February 2024 Update!

Happy New Year everyone! It is hard to believe we are already a month into 2024, and looking back on this past year, it is amazing to reflect on all the growth that has happened within our lives and ministry! We are encouraged by the amount of regular attenders at Semillas de Vida who have recently taken the steps to become members of the church. This includes an application process, attending a membership course, and being presented to and accepted by the congregation. It is exciting to see more people who are willing to take this step, and then move forward in positions of serving within the church. As membership increases, so does our team of willing workers. This means more people to help with children's Sunday school, food service in the fellowship hour, men to help with scripture reading, and tasks throughout the week like cleaning and preparing the building for worship. We are so grateful for all that God has provided this past year to help grow our church and the service teams within. 

A large part of ministry each week are the children and teens we get to serve. As young families continue to grow, and more families begin attending, the number of children in Sunday school seems to get bigger each week! We are grateful for the space we have to hold activities each week within the old sanctuary. We are also looking forward to even more space as construction and expansion of the church continues! Currently, there are 6 brand new classrooms under construction on the property, which will equip the ministry to serve its people better, and provide more space for the Sunday school classes each week. This will be a huge blessing, and we are so grateful that God has provided the means for this awesome growth. 

The youth group also continues to grow each week, and it is so exciting to see how God has used this ministry to encourage the young people who have been attending since starting it up back in July. Please continue to pray for Brandon as he leads the activities and devotionals. The group also meets during the adult Sunday school hour on Sundays, and we are so grateful for the space these young people have to come and grow together, and encourage each other as they study the Word of God. Pray with us that God will continue to use this ministry to truly transform the lives of all the teens and leaders involved! 

We recently worked our way through the book of Jude during our Sunday morning services, and are now starting the book of 1 Timothy. The adult Sunday school hour is being utilized to lead our congregation through an introductory study of systematic theology. please continue to pray for Esteban and Brandon as they preach and teach in the church each week, and disciple and lead throughout the week.

It has also been encouraging to look back at the all the growth and change that has happened within our family within the last year! We are so grateful for the two little ones that God has blessed us with, and for the ways He has shaped us as parents over the past two and a half years. Watching Jackson and Nora grow and learn together each day is such a joy, and we love seeing them become the best of friends. Pray for us as we strive to shepherd our children’s hearts well, and continue to learn how to parent well. While raising a family away from our own parents and siblings is definitely hard, we are so grateful for the sweet visits we do get from people who are so important to us. Recently, we were happy to host the Hoover family (Pops, Grammy, and Aunt Elizabeth) for a week in December. Samantha’s mom, Grandma Didi, was also able to come and spend some special time at our home for two weeks after Christmas. We are looking forward to a few more visitors in the coming months, and are always so encouraged by the time we get with family and friends! 

As always, we want to mention how very grateful we are to all of our faithful supporters. We praise God for the many years we have been able to serve here in Costa Rica, and for all the financial contributors who have been pouring into this ministry as well. May God continue to guide and bless you all as you strive to know and serve Him in this new year. If you are interested in becoming part of our monthly support team, or giving a one-time gift, please feel free to reach out to us via e-mail. You can also visit this link to sign up and start giving today.