Women's Bible Study Celebration

The Women's Bible Study finished their first Bible Study Book, "Nueva Vida En Cristo" (New Life in Christ) just as the youth did.  This has been such a wonderful few months of studying this book as a group.  This group of ladies has grown in such an intimate way and I have been so blessed to be a part of it!  To celebrate, we put on our "ropa elegante"  ("elegant clothes", said the women) and we went out to a local restaurant to celebrate.  Granted, many of these women would NEVER have the opportunity to eat at a restaurant and so we were more than blessed when someone donated money for a dinner celebration for these women.  This restaurant went over and beyond to accommodate us and they were really excited to be a part of this as well!  They presented me with the most beautiful framed letter from the group including the scripture Matthew 25:33-40.  I was more than touched by their thoughtfulness!  What an accomplishment for these ladies to have completed this study!!

Even more, we did our first service project and the women organized it.  They held a yard/food sale for the community of INVU to bless people with stuff to buy at reduced prices for Christmas.  We received donations from the church and the community donated things as well. Then, I let them run with it.  It was a great success and it blessed me so to see them working together as a team!  God is doing a great work in the lives of these women.  I truly love each of them and their families and feel so humbled to be a part of their lives.  I have had a few new women ask when we are starting the next Bible Study book as they want to be a part of it.  So the new year will bring more women hungry for Jesus and hungry to learn how to fully depend on Him in all things.  To God be the glory!!!

The women showing off their certificates of completion

Here are a few of the ladies organizing the yard sale

Youth Group Celebration

These last 4 months, we have been studying a book with the Youth Group called "Nueva Vida En Cristo" (New Life in Christ).  This is the first Bible/book study that any of them have participated in and it goes through the basics of the Christian faith such as salvation, prayer, devotional life, baptism, etc.  It has been a big commitment for them and we finished the book last Saturday.  It was super exciting as we had a pizza party at Pizza Hut to reward them for their hard work.  They all came dressed in their best and really enjoyed this time together as many never get to go to a restaurant to eat.  Each youth proudly received their certificate of completion as the group clapped and cheered for each name that was called. There were 32 students who actually finished the book and received a certificate.  It was such a blessing to be a part of this big accomplishment with them as this culture is is very noncommittal and finishing a commitment like this is very rare!  Please continue to pray for these precious students as we begin book #2 with them in January!!!

Here are a few of our students with their certificates...so proud of them!!

Miracles are Happening!!

For a while now the Lord has been speaking to us about the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives and how He desires that we depend on Him for all things, greater things---even miracles.  About 2 months ago, I was stopped in the middle of the road in INVU by the mom of a girl in youth group.  She was telling me about how her sister's health had gotten progressively worse over the past few weeks and how she had just received a call that they were to meet with the doctor on Monday to hear a prognosis from exams done.  (A few months before this, Mariela (26 yrs old), this lady's sister, had her appendix removed; developed an infection; was told her body was full of a bacteria that they did not have treatment for in Costa Rica; then told that she needed to be at the doctor Monday morning for the results of his testing.)  Her sister kept telling me that Mariela was in the same condition as her mother was when she died of rectal cancer.  She didn't want to scare her because she was too young to remember but Adriana remembered all too well.  She began crying because she just knew that this is what her sister had.  I stopped her and we began to pray for Mariela and as we were finished Adriana told me she would call me after the doctor's appt on Monday.  Monday and Tuesday came and went and I heard nothing.  I really thought that Mariela was either hospitalized or dead.  I called Adriana on Wednesday morning and she said to me, "You will not believe this but we went to the doctor on Monday (4 days after we prayed) and he did one more test and they did not find one thing.  In fact, Mariela feels great and she is back at work today (she had been out of work for 4 months).  WHAT??? I just about fell on the floor.  I kept saying, "God healed her, this is a miracle!!" to which Adriana said she knew that God healed her through our prayers.  To see Mariela on the couch a few days before and to see her that week was a MIRACLE!  God did it--He healed her!!  John 4:48 "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you will never believe."  Both of these ladies' faith was strengthened and they are coming to a deeper understanding of who Jesus is.  Even more, God really used this to show us on a deeper level what He wants to do here in Jaco to bring glory to Himself.

So, three weeks ago a friend, Johana, came to Daniel and me at Kids Club and asked for prayer.  She has a problem with her right eye and it was at the point where she had gone blind in it and was seeing fuzzy out of the left eye, even with glasses on.  A group of us laid hands on her after Kids Club and she began to cry.  A week or so ago, she approaches me saying, "Guess what?  I can see!  My eye is healed and look (she took off her glasses) I don't even need my glasses anymore for the other eye. My blind eye is healed!!  God healed me through yall's prayers for me!"  This was pretty amazing for all of us as I was in awe of what God had done.  Her faith and all of ours was strengthened so much through this and she told me "Sarah, I need to testify to everyone what the Lord has done for me!"  Praise the Lord!!  

This is Johana, modeling our new bags we made at Bible Study one day.  She is healed!!

God tells us in His word to have faith and believe---that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, we can move mountains--that nothing will be impossible for us as Christians.  This is the power of the Holy Spirit in us and working through us!  May we always be surrendered to His Spirit as He accomplishes the work here in Jaco that He has planned!  Wow--He is amazing!

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!!!