Dios es Todopoderoso (God is All-Powerful)

As you all know, we have been so blessed already to be able to jump right into ministry here in Jacó. Alot of this ministry has been meeting and helping people one on one. Daniel has been leading worship at the church and just last week had Patrick, a guy from Italy who has lived here in Jacó for many years, lead with him on Sunday morning. It was truly a joyful noise and such a blessing that Patrick was able to serve in our church by helping to lead worship. In addition, 2 days ago we met Miguel who is from Nicaragua and who has been in Jacó for the past few days looking for our church, Calvary Chapel. He was told by another pastor that we would help him if he found us. (He primarily came here looking for work.) In the meantime, he needed food, clothing, shelter, etc. It has been such a blessing to join with our teammates Mike and Revae to be able to provide for this guy's needs. He is a great guy with a truly humble heart! Last night, God blessed him with a job at a local hotel and he wore Daniel's clothes to training day today--it was great! He has also been Daniel's personal tutor for the past 2 days as he has spent his days here with us. Anyway, tonight Patrick came over to practice worship for Sunday and Miguel had been at our house all afternoon and evening. The three guys were in the kitchen after dinner playing and singing to the Lord at the top of their lungs "Eres Todopoderoso, eres grande y majestoso. Eres fuerte, invencible, y no hay nadie como tu" (You are All-Powerful, you are great and majestic. You are strong and invincible. There is no one like You.) I was in the den just worshiping myself and thanking God for His power and might and strength in my life. Then I began thinking about the three guys all worshiping together in my kitchen--3 different countries represented--all loving the Lord--all singing in the local language--and what a joyful noise it was! We are all the body of Christ and the way that God unites us in His love no matter where we are in the world is so beautiful! I am so thankful that the Lord has chosen us lowly creatures to love on the people here in Jacó. We are so humbled to be a part of what God is doing here. "Not our will, but thine be done, O Lord."

Patrick (left), Daniel and Miguel (Right)

Finally getting settled!

Sorry we haven't blogged all week but to say we have been busy is an understatement !  We moved last Saturday and were back and forth between here and San Jose in order to get our cedulas (Costa Rica id cards) made at immigration since we are now residents.  We have jumped right in to ministry here as well.  Our church, Capilla Calvario Jacó, is moving out of the store front building because the rent is outrageously high so we are helping organize and clean in order to be out of the building by the end of the month.  We are now meeting in an open air (but covered) soccer field.  It is a great facility and definitely a lot cheaper.  The Lord has really been leading us to free up this money that has been used to pay the rent and use it to invest in ministry in the community. We are all praying about where the Lord would have us focus more of our time and resources and even this week He has already begun bringing people into our lives to love on.  

Daniel and I decided to make banana bread for all of our neighbors as a way to "break the ice" and introduce ourselves.  As a family, we went around yesterday and today to eight different houses and talked with each person/persons and it was such a blessing for us!  Every person was so receptive and Thomas and Jacob even met some new friends as well.  We know that the Lord is going to use us to minister to our neighbors as well so we are really excited about the opportunity we had today to chat with all of them!   

Yesterday, we helped with kid's club.  Every Saturday morning we do "Club de Niños" in a local park in one of the poorer neighborhoods in town.  It was such a blessing to be a part of ministering to these sweet children.  Revae (Mike's wife) does a Bible story with them and a craft.  We also have snacks and play time.  At the end, each kid gets a bag of beans and rice to take home with them.  It was a lot of fun and I definitely look forward to getting more involved with this each week.  The following are a few pictures from Club de Niños. 

Thanks to all of you for praying for us as we have been getting settled.  We have a little ways to go but we really feel at home here and at peace knowing this is where the Lord has our family for now.  

  

Off to Jacó we go!

As a lot of you know, we are moving to Jacó on Saturday.  Tomorrow is our graduation from language school and then we are packing up and moving on Saturday.  It is so hard to believe that 8 months has already gone by since we have been in country yet it seems as if we have been here forever as well.  Please pray for us as we adjust, yet again, to another city, house, ministry, etc.  Please pray for the kids as they adjust to new surroundings and a new routine which will probably be far from any organized routine for a long while.  We are sad to leave wonderful friends here, but we are so burdened for the people in Jacó that God has called us to reach with His message of hope and love---we know for certain it is our time to go.  Thanks in advance for all of your prayers---we love you and will update you on everything soon!  (We go to the doctor tomorrow about Jacob's ear so please pray for healing there as well!)

Just tell 'em Jesus loves 'em

When were leaving Jacó last week to return to San Jose we decided to take some food we had left over to a few of the people who live on the street in town.  We pulled over and there were the same few people in the same spot as they always are.  One man in particular that we have had a chance to talk to before was there and he was the only one awake at the moment so we decided to give him the food.  In addition to the food, we have Bible tracts (comic book stories that tell the Gospel) in Spanish that we hand out to people on a weekly basis so we decided to give him one of the books as well.  As we approached him he greeted us and we began to tell him how much Jesus loves him and wants to know him, etc.  It was as if we could see straight into his soul as we looked past the dirt and filth that covered his body and clothing.  He lit up as we shared with him what the Bible tract was.  We also told him that we brought him some food.  To our utter amazement, as we handed him the tract and the food together he put the food aside and opened the Bible tract...it was such a moment for us.  The Lord spoke to us so clearly through this reminding us that, yes, these people are physically hungry but they have a much, much greater need to be filled.  They are so spiritually hungry and the Lord has called us to feed them with His love and the hope of a life with Him.  Our Lord is so amazing and is daily teaching us something new/growing us in ways that we can't even imagine or predict!  We are all called to "feed" those around us spiritually and to share our faith on a consistent basis--even if it is just giving someone hope by telling them that Jesus loves them.   Philemon v6-7 say "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.  Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the saints."  May we all be an encouragement and a refreshment of God's love to those around us!

