2025: May

Greetings and happy end of the school year!

We have just a few more weeks here until we will be shifting gears into the summer season.  Windsor is wrapping up 1st grade and River 4th grade.  Our minds always make a major transition from living life on mission here in Costa Rica to the ways of the world in the U.S. each summer but we’re delighted to reconnect with friends and family and see our loyal supporters back in Virginia, South Carolina and Georgia this summer!  Windsor’s wish on Mother’s Day was to dress alike and take a picture.  I’ll soak up the mommy/daughter moments while I can and happily attempt to hoist her to my hip a few more times before she grows up before my very eyes.  She will turn 7 in just a few weeks.

One of our programs, called "A Reel Difference", was able to partner with my husband's organization. A Reel Difference is a program started by and directed by local fishermen Justin DeBoom and Brandon Walton to help feed those in need, and has been operating under our banner for five years - quietly feeding the community during times of distress and doing food sustainment projects in underserved areas. Pepper had a group of veterans for a program and they were able to distribute food bags to 37 families and provide a week's worth of groceries to Finca de Esperanza (Farm of Hope), an addiction center founded by our church.

Our boys group has been meeting faithfully with the support of a newly arrived mission-minded family Ian and Kara Conrey.  We’re delighted that they are opening their home to carry on classes while we are gone for our summer stay in the US.  Here is a picture of the boys on our property with Ian and our local pastor’s son, Thomas who has been translating for them.

And here are the boys gathering in Ian’s home around the table to continue the good work of the classes.  They are in their third module of “A New Life in Christ” and carrying on with their English classes.  Ian’s wife Kara will open her home on Saturdays to our devoted girls group to carry on over the summer.  We are counting our blessings for this sweet family who will also be a homeschool family in our town in the fall.  We’re already planning fun service opportunities, beach clean ups and the like for our kiddos who home school.

Our girls group ended their course a few weeks back with a sleep over and are very excited about the events two mission teams are providing.  This picture below is a team from The Porch Church in Goochland, VA who have been supporting our mission faithfully for a few years now.  They are coming for a long weekend to taste and see what missions here is like and have kindly invited River to join them for their summer camp next month at Camp Crossroads.  We’re delighted that two boys on the team are River’s age-mates and pray for a fun filled time of connection for all. 

Be praying for their stay May 31 - June 4th and the activities they will do including VBS for 30+ students, food give-aways, burrito street ministry in Jaco & outreach in the park.  Pray for health for one of the team leaders/drivers who will be helping translate and for Jordanna’s endurance in this season as she awaits healing.

A second mission team will be coming June 7th from Jordanna’s hometown of Tappahannock led by Jamie Gomes and Casey Weymouth.  Jamie runs The Mother’s Heart Prenatal Center and Casey runs The Fix Rehab Ministry there.  We are so delighted that they will be traveling with their children to serve with our girls of NOW Costa Rica but also Beautiful Feet International’s Prenatal Center and Horizon Church’s Finca De Esperanza Rehab Ministry.  Please be in prayer for this team of six as they spend a week with us just before our departure to the U.S. for support raising & rest.

During our States-side stay (June 16 - Aug 18) we will visit family, host a variety of fundraisers, speak at our partner churches and enjoy the American summer amenities.  Our children are most excited for Chic Fil A, Amazon deliveries and time with grandparents.  In the midst of our time, the NOW Costa Rica Advisory Council will be holding a curriculum writing retreat at SonShine Farms near Tappahannock July 20 - 25th.  We are so thankful to Beth and Andrew Sloane for hosting our 6 person council and their spouses for a week long retreat focusing on finalizing the curriculum our students will use in the future.  Please be in prayer for this team and if you would like to sponsor a meal for one day of the retreat, please respond to Jordanna via email or Facebook Messenger.

As always, we couldn’t do this work without the great support of our families and church partners.  We will be speaking at these locations if you are able to join us there:

Sunday June 29: Rose Union Baptist Church, Piney River, VA (Fundraiser the evening prior)

Sunday July 13: Cedar Street Baptist Church, Metter, GA

Sunday July 27: Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Tappahannock, VA

Sunday Aug 3: Howerton’s Baptist Church, Howertons, VA

Sunday Aug 10: Beale Memorial Baptist Church, Tappahannock, VA (Fundraiser Saturday, August 9)

If you can make it to any of these Sunday worship or Saturday fundraisers, please let us know.  We often need support selling jewelry, woodwork or workers for set up/break down for fundraisers.  As always, it takes a village and your impact there makes a large difference in the lives of our girls and families.  May God grant you peace this season, may you be filled with the Holy Spirit in all that you do, May Christ dwell in you in all moments, and especially in moments you need most.  We love you!

Sincerely,

Jordanna, fam & team