she cleans houses at times and cares for the children. They have become great friends of ours and stop by regularly to visit. Yesterday he came by with his new bike that the church bought him. (Rosa needed a bike she could ride as well in order to transport the children.) It is a 3 wheeled bike with a basket on the back. He asked Daniel to help him build a bench to go on the back for the kids to sit in. The finished product is here in this picture and it turned out great!!! We are so excited for them and their new "ride."

Please pray for us as we begin a new Bible Study in the neighborhood, INVU, where we do weekly Kid's Club. For some time the Lord has been stirring my heart about reaching not only the kids in this area but also the families. Many of the moms have begun coming to Kid's Club so I feel like the Lord has given me the idea to do a "Moms of Kids Clubbers" meeting once a month. Our first one is Monday, March 14th and I will lead a devotion, we will do a craft, and have snacks. PLEASE be praying that the ladies come and that the Lord touches hearts. We are really excited about this and what the Lord might do with it. Thanks for your prayers!!

School Supply Distribution

We had a great time giving all of the school supplies out to the kids in INVU. They were excited to say the least and we had enough for every child to get a bag of supplies! Many times we have NO IDEA how many extra kids will show up because they have heard that something is going on in the park. Anyway, we shared with them why we were there and why we continue to reach out to them every Saturday. We also shared with them that these supplies were gifts from God that he supplies through people in the church. We continue to pray that the love ofChrist will continue to go forth and we will continue to be used to live out the Gospel to theentireneighborhood. Thanks to all who donated towards the school supplies---the kids and we were more than blessed!!

Happenings

Thomas on his first day of school

SO SO sorry we have not blogged in a few weeks. I have been super sick with "all day" pregnancy sickness since we returned home and it is all I can do just to get through each day being a wife and mom to my family. Praise the Lord I am beginning to feel better little by little as I am almost 3 months along so I am welcoming some relief!!

A few days after we arrived home, a friend, Todd Honour, from CC Lexington came to work alongside us for a week and just get a firsthand view of what we are doing here. He and Daniel did a few little construction projects and he just did life with us for the week. It was a blessing to have him here with us!

Thomas returned to school today! He was super excited and we are excited for him as he begins a new year with all of his friends. The public school in the area starts on Thursday so we are busy this week preparing all of the backpacks with school supplies to provide for each of the children in INVU, the neighborhood where we minister weekly. We will be handing out all of the backpacks on Wednesday and will be sure to post pictures of the event.

Kid's Club is back in full swing. What an awesome ministry! We are LOVING being a part of blessing these kids each week and many of the moms are starting to come as well. Daniel and I are really praying about a way to reach these moms on a deeper level such as a weekly Bible Study or something. Please be praying for this as this has been on our hearts since we returned.

Thanks for all of your continued support and prayers--we love you and are so thankful for you!!!

Doing Fine

Sorry we have not blogged in so long---this trip to The States has truly been a whirlwind of doctor's appointments and family visits (with a bit of sickness along the way:)). We return to Costa Rica tomorrow and we are looking forward to getting back home and getting settled. Thanks to all of you who have emailed to check on Thomas and his surgery. It was a great success--even better than the first one and we know it is due to all of your prayers! THANKS SO MUCH!!! We also realized while being here that Thomas's glasses prescription has been wrong for the past 5 months (we had to get him glasses in Costa Rica in August and he was "misdiagnosed") so we were able to get an appointment, have him fitted for glasses and will pick the new glasses up today---all in a matter of days. We feel so blessed that the Lord has shown us favor in this area as it was a little scare for us. We keep praying and the Lord keeps guiding us.

We also found out some exciting news while being here. I am pregnant! We are thrilled to be expecting #3 and look forward to finding out the due date when we return to CR. Please pray for me as I am extremely nauseous 24/7--not fun but totally worth it!

Again, thanks for all of your prayers and words of encouragement during these crazy 3 weeks. God is so faithful and we have felt His presence in a sweet way as He has taken such good care of our little Thomas! Below are a few pictures of Thomas's "new eyes".

The boys with their cousin, Anna

Please Pray for Us!

We are leaving today for The States for 3 weeks because Thomas, our oldest son, is having surgery. Please pray for peace for him and us and that the Lord would work through the doctors to care for our little one. Thanks so much for praying and we will post updates as we have them.

Merry Christmas to all!

We pray that your Christmas is truly blessed! Isaiah 9:6 "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given..."