2025: July

Greetings from Tappahannock, Virginia!  While the Ailors have been visiting family and raising funds for ministry, NOW Costa Rica groups have continued to meet thanks to a lovely missionary couple named Ian and Kara!  The girls earned a Pool Day Rewards Saturday after a season of discipleship and English classes.  We’re thankful for the moms and translators who show up diligently to ensure our girls have routine and consistency.

The boys have continued to work hard under Dany’s leadership and Ian’s support.  We are forever thankful for all our team of volunteers, teachers, families and students!

Jordanna and family have had the joy of visiting many churches, family members and old friends.  It has been a delight to get to celebrate friendships, partnerships in ministry and the love it all brings.  Highlights of the summer thus far have been a trip to the zoo and skyzone for the kids, enjoying the local library reading programs, tutoring & piano with the lovely Mrs. Jami and reconnecting with church partners, both new and old!

We also went to Jamestown, Yorktown and both kids attended camps!  It was a delight.  River got to go with The Porch Church’s mission team and dozens of other kids to Camp Crossroads.  We are thankful for the love this church has shown our family and ministry this season.

We concluded the month with a wonderful writing retreat at the lovely Sonshine Farms near Tappahannock, Virginia (https://www.sonshinefolkschoolfarm.org/) where our council and advocates gathered to work on our 12 Pillars Program, a program that will lay the foundation for the teachings needed for our students.  We’re so thankful to Nancy Dillingham who led the charge and many others who attended, supported, visited and prayed.  We are especially thankful to our hosts Andrew and Beth Sloane of Sonshine Farms, who whilst running their own ministry endeavors, took time to provide housing and meals for our week long stay.  Please pray as we finalize the last edits of this curriculum and make plans to launch it soon.

We are happy to report that in our summer fundraising season we have been able to raise, or have pledges for, $47,000 bringing us THAT much closer to our goal for the pavilion adjacent to the Casita in the Multiuso area.  This space will provide our students with the much needed shade and rain protection to make the most of our time together in classes on the property.  We need just $14,000 to meet our goal.  Please pray we meet our goal before returning to Costa Rica, Lord willing. 

We will be speaking at Howerton’s Baptist Church (Aug 3), Beale Memorial Baptist Church (Aug 10) and Goochland Baptist and The Porch Church (Aug 17) before flying back to Costa Rica Aug 18th.  Please keep us in your prayers as we adjust back to life on mission in Costa Rica.  Windsor will start 2nd grade at the church school in Jaco while River will start 5th grade homeschool.  We have a new homeschool co-op of a dozen kids starting to meet as well, and for that we are thankful.

If you or anyone you know is in the Tappahannock area Saturday, August 9th, please join us at our annual Spaghetti dinner fundraiser.