Yesterday was another powerful day of ministry. It is amazing to see how God has shown up every step of the way, but yesterday was different. Our team ministered with such a fullness of the Holy Spirit, with such authority and love and power. It was awesome. It would not have happened if we had not had our team encounter with God the night before.
We showed up to set up for our morning of VBS and the athletic court that we were going to use and had been reserved for our team was in use--it was double booked. We made do with an open area at the top of the neighborhood and just went on with all our plans. Nothing was going to stop us or distract us from our purpose in San Jose.
I will be completely honest and tell you that it was a hard day yet we were working through the strength of the Holy Spirit. The children were much different in behavior than the children we met in the jungle village the first half of our trip. The children in San Jose came with their guard up, serious and not as open. Yet our team just showed love. Once they saw we were there to play with them and to make it a fun morning for them with games and bubbles and sidewalk chalk and skits, they let their guard down and had fun, like kids should.
We danced with the kids and made them laugh. We went out of our way to show an interest in them and make them feel valued and loved.
When we shared about Jesus and how God created each one of us with a special gift inside, they listened attentively. I know that the Holy Spirit ministered to their hearts. Many seeds were planted among the approximately 50 children there.
We took family pictures and they made frames, they made faces on rice cakes as a snack, all to show them that God created them and loves them just as they are.
The gentleman next to Casey is one of our van drivers, Astruel (picture below). He has been like an angel among our team. I truly believe God hand-picked him to be with our team this entire stay. I wish you could see the heart of this man. I wish I could tell you how much he has impacted so many of our team members individually and our entire team as a whole. He has jumped in to dance and play every day we have been here. Yesterday he was on his hands and knees helping our team make picture frames with the kids. He does not speak English, yet at times, our team member Jen felt like they were speaking the same language because he was somehow able to communicate to her what the kids wanted on the picture frames and what to do. In the afternoon when our team went out door to door to invite the community to the night service, he encouraged our team member Johanna to step out of her comfort zone. He was almost bossy, as Johanna described, telling her that there were children at one particular house, to please stop. He called the children over and they got their mother out. He told Johanna to invite them and then he told her to pray for the woman. Johanna prayed for the woman in a bold and powerful way in Spanish. She shared with me that she couldn't close her mouth and she was inside of herself thinking that she needed to lower her voice yet she couldn't. Then David, who does not speak English, began praying for the woman in English and saying the exact same thing to the woman that Johanna had just said. God showed up in a powerful way in that family's life. I believe God used Astruel as a bold encourager to help accomplish God's mission. The family had just suffered a loss of a family member and despite the Catholic rituals that they said would hinder them from coming to the church service, the entire family showed up! We have all fallen in love with Astruel and wish we could take him home with us.
Our team had planned a skit for the evening service and then discovered that it would not be new for the people of the church. In an hour, our team built a new skit around the testimony of William, who was set to share his testimony. I hope you realize this was all orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. We have been practicing our skits for MONTHS in preparation for this mission so for our team to revise the skit in the middle of our mission is only by God's divine power. Many people were touched and I know many will be forever changed because we let the Holy Spirit move the way He wanted to minister to the people.
This morning we will be ministering at Pastor Michael's church, where we were last night. This afternoon we will be having a ladies coffee and chat at the church as well. The men will be constructing a roof to cover a play area outside of the church.
I am so proud of my team and the fact that I get to call them my CRamily. While I miss my husband and children, it will be hard to leave knowing that this is it for our team. We will always be a family, but our mission will be over. It's not over yet, though! I'm very excited to see what else God has in store for the people here as well as for our team. Please continue praying that we would stay exactly where God wants us and finish our mission giving it all away. It's not about us. It's all about Jesus.
Hey Costa Rica Team! I am following your blog everyday and personally being encouraged about the way God is using each of you in a powerful way. But, I am not surprised! You are a special group of people and I knew before you left that Costa Rica was in for something amazing to happen! We miss you all TONS at GT and can't wait to see you all again soon! God bless each and every one of you. And a BIG THANKS for answering the call to go and SERVE! Love ya!
ReplyDeleteKaren T.
Costa Rica team it's been a joy watching every day keep rockin
ReplyDeleteCosta Rica family - I am so incredibly proud of each one of you, and so moved hearing what God is doing through you. Seeing you embody everything you spent months training about... Seeing your love and your joy... Seeing you show your flexibility when plans change... Seeing you make the most of what could be perceived as dreary circumstances... Seeing you live out the motto "It's not about me." It's absolutely amazing. It's so evident the way that you are allowing the Holy Spirit to work miracles through you (big and small).
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it's hard to believe you only have a couple days left... Here's my encouragement to you in your remaining time: FAIL. Let me explain... :)
In weight lifting, there is a term called POSITIVE FAILURE. It refers to when a weight lifter pushes himself to the point he is physically unable to do one more set. He has done all that he can possibly do. He is completely spent. I pray positive failure for you in the next two days... That you would push yourself to the point you have nothing left to give. That you would say yes to every opportunity. That you would intentionally seek out each moment to share Christ. That you would be just as enthusiastic and intentional with each encounter on your last day as you were on your first. That you would not return home with any regrets, because you know that you gave all you could give, holding nothing back. It would be easy to do the opposite - to start to get weary and homesick, to slow your pace, to let opportunities slip by... That would be the easy thing... But I know this team, and "easy" is not your thing :)
Paul says it this way in Philippians 3:12-14, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
Press on to the very end (and of course, we know that the end of this trip is far from the end of your life mission :) Like the weight lifter whose muscles tremble with fatigue as he does one more set, I pray you would be able to find the strength and the renewal to do just one more set, and then one more, and then one more, until you can't. That's the right way to fail :)
Much love to each one of you,
Courtney
P.S. Christine and Jeanette - you are such phenomenal leaders. Thank you so much for leading such an amazing team. Thank you for leading by example... for being intentional and ministry-minded, while making time for fun...for making plenty of room for the Holy Spirit to lead you every step of the way, to redirect your plans, and to show up in miraculous ways...for leading a team that loves each other. I could go on, but I'm afraid I've rambled too much already. I love you both dearly, and I'm so blown away by you and your team.
P.S.S. Alex Marshall - today was our outdoor baptism service at GT. A year ago, Peter and I baptized you, just a few months after you accepted Christ... Look at how far the Lord has brought you. It brings me to tears. Remember, "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead," keep pressing on. I love you!
Hey Team, I was touched by the yesterdays blog post. Such a great day. I don't have time to write much, so I will just say ditto to what Courtney wrote. I could not have said it any better about not slowing your pace as your trip winds down. NO Regrets! The Holy Spirit is surely working! God Bless all of you!!
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Brenda
Amazing testimony of HIS awesomeness working thru the team members and the local folks. Thanx for being open, flexible and "uncomfortable" for HIM.
ReplyDeleteHello CRFamily, I have been truly blessed by your Blog. It is awesome to see how our God is using all of you to share the wonderful love of his Son Jesus Christ. His Love never fails it never gives up and never runs out. We are all so very proud of what you are doing.
ReplyDeleteGod Bless, Darren Douglas