As team Agopetos, we have been learning what it means to live in community, and what it means to surrender your expectations. God has been good to us, and we have been learning and growing a lot. It does not surprise me that we are now facing some very difficult challenges.
Mary had her purse, passport, credits cards and all, stolen on one of our days off at the beach in Costa Rica. She and Jake had to go to San Jose to take care of that. It was originally planned as a day trip, but upon talking to the consulate they discovered she and Jake would have to remain a little while longer to get her passport.
So on Monday the 12th, the team had to split. Jake and Mary went south to San Jose the rest of the team headed north to Nicaragua for debrief. This is the first time the team has been split up, and if was difficult after spending two months becoming a family.
Upon arriving in Nicaragua, we discovered even greater challenges for our team. Three of the five of us had gotten sick; Kelly, Michelle and myself. We must have eaten some bad food along the way. I wondered about Jake and Mary in San Jose. Were they sick too? We had no contact with them, so I just prayed that they were okay.
During debrief, some very heavy concerns were laid out on the table. We were all eager to receive some counsel on how to proceed. As a team, we have some commitments to uphold and will be seeking the Lord to search our hearts. I can not share details about this challenge because of it’s personal nature, but please bathe it in prayer.
The stomach illness has spread around the whole camp, so we are taking extra precautions to limit that. It seems the enemy is taking advantage of this situation, as half of the group has been sick on and off. We have each recovered for the most part, with an occasional relapse or two. Please be in prayer with us against this, that it will not interfere with our ministry here, and that God will completely heal us and eliminate it if He wills.
Our team seems a bit crippled for a season, but not defeated. I know that God has a plan for us, and I trust it. We will all get through this and be stronger in the end. That is our hope in the Lord; knowing that we are being refined by the fire of God’s love and not burned by His wrath. His purpose will prevail in us.
