“it looks like you’re on vacation” . . . you know, you’re not wrong. I’m actually sitting in an air-conditioned coffee shop, sipping a mocha frappe (who knew I liked coffee?) as I write this.
both our ministry & our living situation look a little different this month, but please don’t doubt for a second that God is moving in BIG ways here in Jaco, Costa Rica (:
living
this month is all squad month, so THIRTY-FIVE of us are living in this crazy cool house at a missions base here. They recently finished building it for missionary groups like us {we have been so incredibly blessed & poured into by our hosts here!}. 24/7 community life could be hard, especially for introverts (like me hehe), but this group makes it so easy.
ministry
after arriving at our home for the month, we were placed in ministry groups. Mine consists of myself & 6 other people, and we have an awesome job. Ocean’s Edge, the ministry we’re partnered with, has a vision for Jaco; Jaco has been known in the past as the Las Vegas or Sodom and Gomorrah of Costa Rica — but we get to be a part of changing that perception. They’ve created a webpage directory for businesses here in Jaco as a free form of publicity and promotion for those who desire a more positive Jaco. Most business owners here don’t have the resources or ability to market for themselves, so they end up turning to the narcos for money & wind up upside down in debt with the wrong people. During the week, I get to go into businesses, interview the owner (typically in Spanish! woot for those high school classes), and then create a write-up to put on the webpage. It makes the owner feel loved and cared for, it ideally provides them with more business so that they can stand on their own two feet, and we get to build relationship & talk about Jesus with them in the process. This was a new and unexpected ministry for me, but I have LOVED it!
Another form of ministry here has included going into one of the brothels to talk & share God’s love with the working women. This one is a little heavier on the heart. It is really, really difficult to see all of the women who are there because they need to the pay bills or need to feed their kiddos. It is also really, really difficult to see so many American men of all ages there who don’t recognize the inherent, God-given value that these women possess. And do you know what I’ve come to realize? It’s just as heartbreaking that the men don’t recognize that very same thing in themselves either (blog on this coming soon — there are so many thoughts in my head!).
During our time here, we’ve also done surf ministry for kids ages 4-8 (I got to help them catch some waves!), we’ve planted trees, gone out for street evangelism, babysat for missionaries who live here, built a playground for kids in a nearby town, and so much more.
A lot of what we’re doing this month is relational ministry. That doesn’t always include pictures, but I would honestly LOVE to share stories about any of these ministries, so please reach out and ask (: God is moving in powerful ways here in this dark place.
He is redeeming it. Making it new. & driving out the darkness. Just like He does with our own hearts.
xxxx from costa <3
