Perez Zeledon Orphanage de Niños

 

 

 

 

 

  Last week Gabo and I were able to go down to Dominical and spend a couple days with Pastor Mike. Mike’s the kind of guy that has a real heart of love and is found serving at random places all over. Gabo has been in charge of CCS this semester (the class that assigns the students to places where they can practically serve in community) and has been trying to get the students the opportunity to serve in the orphanages in town. There are two orphanages here, the boys and the girls, and its not very easy to get into either one of them. After much prayer and some elbow grease though, he got the girl students in to serve at the girls orphanage down the street and has been praying for the same opportunity for the boys to do at the boys orphanage as well. It was really cool because while we were down in Dominical, it just happened by God’s plans, that Mike was going to serve at the orphanage alongside a group that goes there about every month or so, and being with Mike we were able to go and tag along too. We had a great time playing games, talking, doing crafts, egg hunts, a bible study, and just eating with the kids. The boys were a great group, really friendly and just silly little guys. We would love to go back and do some more ministry nights with them, maybe play soccer and do things like that, but it would take some prayer. Pray that we get open doors to go back, if not now then possibly next semester. God’s plans are exceedingly above all that we can think or imagine so we know He has something sweet planned but in time He will reveal. As for now we will wait, He is good and worthy of being trusted. He was faithful to just even let us go, both Gabo and I have been wanting to go to the orphanage this whole semester and even though its now towards the end, God remains faithful and no doubt will continue to be.-Amen.

Preach it!

   

Well we are back safe and sound again in Costa Rica, and the Panama trip was a blast. As far as having organized events, we really had none, but it gave us a lot of time to just enjoy being together as a campus group. We had really no stress of long classes (well not stress better yet I should say the blessings of a long class) or any type of weekly commitments. It was seriously a good break, but it did cause our hearts to grow fonder of where God has placed us this semester.  It was interesting to see how much everyone has fallen in love with Costa Rica and how coming back was one of the highlights of our trip…especially for Gerry. It’s a fact; to bloom where you are planted, you must allow yourself to fully be planted there and take root. For those of you who don’t know, the reason for going to Panama was to get a new visa stamp and have an out of country missions trip for the students. The ministry outreach we did was something a little out of the ordinary, but worked really well. We ended up getting about 30 garbage bags and just went around picking up the trash in the surrounding residential areas of the hostel we stayed at. It was something that spoke His love very loudly to those staying at the hostel and the hostel owner herself. It was super cool to see how the Holy Spirit touched and provoked hearts to curiosity in just the act of us taking a couple hours out of our time and picking up the local’s trash. I know the quote has been stated, “Preach the Gospel, and when necessary use words.” Praying about that during the outreach; it hit me, “Preach the gospel, don’t be ashamed of using words and don’t run shy from proclaiming it through your actions.” We are called to be His witnesses and as His servants we have no right to neglect that call.

What's been happening=]

Our ride to Panama

Gerry and I on the bus



Our Panamanian Hostel



        I know there needs to be no announcement, but it has been a long time since the last update. I honestly can't even believe how busy all of us have been out here. Also though, I can't even express how thankful we all are for your prayers. I didn't realize how much work teaching a class would be, let alone teaching two classes. It was definitely a stretch and challenge, but at the same time I don't think I have ever been so blessed. It's crazy to think about the lives God has allowed me to serve through the classes. It's mind blowing to think that these students one day, Lord willing, will be the next leaders in the body of Christ. It has been such a  priviledge to see the different types of minds, mentallities, and personalities God has made each individual person to be. The unity we have in a bride to bride relationship through being the body of Christ is so amazing. The fact that we have been individually made and individually loved by the living God makes you realize how blessed we are in His grace. The weekly classes have pretty much now come to an en. We are now on the last sprint of two block classes left for the rest of the semester. There's really about 4 1/2 weeks left for the semester before it ends. Even though with the little amount of time left, its extremely clear that God still has a lot He wants to do. The church is now running three services a week; Sunday morning, Wendseday night, and Tuesday night prayer. The Lord has been really growing us as a body to support one another in the ministry of prayer, and His answers to those prayers have been beautiful. He has given us so much favor in; relationship building, having an impact on the community, and even with Shirley, the first person we met out here, she came to confess the Lord as her personal Lord and Savior last week. God has been so good showing His faithfulness and touching the lives around us in evident ways. Currently now we are in Panama for our missionary/visa trip. It took about a 6 hour overall bus trip to come down here to the City of David in Panama, but praise the Lord no one got sick. We return back to San Isidro Tuesday the 17th and will have a 5 day break untill school starts again. I'll be in Dominical a couple of the days helping Pastor Mike out with some computer graphic stuff so keep me in prayer:). I really want to also thank you guys for your prayers concerning my last trip to Israel. It was a very unexpexted time of stretchings but the Lord blessed me so MUCH. He really showed a lot of favor on the class He used me to teach and on the leading of the campus as a whole. I couldn't believe how He continued to exceed expextations in every little thing. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and want to thank you again for all your love and support. I know the Lord answered your prayers of protection and blessings. I had grace and favor every where we went and give God all the glory for it. Thank you guys so much, I love you guys and pray that God would continue to bless you in all that He has for you to do:).



Showing my sweet feet at the border

 

Easter '11 in Israel