2023: February
What a full month we have had this season with lots of fellowship, transition and outreach. Thank you once again for your commitment to this work, ministry and people group. We know we are moving mountains and seeds are being planted and watered in the hearts of many.
We have been continuing our Saturday outreach events on the land, helping students become familiar with the fact that NOW Costa Rica actually has a permanent home. While we are yet to pay off all the debt (but oh so very close!) and have no building yet, we are gathering under tents and in the shade to open God’s word and hear testimonies of God’s amazing grace and provision.
The first Saturday in February we gathered to play capture the flag, practice English numbers and objects with flash cards and to hear Cristian’s testimony. Cristian came from Nicaragua as a child and many of our students can relate to his story of struggle. He encouraged the students to cling to their faith community and belief in Christ as they persevere living in a new country despite their family’s struggles to find work in a new land. It was powerful.
Our Horizon Church Home School Co-Op has continued to pour into the local day care also teaching English and bible lessons to the students there. Pequenos Angelitos is known for being the day care in town to provide subsidies for low income families. These children often spend countless hours and feel as though these loving day care teachers are second mothers to them. Each Monday the children welcome us with smiles. The relationships are becoming stronger and stronger. We are thankful for Brooke’s commitment to the younger children’s education and we are finding newer and exciting ways to serve as a community.
For ten days in the middle of February we welcome a team from Manassas Baptist Church to serve alongside us. Brooke’s parents and our dear friends, Greta & John Dunn brought with them the Administrative Director of MBC Mindy Johnson and her husband Ben. The also invited Brooke’s future mother/father in law to join the team making this six person team super dynamic. Ken and Amy Fisher equipped us to come up with the idea of building a home for a family in need.
Our pastor here, Daniel Barrett has been praying for a team to come prepared to help a specific family who are clients of the church’s prenatal center. There are two small babies, two children, parents, grandparents and sometimes extended family all living in one tin shanti. We build another hope of local materials to provide extended shelter and sleeping space for this family. During the four day build, we were able to build relationships and minister to so many people as well as glean a lot of local knowledge and love ourselves. You always get more than you give in these settings and we all walked away truly blessed for having met this family, living on the river bank with life’s basic necessities and still smiling.
The team also put together a slumber party for NOW Costa Rica girls and a Man Up Camp out for the boys. It was a time of great joy and discipleship. We are thankful for their tremendous generosity in sharing their resources, time and love to support us here. We know more teams will come and we enjoyed our time with this group of prayer warriors.
We are welcoming several more visitors this upcoming month. Please be in prayer for travel mercies for these folks on these dates:
Mikayla Fisher (Brooke’s future sister-in-law): March 10 - 16
Nancy (NOW CR Council Member) and Doug Dillingham: March 16 - 21
Jeremy & Dara (Pepper’s sister) Parker and their three boys: Stage, Jackson & Liam
In just a week, we will break ground on the building of the Ailor family home. Please continue to pray for this process to go smoothly. We seek God’s guidance in this process so we can be better equipped in the fall to begin plans for the rancho, educational center & outdoor reflection spaces to be built.
Of course we cannot begin process for any construction for these ministry related building spaces until we pay off the land. We still have another $10,000 debt remaining on the purchase of the land. We are seeking one time gifts in the following areas if you or your church family would be in a position to meet this need:
$10,000 - remaining debt on the land purchase
$7,000 - needed irrigation work for the land
$10,000 - retaining wall work needing to be done to prevent erosion and landslides
$10,000 - security equipment, hired staff to help oversea safety during construction
Thank you for helping us. Your commitment to the mission will be tremendous at this time. Please consider sending a team to help provide funding and labor for a portion or all of a specific building project. Together we an achieve much!
Sincerely,
Jordanna, fam & team