Last Friday, Caitlin, Krystle, Jackie, Jeanette, and I headed back toward the woman’s drug rehab house to look for the church they are affiliated with. All we knew was that Caitlin’s friend’s dad had gone with a group from her church in Michigan a couple months ago and helped out at a place called the CCA Church. We didn’t have their names or anything. We knew the town and church name. We got on the bus to Alagajaro and decided to take the route all the way around to see if we happen to see the church. We went half way up a mountain when the bus driver said we had reached the last stop on that route and we either needed to pay to go back or get off so we decided to get off and start walking. As we walked, the first guy we met along the street said hello in very clear English indicating he could communicate with us if we asked a question. We told him what we were looking for and he pointed down the road to where the church was. Only a kilometer or so away and we were there. God had taken us right to where we needed to be.
We met the nicest people there including a Costa Rican lady who spoke English and directed us to an older lady named Sally. Sally is a woman from the Chicago area who has a heart for these people and retired to move here several years ago. She speaks Spanish and English. She volunteers her time at the church and with the many different ministries the church is a part of. We eventually met the woman Caitlin had talked to on the phone. After the one phone call, each of us were unable to contact each other so we just decided to see where God took us and show up at the church if that’s where God took us, and He did! Sally introduced us to the head pastor of the church and then explained briefly about the feeding program they do, the school they have there everyday, the woman’s rehab house as well as a men’s, and many others they have started. We will be getting a full tour of the facilities and hopefully be a part of the feeding on Friday afternoon.
After meeting a few people at the church and seeing some things that go on there, Sally drove us in her own vehicle over to the woman’s house where we had randomly found the other day. It was so good to see them again and they were excited as well. We were able to converse better with Sally translating for us. Out of all the ministries, the woman’s house has been Sally’s heart most of the time, so she was excited to see our enthusiasm and anxiousness to go back and visit these ladies. We were able to encourage and uplift them. God gave some of us words for them as a group and some for individuals…words that made two of them cry. God had been telling them the same thing before we came, but God used us to confirm a message to them. One lady started to share her testimony and some things she’s still going through with her daughter being in jail, and just started crying. We were able to encourage, uplift, and let God use us by just being there.
They asked about our trip, what we were doing, and where we were going and had been. We go to share what God has done in our lives even on this trip and they were so encouraged to see the hope that God brings. They said that it shows the power of God and they need to see that God blesses the Christian life, that He has good things in store for those who seek and follow Him. We explained that we weren’t on this trip because we are rich, but because God provides and prompted us to be a part of this World Race. We explained that God can especially use their past to encourage others. Satan meant their past for bad, but God will use it for good! What a promise He gives us. Afterwards, the church offered to drive us all the way back to the base so we wouldn’t have to take busses.
“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.”
~2 Timothy 4:2
When he says season, he is talking about us; we should preach the word whether we feel like it or not. When we are in a dessert and dry season and we don’t feel God is close or we don’t feel like encouraging or correcting or preaching and God is calling us to, we need to be ready. And when the opportunity comes unexpectedly, we need to be ready for God’s timing.
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*Check out a video Seth created about our long travel days to Costa Rica!
*See the ministries that are going on here in Costa Rica on Becky´s blog site.
*Colleen put some pictures up from our travel days as well.
