A Group of Gringos
When the Pearls first arrived at the airport we weren’t surprised when we heard the phrases we had been growing accustomed to, such as, “Hola”, “Como Estas” and “Adios”. As we stepped out the airport we were unexpectedly greeted by a tall gringo, named Bryan (“dad”). He helped us load our gigantic packs into his truck and we began our 45-minute journey outside of the city to our hosts’ home. There we met Beth, our host “mom”. They were super welcoming and helped us get settled in really quick. It was kinda weird, yet extremely comforting to be living with gringo parents from Alabama. It was such a cool experience to hear their stories and how they got to where they are now. They met Jherson and the Conexion family soon after they moved and have been partnering with them ever since. They have triplets who are freshmen in college in the states and yet they still remain in Costa Rica… far away from their babies. Bryan and Beth have felt called to serve in Costa Rica for many years now and they said until they feel otherwise, they are going to remain there.
<<<BTW “gringo” is totally not offensive in Costa Rica. It’s just another way of saying North American>>>
Serving the Ticos (Costa Ricans)
Conexion ministry is based right outside of San Jose, Costa Rica. Their mission statement can be summed up into “Action speaks louder than words”. This was very to easy to see as we worked day to day doing whatever needed to be done. Whether it was for hundreds of people or just one, Conexion ministry isn’t afraid to put themselves out there to be used by God. They aren’t picky about who they are blessing and just want to serve others the best way they can.
Under the Rein of the Cartel (totally not offensive)
Conexion ministry was established in 2003 by a family of Colombians (Jherson and Jhonny). When Jherson was younger he visited Costa Rica on a mission trip. After returning back to Colombia, he felt a calling to return and plant roots in Costa Rica. Being the faithful man that he is, he packed up all his bags and dove right in. Luckily, his family was super supportive and made the move with him. Since being in Costa Rica, Jherson and his family have made huge impacts and connections within the community. It seemed like everywhere we traveled with him, he knew people and was willing to help them with anything. But seriously this is probably the coolest family I’ve ever met. They all live next door to each other, eat together, hangout with each other, and do ministry together. It was awesome to just get to be a part of their family for the month and do life with them (the good and the bad). We totally fell in love with them.
THE FAMILY….
Jherson and his wife Amanda
Jhonny, his wife Amanda, and their child Mateo
Jhersons parents’, Noemi and Conrado
Jhossell and his son Javeydy
And many more!
Looking back on this month, all I can say to sum up everything we did was RANDOM! We helped with children’s ministry, worship sessions, construction, medical clinic setup, dental assisting, event advertising, and much more… that I will probably remember later. So after all of the events that happened this month and how random it felt in the moment, it just worked. It felt right. Everything we did had the purpose behind it to further the kingdom. All of the people we met and created relationships with will forever be remembered and hopefully we will meet again some day.
Conexion’s Verse:
“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” Matthew 5:16 NIV
CHECK OUT OUR WORTHY PEARL YOUTUBE PAGE!!!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJWCbSArp3zAWOEjq5kQwKA
