Well on our way!

Sooooooo, it's been a while, a long while since I've written and for that I apologize. Things have gotten a little crazy, mostly the good kind of crazy, though. We've had two teams so far this summer that have spent one week in the jungle and one week in the city. I was able to help lead both groups to the jungle, which I loved! We were able to work on various work projects, such as: burying a water pipe, working on a drainage ditch, various painting projects and a few other little things here and there. We also held a VBS for the kids there, which reached over 130 kids! Crazy! With the second group we were able to travel with several members of the church to a farther community (it took a truck, some dug-out canoes and a bus to get us there) of the Bahai faith. The people from the church lead a service for the adults, while we had a program for the children. It went really well! Although, I had begun to get sick during this time and while I was speaking to the kids, I had a little bit of a fever and was feeling pretty weak, so I felt bad because I wasn't really able to play with the kids afterwards, but the team did an excellent job!

It's also been exciting having these first two teams in the city. Wow- I don't even know where to begin. Wellllll, Krysta and I have been blessed in being able to purchase a car! A HUGE blessing indeed! (The one time my group did take a bus from my work site back to where they were staying, it took a good hour and a half!). However, this car has also brought a few challenges with it- well, mainly one. It is a stick shift and previously I did not know how to drive a stick shift, but I am happy to say that now I am an official Costa Rican stick shift driver! Now I just need to figure out directions..... =)

Okay, besides the driving factor, there have also been a number of other new factors with my work site and all. Things have been progressing, but not without some setbacks, but overall its been pretty good. I've been setting up some new things at my work site in the church in Las Fuentes and when we have teams, they come alongside to help and support these projects. The projects I'm currently working on are: home visits- I walk around the community of Las Fuentes with the pastor of the church, Pastor Gilberth and visit elderly folks and others who are handicapped or can't really leave their homes or get out much. When teams are here, we take the morning to bake some sweet treats to give to the people when we go to visit them. I have also begun a one day a week tutoring/ homework help center, consisting of two different sessions. The kids are pretty rambunctious, so finding ways to keep them focused or applied in constructive ways is quite the challenge. But I think that they even just appreciate the time and space to have outside of the home. I just pray for the wisdom in knowing how to go about running such a center in a loving way that also contributes to their learning----as well as how to control them ; ) Another project I'm working on is starting English classes, of which I will be providing and teaching. Another point for prayer- this whole English teaching thing to me is a little nerve-wracking. However, Krysta, who is a teacher of English as a second language, herself, has been working with me and this has been helping big time. I know what you may be thinking, as I have thought it a lot myself- if Krysta is an actual ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher, why is she not teaching these classes? Well, God has placed her in another community and is keeping her plenty busy working there and He has placed me in this community of Las Fuentes and given me a wide range of ministries to be a part of.

Needless to say, I've been challenged a lot in my ministry site and, well, just in life lately, but God is proving faithful! Which I knew that He would, yet somehow I continue to find myself surprised in how He does so. And then I feel surprised by my surprise, because He's always been faithful and will continue to be. Oh man, sometimes my skull is just so thick! Anyways, it has definitely been a time of learning and leaning. Learning to be confident in Christ working through me and leaning on Him. It's a journey, for sure! Please continue to keep me in your prayers as I seek God in all this and learn to discern His way.

Currently, we have had a little two week break from teams, which has given us a good time to rest and regroup. We have a team coming in on Monday and they will stay in the city for two whole weeks, so this will be exciting! We also have Krysta's brother, Blake, coming in on Sunday to be an intern for us for about two months. So, things are well on their way! It's crazy seeing it all kind of take form put into practice. We're still trying to work out some kinks and figure out specifics, but its exciting to see where God has brought us in just these last months that we've begun working in these new sites. He is faithful!


Below are some pictures from these first two summer outreaches:




Working on a drainage ditch in the jungle.



Leading worship at the VBS in the jungle with Curtis (the missionary there) and the cutest little Costa Rican boy that did a little solo for us.



At the SI office in the city. We sorted a few books.....just a few.



Teaching kids some English in Las Fuentes.



Pastor Gilberth and some of the ladies we visit in Las Fuentes



We planted flowers for one of the elderly ladies that we visit.