First i want to apologize for not updating the blog everyday that i have been gone to Costa Rica. This trip was full of excitement, laughs, prayers, smiles, love, and human interaction. I could not have asked God for a better group of people to go with. Everyone served so diligently. Just like the parable of the lost coin in the bible, we need to search high and low for the souls of men. I wish i could stay here forever and ever because i just love it so much. God has taught me how to be not only content with my life but to put others first more and show them love while i am being bold with my words.
June 11, 2015
We were able to go to Boqueron, the village where Pastor Oscar lives, and share that we would be there Saturday for a community activity along with just seeing what people needed there. There in Boqueron I met one of the sweetest girls, which i was able to share my testimony with. The girls name was Leonela. She had been going through many things with her family, friends and her boyfriend. She noticed something was wrong told her mom and they went to the doctor. She later got news of what was wrong, which i will not share. However this girl touched my heart even though i was the one sharing with her about Christ’s love and that he can take someone as horrible and dirty as me and use them for his kingdom. After sharing for a little over an hour she said she wanted to be saved so we prayed asking God to forgive her sins and to help her do better in her life. Please be in prayer for her!!! Our next stop for the day was Tierra Blanca which is a beautiful village; despite them not being very wealthy they were so happy. The bus we were in broke down and we had to walk 3km to the church where we were holding the kids club. We don’t know why the bus broke down still, but we believe God did it for a reason to either protect us or draw us closer to him. We had 35+ kids though when we arrived to do the kids club. what a huge blessing that was! Mrs. Monica, my college leaders wife and good friends mother, was able to minister and share her testimony and lead a woman to Christ who was in desperate need of Jesus. After this woman was saved she asked for prayers for her daughter Carmen as well as the rest of her family. She is also opening up her home to have a bible study. We serve such an awesome God because he did even more than what im sharing! ***Jesus changes everything***
June 12 of 2015
We as a group prayed for salvation, kids to learn, good weather, boldness, and for God to grow us as we ministered to many people from different backgrounds. This day would be the day we would get off a bus walk at least 1.5mi to see Carmen at her home where her mother and family would be. As soon as we got there her and her sister Lucyy ran to their room and locked the door. Carmen yelled at her mother saying she wasn’t going to speak to us or see us. So we began to pray to God asking that he would give us the opportunity to talk to her. God answered our prayer in a small amount of time. We got into Carmen and Lucyy’s room where we just sat down on her bed and began talking to her. We would say anyone who confesses their sin will be saved she would say no i have been to bad. This broke my heart because i used to be her! I began to share after Mrs. Pat did and you could see her breaking down her wall and slowly opening up. At the end she also said she wanted to be saved from the drugs, alcohol, and the streets she had been on. ANswered prayer yet again, God will never cease to amaze you!
June 13, 2015
We split the team into both of the villages we had been working in for this week to have a community outreach event. Many people in the team went to Tierra Blanca, others including myself went to Boqueron. In Boqueron I was able to lead the children in bible study and games. The children were so eager which made me so excited! In Tierra Blanca, a catholic sunday school teacher of 20 years who was extremely devout to her religon was saved by God’s unending grace; so thankful Mrs. Pat and Mrs. Monica were able to share with her because her son then came to christ as well. Both Villages had an awesome response to the event as well as Tierra Blanca. In Boqueron there were 16 salvations; Tierra Blanca had 12 salvations.
June 14 of 2015
Oscar Brenes lead us in worship while Scot preached a message. ALexandria, Kaitlyn, and myself lead the children in bible study and games. Later on that day we were able to go see Melba & Victor at the orphanage. These two people are the definition of love! They will take in numerous children and raise them as their very own. They were given the opportunity to have music lessons taught in their home by a famous orchestra leader. They are in desperate need of instruments though so this will be possible!
****Story of the Waitress****
We went to dinner like any other night. One of the guys came up and said, “hey let us just bless our waitress.” We all agreed to do this. All together we gave her a $200+ tip, which later we would know it blessed her greatly. When we gave her this money she just began to cry and be almost in disbelief. She then told us how she had all her money, new phone, and some other items stolen from her. She wasn’t sure how she would be able to eat, and God provided. By one guy being sensitive to the spirit we were able to bless this woman and it was so good to do this for her because she was so thankful
