La Carpio

Part of our team had the opportunity to work with children and lead a sport ministry clinic in a barrio outside of San Jose - La Carpio. While ministering in this barrio, the team saw the love of Christ each day in the faces of children. The team worked with Steve and Antonio - two guys who are in charge of the ministry in La Carpio. Steve has started a soccer team in the slum and they won a big championship game last year. Steve prays with the guys before each game. He also shares the eternal love of Christ with them on a daily basis. I asked Steve what his strategy was with the soccer team and he said, "My strategy is no strategy. I just let the guys play."

VBS and Feeding Center

Part of our group had the opportunity to tear down the roof of the feeding center at Pastor Angel's church and rebuild it! Through this opportunity, our guys met a wonderful man by the name of ERNESTO. ERNESTO was a "gentle giant." The men and boys learned how to weld and enjoyed some great food and watermelon!

Part of our group had the opportunity to prepare and serve the food at the feeding center at Pastor Angel's church. They were a blessing to the moms who brought their young children each day. After serving at the feeding center, this group led a VBS time each afternoon where many children and parents laughed, played and learned about God's love.

3 Water Installs and Health Education

Along with the leadership of EDGE OUTREACH, SMBC was able to install 3 water purification systems while in Costa Rica. Please continue to prayer for the San Felipe School, Pastor Oscar and Pastor Oldemar as they use the pure water to reach out to their communities with the Love of Christ. Also pray that the hand washing station at the San Felipe school will continue to teach students the importance of washing their hands to prevent disease transmission. Our students and leaders did a great job teaching health education in the schools! Some of our students also had the opportunity to teach English in the schools! Great job!

Blessed Are the Poort - Meet Senora Paula

As the Costa Rica Team formed, I began praying for a construction opportunity for part of our team. Through months of prayer, God lead us to help restore Senora Paula’s home in the slum of Los Pinos. On our first full day in Costa Rica, Pastor Angel took us on a prayerwalk to Senora Paula's house. The path to Senora’s home was a slippery mound of mud. Stray chickens and dogs walked about in the mud and sewage. Homes were pieced together with corrugated metal, sticks, rocks and tin. As we walked toward Senora Paula’s house, children would yell “Gringos” (Americans). Some children wanted a hug, others were happy to get a smile from us. Other children looked despondently from the edge of their homes. One girl, about 13, gave me a kiss and a package of crackers. Pastor Angel led us back to Senora Paula’s home, through winding, up and down alleys like an obstacle course, dodging sewage ditches and ducking under electrical wires. Senora Paula’s home was a tiny 2-3 room house with little lighting. As we entered the house, Senora Paula and her family gave us a big hug and offered us a bottle of orange coke. She had also baked a cake the day before for the men who were going to work on her house. In that small house, Senora Paula’s bright eyes shone with so much hope and so much gratitude that they electrified the dark place. And in that moment, I was struck. A voice whispered, THIS IS IT…This is who God calls blessed. The poor and the meek who thirst for justice…this is Senora Paula.

Senora Paula knew that she was God’s delight! You could see it in her eyes. She knew she was valued as a child of God. In that second, all my accomplishments (however many), my degree, my title, my knowledge, my possessions…were nothing, absolutely nothing in comparison with this woman. God’s love filled that room….

As I left my first visit with Senora Paula….I felt humbled and awkward….This woman would be nothing in the estimation of nearly all society. But God allowed me to glimpse that she is great in the Kingdom of Heaven. “Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?" James 2:5

My faith felt thin next to Senora Paula’s thick faith. As we left, a group of children gathered outside. They looked deep into our eyes…and in that moment once again God reminded me that I am not to live for my own advancement but for the good of others. When I become like the poor and like a child…God calls me blessed. I was so grateful that day for a peek into God’s Kingdom.

Reminders from Costa Rica

Sunsets...
Curvy Roads.....
The Smile of a Child....
Great Interpreters...
Great Bus Drivers...
Senora Paula...
Pastor Angel...
Pastor Oscar...
Pastor Oldemar...
Mold on pillows at Hotel Divisamar...
Great Food...
Lovely Cooks...
The Washing of Feet...
Singing...
Pure Water...
Hardware Store Visits...
Coffee...
The Miracle Coffee Shop beside Hotel Divisamar...
Jump Ropes...
Hugs...
Canopy Tour...
God's light shining in some very dark places...
Home Boy Nathan
Logan is Gordo y Guapo

Hello Everyone! The group flight arrives at 8:20 p.m. tonight!

Tomara will probably not arrive to Louisville until 11 p.m.

See ya!

Hello

We had a relaxing time in Manuel Antonio this weekend. Trust me...we have great stories to share about our hotel experience. It was one of a kind. We created lots of memories.

Last night, Pastor Les preached at the church where the feeding center roof was built. He spoke on the Lord´s Prayer. Our youth sang beautifully and Mike Marlow shared his testimony. We had a great time together and enjoyed the food. The churches have fed us very very well!

Today we will visit our sites and say goodbye to the friends we have made and to our wonderful interpreters. We will close out tonight with a great praise time to our Lord. I am so so proud of our youth and adults who have given of themselves fully this week.

Tomorrow we will visit a waterfall garden and pack up to leave.

Thank you for your prayers and we look forward to sharing our stories!

Hello

Just a few minutes ago, Ron Oliver left Centro Metodista to return to the US. I am getting him home just in time to spend his anniversary with Joyce! You are welcome Joyce!

