Hi all,
We have had another busy week of ministry and building relationships. We have been on the streets of Bahia again delivering bread and Gospels of John and continue to be amazed at how such a simple minstry can have such an impact. We have been warmly welcomed by young and old alike and it seems that a few folks in the church may continue on with this outreach once we leave. Several people have started coming to church and mid-week prayer meetings so it has definitely been worthwhile.
Now that Payton and Julie are back from the US we have been able to go out to Cocori - home to the city trash dump and about 3-4,000 residents. Cocori has a pretty bad reputation that is well deserved. It is a hotbed of drugs and prositution with a well known red-light district that is particularly dangerous.
Today we went out to the trash dump where about 40 men, women and kids were scavanging through the latest dump truck deliveries to find anything that may be of value such as copper wire, tin siding, wood or car parts. Of course most of the trash is typical household garbage so the smells are pretty foul. As in many places outside the US, toilet paper is not flushed but put into the trash, which ends up at the dump too - you get the picture. There is a ministry here that will require a distinct calling from God on someone´s heart. It is tough, dirty, dangerous and desperately needed. Payton has a heart for this area and comes as much as he can but a fulltime presence is needed to have a longterm impact. Please pray that God raises up the right person/people for this task.
We have continued to meet more members of Coastal Cristian Fellowship and I promised an update on Randy and Julie Russell so here it is!Randy and Julie sold their house in North Carolina about four years ago and headed down to CR about the same time Payton and Julie did. They have only been back to the US once and have truly imersed themselves in to the lives and culture of the people in their neighborhood. Randy spends much of his time just coming alongside his neighbors and showing them the love of Christ in practical ways like helping fix their homes or rebuilding the access road to the village, or pasturing a farmers cows on his farm. Julie ministers to local women and teaches English to their kids. They are living out the Gospel by living sacrificially at every turn. Please keep them in prayer as they seek to build a ministry center/Christian retreat on a corner of their farm.
We are feeling increasingly burdened for the children here. The amazing opportunity we mentioned earlier that might allow us to place a Christian worker in many local elementary schools seems too important to ignore. Many people speak about transforming communities but it is an incredibly difficult thing to do unless you target the upcoming generation. I believe that if we can influence children through a Christian values´ education (character curriculum) and give them a positive, trusted role model then, as they grow, lead them into local church based youth programs then there is real hope that they will grow into tomorrow´s Christian leaders, ministers, business people, parents and teachers that will bring eternal change to the lives of the people around them. It´s a big dream for a little person like me but a small thing for our great God. Please keep us in prayer as we think through how best to begin this new ministry.
Our time here is about over and we will be heading back to California this Friday. I hope we get a chance to sit down with each of you and share our photos, videos and experiences from this very special time in Costa Rica. Thank you for making it possible and for your invaluable prayer support. God Bless You.
