2025: November

Greetings and we hope you're having a wonderful Thanksgiving! It was three years ago today that we sat down on our newly purchased land with our engineer and a friend, Julian, who had just recently built a home with the same builders we were planning to use. We did not know then that Dany would be a Godsend to us, serving as our engineer, project manager, and volunteer coordinator for mission teams doing odd projects. He has a servant’s heart, a delightful family and has attended church with us at Horizon Church during those three years.  What a blessing it is when the Lord provides just the right people at just the right time for His work, but then I remember, He’s mighty and sovereign so of course He does just that as He goes before all things.

Our Mulituso has been full of students every weekend.  We average on Saturdays over 40 girls and Sundays a few dozen boys with their moms.  The moms are now taking English classes.  The boys have been studying the book of James and learning English.  The girls are studying various heroes of the faith. It’s been exciting to see them happily enjoying the space that so many worked hard to provide.  They now wear their NOW CR Shirts for class and feel very much part of an academy. We will launch a new program called The Pillars Program in March which will lay the foundation for Christian living.  

Our curriculums are written by a delightful team of supporters and advocates who serve as part of our NOW Costa Rica Board or Council.  The team gathered last summer in July to write The Pillars Program and this past week gathered again to write Mission Team Training Material that we will use with mission teams when before, during and after their mission with us.  What a delight it is to have such wisdom and dedication among this team.

Beth and Andrew Sloane at Sonshine Farms Retreat in King and Queen, Virginia have so kindly donated their retreat space for both of our NOW CR Retreats.  Beth is a marvelous cook and has catered so well to the needs of our team.  Andrew spends time with the team in the evenings drawing parallels to his work with at-risk, rural teens on his farm to the mission we are working towards for our students in Costa Rica.  We are praying fervently for this generation and expectant of a mighty revolution and change.  God is on the move and that has been evident at Sonshine Farms and in our Multiuso in Herradura.  It’s a blessing to be a part of the change we hope to see in the world.  The Lord is good.  If you are interested in knowing more about Sonshine Farm visit https://www.sonshinefolkschoolfarm.org/

We are launching a December End-of-Year Giving campaign in hopes of raising the $15,000 we need to start a project in January adding on a stage, large storage closet and large classroom.  We already have girls on a waiting list as we are at capacity, especially on Saturdays.  A team from Cedar Street Baptist Church in Metter, GA is coming Jan 28th and have contributed greatly to the funds we need for this project.  That combined with the leftover funds from the Multiuso put us in a great position to launch mid January, however we could use another $15,000 to ensure we can equip the classroom with technology, furniture and proper lighting and air conditioning.  Would you consider giving this season to help us launch this project in the New Year?  It will also double as a sleeping space for teens and young adults who come on missions and need an overflow sleeping space with air mattresses on the floor.  The stage will allow for us to open our sessions with worship and create a space to hear lectures and testimonies in a more formal setting.

Prayers & Praises: River and Jordanna had a delightful and healthy visit to Virginia working to switch over banking systems and protocol for the new year as we launch into our own 501c3.  

Prayer: Pray for the Ailor family as they enter their busiest season yet from January to June.  Pepper has taken on a lot of additional work, River will go back to the Christian School and there is a mission team per month coming, sometimes two teams in a month.  Praise God for work, but please pray for our stamina and continued good health!!!

Praise: Windsor is thriving in second grade, piano and Awana Bible Memory.  River is a basketball fanatic, translates for teams and helps assist in the boys class.  We are seeing amazing growth in them both.

Prayer: Pray that we easily reach our goal in December for the $15,000 End-of-Year Giving Campaign.  Pray for generous hearts willing to help us reach this goal, even bit by bit this Christmas Season.

“May the Lord bless you and keep you; may His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; May the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26