Here is a picture of our friend 

A prayer request and a HUGE praise!

Thanks to all of you for your constant prayers and support--we definitely feel it and are so blessed by you!  We have a prayer request for Jacob and a huge praise for our family.  First the prayer request.  This past weekend we began moving our things to Jacó.  It was great to begin getting settled in our new home.  We are looking forward to being there permanently in the next 3 weeks.  Well, yesterday morning we were at the house and Jacob was playing with a Q-tip.  He ended up putting it in his ear, fell on it somehow and began screaming.  After crying for quite a while, we thought he was ok because it was not bleeding or anything.  Well, as we were leaving in the car his ear began to bleed so we went straight to the hospital in San Jose.  To make a long story short, he has a hole in his eardrum and is on antibiotics for the next week.  The doctor told us that the good news is 90% of the holes will close on their own.  The bad news is if it doesn't, he has to have surgery.  We have to go back in a few weeks to get it checked and at some point they will do a hearing test on him.  Anyway, please pray with us that everything will be ok and it will close on it's own.  We know that whatever happens, the Lord already knew that this was going to happen so we take comfort that He is faithful!!  

On the other hand, we received news today that we are officially RESIDENTS of Costa Rica!!!  We feel like this is more than an answer to prayer because to obtain residency this quickly is almost unheard of.  We have a friend who is still in process and has been for 6 years.  We have other friends that got residency after 4 years.  We feel so humbled that the Lord has chosen to give us this gift this quickly and we truly give Him all the praise for this.  This continues to confirm to us that we are exactly where He wants us to be at this point in our lives.  The last step we have is a meeting with Immigration on August 18th to get our IDs made and more paperwork completed.  Many of you have been praying specifically for this and we thank you so much!    

We love you and will continue to pray for you!!!!  Thanks for praying!!

Home again, home again in San Jose

Well, we got back to San Jose on Sunday afternoon and we have been trying to adjust to being back.  We were so tired because of the jam-packed week we had in The States but it was more than a blessing to be with family and friends for a short time.  We truly feel like last week was a gift from the Lord and we are so grateful for it!  While we were home, Thomas had an appointment with his eye surgeon as he does regularly and he was prescribed glasses.  He looks adorable in them and is doing really well adjusting to wearing them daily.  Here is a picture of Thomas sporting his new glasses!

Upon returning we were informed that the kid's spanish school (and every other school in Costa Rica) was closed by the government due to the swine flu.  Our school is still open so the kids are staying with Concepcion some days and other days we are taking turns keeping them.  

We can't believe how fast time has flown by!  In less than 4 weeks we will be moving to Jacó permanently!  We are finishing up our last few weeks of school and will be moving our first load of stuff this weekend.  We are so excited about what the Lord has for us there and the ways we will begin to serve.  Please pray for us as we adjust to a new place and to everything the Lord has for us there.  Please pray also that the kids will adjust to life in Jacó quickly.  

A few months ago Daniel had the privilege of helping to tear down/rebuild a home in "Los Guidos"--a slum neighborhood about 15 minutes from where we live.  Anyway, we posted pictures of the house and the horrible living conditions for this family.  Well, the house was completed 2 weeks ago and the new one is amazing!  God has done an amazing work here!  The entire house, including running water and electricity, only cost $7,000.  The family is so excited and amazed knowing that this has been a gift from the Lord.  Also, a few months ago the children were covered in sores and bites due to extremely unclean living conditions and no running water.  When we visited them 2 weeks ago, the kids were so clean and appeared so healthy--a true testament to the benefit of running water and better living conditions!  We are so blessed to have been a small part of sharing Christ's love with this family in need!  Below are before and after pictures of the house and kitchen!!!  

           

House before                                                              

House after

 

 Kitchen before                                                      

 

Kitchen after

Please pray for the following as we finish up our time here in San Jose:

**Our move to Jacó

**Adjustment for us and the boys to life in Jacó

**Our health (especially against swine flu)

**Our safety

**Our church in Jacó--Capilla Calvario Jacó

**That we would be sensitive and obedient to the Lord's leading in all situations

We love you and thank you all!!!

    

Home for a short visit

As many of you know, we will be heading home to the States for a week beginning this Friday, July 10th.  Daniel is officiating the wedding of 2 dear friends and we are more than excited to be a part of the amazing work the Lord is doing in the lives of our friends, Mary and Tony.  While in town, we will be sharing at Calvary Chapel Lexington on July 12 and all are invited---we would love to see everyone!!!  PLEASE pray for us as we travel in and out of the country.  We are "in process" of getting residency and have the "official" papers that state this, but there is still a chance that we will face resistance as we try and depart from or return to the country.  It all depends on who we get at the desk in the airport that day and what they decide to approve or deny.  It seems as if that is the way most government offices, banks, etc. work here.  So, PLEASE PRAY!  We know the Lord has His hands upon us and we are trusting Him in all of these sticky legal matters.  Thanks so much for praying and we can't wait to see everyone--even if it is for a very short time!!!!