Costa Rica has a special place in my heart. This is the 4th time I have been here, and there is something about the laid back culture and the phrase “Pura Vida” that I love so much!
However this time in Costa Rica has been different than the times before. I have been living in the heart of city called Los Guido. It is a place known by the locals as dangerous, and a city other Christians do not want to go. Los Guido has a lot of murders, robberies and other violence. I have been told of a few murders since I have been here and I know there are many others. Nevertheless, with all that knowledge I have never felt unsafe or in danger and that is because God is so much bigger than all of this. God is with me, with us. He is protecting us and watching over us. He has his angels surrounding us constantly. With God on our side, we have nothing to fear. God has placed us here to work alongside the missionaries to be a light in the darkness and to pray protection over the families here. To pray for His angels to surround the houses. To stop the violence and to pray this city will one day be known as a city whom loves the Lord.
We are living on a finca (farm), in a gym. Monday-Saturday the Finca is a feeding center for about 100+ kids a day who come to get lunch after school. The ministry is called Christian Light Foundation Costa Rica they run a church called Iglesia Nueva Vida. A part of what they do in this ministry is go into cities no one else wants to go and leads a discipleship program. They go from house to house inviting people into this program. It is an in depth study of the Bible. This program is in Los Guido, and 2 other cities called La Carpio, and Tejarcillos. Every Saturday teams head out to both La Carpio and Tejarcillos to visit those in the program and invite others to join. My team and I had the opportunity to visit both La Carpia and Tejarcillos.
Tejarcillos is a town known for violence and robberies. It is the city the teenagers of the church, Iglesia Nueva Vida, go to ever Saturday. We took 3 different buses, walked through a field and up a long steep street in order to get to this town. The first house we went to was of a teenage girl and her mother who were already in the program. I sat there and listened as this teenager and her mother went through their lesson for that week and recited the verses they had learned. I felt so much peace and calm in their house. I was praying for them as they were going over their lessons. I thanked God for the peace in the house, and for the willingness for each of them to know more about God. I also prayed God would use them as an example of His love. I know God is going to use both of them to further his kingdom and be a light in the dark town they live in. Leaving their house we walked up another street and this time we walked house to house asking if anyone wanted to join. We went into a house of a pregnant lady. One of the teens was talking with her and gave her a book to start the program. As they were talking she noticed the lady didn’t have a Bible, and without hesitation the teen gave the lady her own Bible. I was blown away by this selfless act and saw Jesus in her.
Every Saturday the teens go to this town.
Every Saturday they leave their houses at 6am.
Every Saturday they give up their own free time to do the work of Jesus.
Every Saturday rain or shine they walk through these streets disciplining and inviting people to join the family of God.
They are doing what God tells us to do… “go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19) I admire their hearts and their dedication to live for Jesus.
Are you living your life for Jesus? Are you giving up your free time to lead people to Jesus? Are you stepping out of your comfort zone to make disciples for Jesus?
Love is the answer. Love is how we will be able to do the impossible.
Jesus said, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:9-12
