August 2024

Fun things are happening here in our ministry and in our family, and we are excited to update you all on the work the Lord is doing! We were sharing the story of our family and ministry with a new acquaintance recently, and it is always so humbling and sweet to think back on all the Lord has brought us through in our years here in Costa Rica. His mercy and grace are ever present, His love so powerful, and we are so grateful to be able to be a part of His kingdom work! 

The weekly ministry agenda with Semillas de Vida continues to bless our lives and family, and we are thankful to be able to serve the regular attendees of the church. Sunday mornings are always a highlight of our week, as we come together to worship with the body of Christ. As we have mentioned before, children’s ministry is a large part of our Sunday mornings. We have been blessed by the completion of a new Sunday school room for the youngest group of students, ages 2-5. This is a big upgrade from the small “cry room” we were using previously, and it is exciting to see how this has been blessing the children and teachers in the ministry over the last few months! Thank you to everyone who helped clear our wishlist for this new space! As more people commit to membership at Semillas de Vida, more and more spots are being filled in areas of service. We are thankful for our faithful team of Sunday school workers, and that this team is growing in order to serve the 30+ children coming each week. It is such a blessing to be able to serve this young generation, and to guide them in Truth and love each week! 

The youth group is another highlight of our week, as Brandon and his team continue to pour into the lives of the teens of the church. Coming together each week to play pickleball, floor hockey, or board games, and spending time in worship and intentional Bible study, the group of young people and leaders continues to flourish and grow. Working their way through the book of John, the teens are learning the deep riches of the Gospel message along with how to practically interpret God's Word on their own. It has been encouraging to see their participation as we dive into the life of Christ. Please pray with us for these teens that this seed of the Gospel will flourish into a deep relationship with our Lord.

We are thankful for all the work that God is doing through the other activities within the church like adult Sunday school, men’s and women’s Bible studies, and other in-home studies. Please continue to pray for those whom we are serving, and that God would continue to soften hearts to His word and bring more people to Himself!

In family news, we have a big change coming our way at the end of this month. We shared a while back with our family and supporters our decision to take a six month furlough over this Fall/Winter. There is so much that has gone into this big decision for our family and ministry, and we are thankful for the guidance of our sending churches and mentors towards this time. We pray that this time will be an encouraging and renewing experience spending time with loved ones, being poured into spiritually, and recharging our batteries for the vigors of ministry in a different culture and language. We also pray that as we step back from our daily life, we will be able to spend extra time in prayer and in the Word, seeking God's will for our family. Furthermore, we look forward to giving updates and meeting with supporters during this time. It has been amazing to see the pieces fall into place as we plan for this extended trip, and are so thankful for God’s provision in our planning. 

We are confident in the team here at our church to carry out the needs and responsibilities while we are away, and we pray that this will be an opportunity for people to step up in ways they haven't needed to before in our absence. We ask for much prayer for us and our team as we prepare for this transition, and strive to leave things well for this time, and for our little family as we adjust to this big change. We also humbly pray that financial support will continue during our home assignment, and that our friends and supporters will come alongside us in understanding as we take this leap of faith. 

We are so grateful to our faithful team of prayer and financial partners. Again, we humbly pray that support will continue over our time in the States, and are thankful for the generosity and encouragement we have already received in our planning! Some big prayers have been answered in the last few months, as we have a house lined up to call home for these 6 months, a vehicle to use, and many household items provided for us. If you would like to give financially towards our ministry, please visit this link and follow the prompts! Please feel free to reach out with any questions, we always love to hear how the Lord is working in the lives of our loved ones.