Christmas is just around the corner. I am sitting outside of our Costa Rican abode, marveling at the 75-degree weather. We just left Celebration Church, where our ministry contact is located. Today we had a closing sale for the ministry’s thrift store. They have decided to expand their skate shop instead of continuing sales of “Hand-me-up” clothing. The sale was quite the success! I am certain that the community is grateful for the generosity of those who donated the clothing (mostly from missions teams that have come down to 6:8).
Macaulay Culkin's famous facial expression best describes how I feel regarding finances. I have to raise a total of $14,300 and must have $10,000 of it by December 31st. At this point I need about $1,500 to stay on the race. I have been trying my best to stay focused on ministry but the date rapidly approaches. Please pray for God's provisions over my race!
PLEASE PRAY FOR A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE: THAT BY THE 31ST I WILL BE FULLY FUNDED!!! 
Remember that all donations are tax deductible and most of the money from the total amount goes directly into the ministry! If you feel called to donate, you are most definitely changing the lives of so many across the globe. Every bit counts! Also, monthly donors are awesome!
This month we are working with 6:8 Ministries. They are a non-profit, non-denominational missions organization that exists to strengthen and expand the kingdom of God here in Alajuelita, Costa Rica. We are actually living in the city of Escazú that runs right next-door. Both towns represent the contrast between the rich and the poor, like in many other parts of the world.
There are another 7 racers living with us this month (Team Lovebound) as well. 14 people in one house! Talk about community! We are so thankful for the house we are in because it is a much safer neighborhood. Many of the locals who we have talked to are still shocked that we even walk through the streets of Alajuelita and the other barrios. Pero no te preocupes! Dios anda con nosotros! (But don’t worry! God walks with us!)
Alajuelita is in fact the poorest county, per capita, in all of Costa Rica. According to the latest census, the population of Alajuelita is roughly 200,000 residents. The unemployment in Alajuelita is a staggering 65%. Drugs and alcohol are widely used and cause many of the social problems. To make matters worse, prostitution is legal in Costa Rica and many of the women in Alajuelita work as prostitutes, which is often the family's only source of income.
In spite of all of the social and spiritual challenges, we L-O-V-E- LOVE the people! God is doing unthinkable things here! His Light radiates hope in such ominous places!
6:8 Ministries dabbles in just about everything too! They have planted and cultivated a nondenominational church, men’s refuge center, skate park/shop, and tattoo ministry. There are also multiple feeding centers that they host and take part in.
We have also taught English class- one of my favorite things to do!!! It is a time to teach, learn, and laugh. I have a certain group of boys that I love sitting with because they are constantly laughing at me and calling me “LOCA”. It may not sound ideal but I love it and it’s not to much of a surprise I know! Each person that attends the class comes on their own accord. The class if is free and open to the public so people take the initiative to learn. It makes teaching all the more fun!
The feeding center, hosted by 6:8's Celebration Church is designed to minister to the spiritual and physical needs of the homeless in the Alajuelita community. The feeding center has helped to strengthen their church through providing an increased presence in the community. The feeding center currently feeds three days a week with hopes of expanding to five days a week. There is a message spoken before every meal to provide spiritual nourishment as well.
Our team has been doing a little bit of everything. One of the greatest parts about this month of ministry is the lack of a finite schedule. Spencer Boulter, our contact here, had not planned on having World Race teams; therefore we have had the opportunity to rely solely on the Holy Spirit to guide us. We have also done prayer walks and pioneered into new barrios, as well as spent time in the feeding centers. Our ministry to the poor has been the highlight of our trip thus far. Since Alajuelita is the poorest county in Costa, Rica, there is plenty to be done here. We’ve also had the opportunity to distribute food to the poor families within the local barrios (see pictures above).
This picture shows the damage of the mud slides that occurred only 6 or so weeks ago. Much of ministry involves the survivors of the flood-those with and without homes. The government does not want people to continue living here, although many residents are reluctant to leave. 6:8 has fed, provided relocation assistance and met basic needs of as many as possible.
There has been such joy every time we visit a this particular area. We have had a few "ATL" days (Ask the Lord) that have ended up INCREDIBLE. The stories are endless. Here's a recent one…
During a prayer walk into Anonos, we met a man named Elwin. He walked with us for a while and we quickly noticed that his eyeballs were blood red. I asked him what happened and he said that while he picked papayas the day before, the sun absolutely charred his eyes. He spoke of the pain it caused him just to blink. We asked if we could pray for him and he happily obliged. Scotty, Haile, Amber and I prayed for healing and asked the Holy Spirit to wash away the irritation and discomfort. After we finished we kinda of just started walking and talking again (usually we ask if the person is better). I casually glanced over at him and was taken aback by the shocking clarity of his eyes! I stopped and grabbed his shoulders rejoicing at the their condition. The Lord healed him! The fact that we prayed and then just nonchalantly continued walking is crazy! We hadn't even taked notice of God's work! He lifted has hands to the sky and praised God in that moment! Not long after we went our separate ways. It may have been only a 15 minute experience but it will undoubtedly remain in our hearts forever.
The photo above was taken at the women's refuge center in Alajuelita. All of these women have experienced substance/alcohol abuse for most of their lives. Some of them have been beaten, sexually abused, raped, and witnessed murder right before their very eyes. After such abuse, most resorted to prostitution to earn money for drugs. Despite all of this, God has redeemed their stories by placing them in the care of this shelter. They have a bond that is so evident. They have all ways to relate and it was beautiful to be in their presence. These are the Princesses of God. I thank God for the relationships we have been able to make with them. We plan on returning on the 27th to have a Girls Only slumber party! More on this experience in my next blog.
We are having our second Christmas party with a local church tonight! WoooHooooo! I love the holidays but it is strange to be away from family and friends. Thank God for a community that is full of love and camaraderie.
"When the song of the angels is stilled,
when the star in the sky is gone,
when the kings and princes are home,
when the shepherds are back with the flocks,
then the work of Christmas begins:
to find the lost
to heal those broken in spirit,
to feed the hungry,
to release the oppressed,
to rebuild the nations,
to bring peace among all peoples,
to make a little music with the heart…
And to radiate the Light of Christ,
every day, in every way, in all that we do and in all that we say.
Then the work of Christmas begins.
-Howard Thurman
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push([‘_setAccount’, ‘UA-3522380-5’]);
_gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’]);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement(‘script’); ga.type = ‘text/javascript’; ga.async = true;
ga.src = (‘https:’ == document.location.protocol ? ‘https://ssl’ : ‘http://www’) + ‘.google-analytics.com/ga.js’;
var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
