Greetings to you from Costa Rica,
We are here in the midst of rainy season and our minds have adjusted back quickly but our bodies are another story. Windsor and Jordanna both came down with bad colds that turned to bronchitis within the first few weeks of returning. Our lungs seem to have forgotten the damp, wet climate and we needed an extra boost of antibodies to get through that bout of sickness. A few days later River came down with a pretty bad case of staph infection after a fall, scraping his knee at the beach. Staph was a new concept to us, and we prayed, kept him home a few days and eventually needed antibiotic for him to ward it off. He had over a dozen spots! A few days later, Jordanna came down with a bad bout of parasites. Severe stomach pain and hopes of her own body fighting it off was the mantra for a few days and then she too needed antibiotics. The whole family by this point was funding the local pharmacy quite well. Then just a few days ago, Windsor came down with staph infection and is now on another round of antibiotics herself. Praise God Pepper has been well and has been able to keep this family afloat. We are also thankful for Brooke and several friends who have helped us navigated the woes of various aliments.
Our groups have continued to meet. The boys are in the middle of The Five Love Languages for Teenagers and the younger girls are meeting with Brooke on Saturdays studying various women in the bible. The older girls just finished Every Young Woman’s Battle and five in particular did so well, they earned a slumber party pizza night! Here are a few pictures from this month’s discipleship groups!
Despite the adjustment to the weather, the children are actually doing quite well. They are loving having Brooke in our home and have her as a volunteer at their nursery school once a week. The students had to do a project about a Costa Rican national park so we set off on foot to hike Carara. It was a sweet time. River is enjoying basketball and Windsor has just started ballet.
Jordanna was accepted as a Scholarship Ambassador for a wellness training program called Revelation Wellness. Liz Patton in Warsaw, Virginia first introduced Jordanna to the program that equips folks to be Fitness Teachers/Gospel Preachers. It has been remarkable what the Lord has done to open doors to add this component of NOW Costa Rica to our list of programs. We cannot be happier. So much so that we have made the decision to extend our land purchase pursuits in seeking an additional 75,000 square meters so as to build an outdoor space for fitness classes and recreation. Your blessings have raised 50% of the new goal. Would you help us secure this wellness space? You can sponsor a square meter for $100 or 10 square meters for $1000. We need all the love and hope we can get. We know this will multiple and reach so many women, girls and families. Through you this ground will become sacred. Through your prayers, His holy presence and many more efforts to come! Join us!
We are praying that the land closing goes through in the next few months. It has been a very trying process for us as everything is new and foriegn. Will you pray that God continues to bring the right people in our path to encourage us and provide wisdom. So far we praise Him for brining us qualified flood analysts, lawyers & lenders. Now we need engineers, builders and more raised funds. Please pray for these three things alongside us.
We are gearing up for several mission teams in the fall. Please be in prayer specifically for the 5 person Howerton’s Baptist Church Team.
Mike Walter
Randy Cooksey
Christy Cooksey
Dawn Douglas
Debbie Jenkins
God has already done great things through this partnership and team. So many resources, support and prayers have come our way because of the willingness of these 5 people to say yes to this mission trip! Please continue to pray travel mercies over this team, health, and for divine appointments to spread the gospel on their journey and here in Herradura.
We love you all and could not do this work without you. Please continue to pray for our land campaign. We know that “He is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” Eph. 3:20. May you to rest in that as you live life on mission in your communities each day.
Thank you for loving us.
Jordanna, fam & team