We praise God that Yesterday was a day of celebration! Lives have been changed forever by the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today, our construction team on Senora Paula´s house will be finished. Also, today the school in San Felipe will be trained on their water purifier.

Praise God that yesterday we trained two church on the water purifiers. We celbrate that the feeding center in Alajuelita has a new roof. We led a carnival for nearly 100 people yesterday at Pastor Angel´s church. Our Sports Ministry team in La Carpio has been a trememdous blessing to the La Carpio community.

Our drive to Manuel Antonio today will be about 4 hours. We plan to leave this afternoon! Pray for safety and a fun time! We´ll return to our sites on Monday to finish up any details and to say goodbye!

We can´t express how much we appreciate our church family for thier prayerful support and their financial support. It has been awesome!

WOW

God is amazing! It has been a fantastic week! I am so proud of our youth and adults who have made an eternal difference in the Kingdom. We are having trouble loading pics onto the website but I hope to be able to load pictures tomorrow. We are so grateful for your prayers and your encouragement! Please continue to pray for safe travels! Ron Oliver travels home tomorrow so please pray for his safety! Talk to you soon

Great Day

Hello! Everyone is well! We attended church today and already have lots of memories. Most of us were able to prayerwalk our communities! Please pray that all logistics fall into place tomorrow! Blessings!

Arrival

Tomara arrived safely on Thursday night! She and the EDGE team prepared for the great week on Friday. We are on our way to the airport to meet the GROUP! It will be a fantastic week.
Elliott and Max....I love you! Thanks to Mom and Dad and Wally´s parents for taking care of my boys!

PRAYER GUIDE

Hello! PLEASE PRAY FOR OUR TEAM

• God's Love to be shown through everything we do!
• SAFE TRAVEL
• All of our luggage arrives
• Have fun
• Details come together
• We remain flexible
• We leave Costa Rica changed forever because we saw God at work!

Holy Discontent

I have been reading the book Holy Discontent by Bill Hybels. This 'easy read' has stirred my heart! Most of us can agree that there is plenty wrong in our world today. Upon returning from my first trip to Costa Rica, I was very frustrated with the fact that people were hungry, homeless and powerless. Through passages like Romans 8:20-21 God assured me that it is okay to be frustrated with the world around me as long as it stirs my hands and feet into action. Romans 8:20-21 tell us that the entire creation is frustrated, but that by God's power, everything that is broken and wrong will one day be redeemed. In fact, I believe that redemption and restoration are at the very core of God's heart. He is working right this minute to call our broken world back to its original purpose and beauty. Instead of allowing my frustrations about our world take up residence within me as to cause a firestorm inside of me, I allowed that frustration to propel me into positive action---taking 58 beautiful people to Costa Rica with me!

I am so thankful for the 57 people who have joined the forces of God so that the darkness and depravity around our world can see God's light. May we as Americans see the world better through God's eyes and not our own.

May we all leave Costa Rica with a "holy discontent."

Costa Rica Comissioning Service and Celebration Service

The Costa Rica Commissioning Service will take place on Sunday, June 8th at the 11 a.m. Celebration Worship in the Sanctuary at St. Matthews Baptist Church.

The Celebration Service will take place Sunday evening, July 13th at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary at St. Matthews Baptist Church. The adults and students will share their "reports" from the mission trip at the Celebration Service on July 13th.

Juan 3:16

Porque tanto amo Dios al mundo, que dio a su Hijo unigenito, para que todo el que cree en el no se pierda, sino que tenga vida eterna.

Lodging

We will be staying a Centro Metodista in Alajuelita June 14-19 & 22-24.
We will be staying at Hotel Divisamar June 20-21.

BASIC SCHEDULE

June 14- The Group Travels to Costa Rica
June 15 - Church, Visit Worksites, Prayerwalk and Prepare for Week
June 16-19 - Work Days
June 20-21 - Rest and Relaxation in Manuel Antonio (www.divisamar.com)

June 22 - Church at Alajeulita
June 23-24 - Open (Re-visit Worksites & Possibly work in Los Guito)
June 25 - Return Home

Group Travel Schedule

June 14 Louisville/Atlanta Delta 1067 7:30 a/8:56a

June 14 Atlanta/San Jose Delta 411 10:00 a/12:00 n

June 25 San Jose/Atlanta Delta 414 8:00 a/2:07 p

June 25 Atlanta/Louisville Delta 5064 4:00 p/5:23 p

PRAY FOR OUR WORKSITES

Atenas - Water Install at a church and Health Education
Pastor Oldemar

Grecia - Water Install at a church and Health Education
Pastor Oscar

Alajuelita - Water Install at a school and Health Education
Pastor Angel

Los Pinos - Construction project on Senora's House

Alajuelita - Construction project on Pastor Angel's Church

La Carpio - Sports Ministry and Evangelism

PRAY FOR OUR TEAM MEMBERS!

Allison

David

Nancy

Natalie

Stephanie

Rachel

Tomara

Wally

Amanda

Russell

Charlotte

Elizabeth

Sam

Joy Beth

Cary

Jana

Jordan

Chelsea

Hilton

Nathan

Sherri

Tara

Tim

Jason

Dylan

David

Mark

Susan

Les

Steven

Vicki

Kimberly

Sam

Brandon

Chelsea

Aaron

Mick

Bradley

Jill

Julie

Mike

Corey

Kelli

Nelson

Ron

Brittany

Tim

Taylor

Becca

Gracia

John

Ken

Todd

Adam

Andrew

Logan

Shannon