CLFCR - The Compass Church

Christian Light Foundation Costa Rica

Evangelism and Discipleship

Together in the joy of the Lord

Sunday, April 11 - by Doug and Greg

The day started with part of the New Life Church leadership team (nine young ladies who slept over at Mark and Meg's house) coming to the Mission House for breakfast. All of them have brand new yellow t-shirts on that our Phoenix team members had purchased. After having French toast and fresh fruit Greg shared a short devotion that questioned the young church leaders, and his team, why the Bible only had a few verses about Jesus when he was growing up? He asked them what they thought it would of been growing up with the Son of God. Did they think he performed miracles when he was young? No one had an answer and this led into questions that maybe we could learn from reading some of his half brother James verses. Much of his writing focuses on how blessed the poor are and how it is a sin not to help our brothers and sisters of Christ (James 1:9-10, 2:5, 2:13-15, 2:26, 4:15-17). He explained he never understood all these verses until he started coming on Mission trips to Costa Rica. Are the poor Christians more blessed because they are focused on eternity with our Lord Jesus and not busy focusing on so many other things that Americans are?

We then got the opportunity to visit La Carpio, which is one of the poorest and most dangerous areas in Costa Rica, a shanty village of tin roofs and dirt floors and sewage running down the street. These are the least of these and many are refugees from other central American countries. God loves them just the same. It was amazing to see the young leadership team pull the kids they have met in La Carpio and go through a discipleship lesson and share about Christ and the hope only found in him. It really is kids discipling kids and it is so encouraging and incredible to see.

It was so humbling to see them work so well with these kids from La Carpio, not to mention how we all felt as we saw the abject poverty, yet the joy on kids faces as we talked to them and shared with them and gave them candy and played Frisbee and jumped rope. Amazing. Many have only seen Gringos the past 18 months as Mark and the leadership team have been ministering and helping in this poorest of poor areas. Kids love to have their picture taken and are so full of joy with the smallest things. As I listened to Mark talk about teens throwing rocks at their vans 18 months ago when they first started coming, to showing us the family who used to do that who are now all Christians and actually help disciple and protect the vehicles where we park and walk into the shanty village. Only God.

After another great lunch, we headed back to La Finca to prepare for church and play with the kids. Today and yesterday were the highlights of my week by far as we simply got to play and hang with all the kids. My heart has melted for these kids and I wish I could take them all home with me. As Amy and I are still in the adoption process with China and considering Ethiopia or other areas where God leads, I wish it could be the CR as they have my heart. Unfortunately, Costa Rica does not allow adoption except for citizens. Natalie Patricia and I were just pals today as we threw them up in the air and whirled them around by their arms before and after church this afternoon. We got so many hugs and kisses today as the kids just love to play and because so many do not have fathers around, they loved the attention. Many commented how tight of hugs they gave, as Mark mentioned later they do not get loved on very much so these are special times for them. My heart was melted no doubt. Please be praying for these little kids as they live very difficult lives and are very poor, but they have real hope with their faith and such joy at the time they spend with each other, the CLFCR team and the teams like us that come down.

Mark gave the message at church about can we lose our salvation and if that is possible. It is a common belief in the Catholic church here so he focused on the assurance of salvation and that while we may think we know God, the question should be, does God/Jesus know us? Have we truly accepted him and are we living a life that reflects him and produces the kind of fruit Galetians 5 speaks of.

We ended the night with a bonfire with the kids and some of their parents. It is a huge treat for them and they had s'mores, which are brand new to most of them. We had a blast making them for them and they all had chocolate and marshmallow smiles as we ended the evening. Priceless and many pics to come.

It was difficult finally leaving and we dropped off a few of the kids at their bus stop on our way home, and we had our last hugs and goodbyes. It is my prayer that God not only protects these little ones, but helps them to flourish and disciple others and to change their families, neighborhoods and their country for Jesus Christ. It is such a privilege to be here serving them and serving God, and it feels like I am soaring like an eagle.

Saturday, April 10 - by Steve

Saturday started with an early breakfast of burritos and fruit. Tom had the morning devotion and gave his testimony focusing on God’s sovereignty…his journey began with self dependence and, by God’s grace, moved to faith in and dependence on God. Hebrews 11 was special as the stories of the heroes of the faith were paramount his restarting his faith. God provided a patience throughout many years and kept prompting him to move from complacency to growth…He provided patience with Tom in coming to further dependence on Him during the many challenges that life provides while allowing him to see that He (God) was in control while prompting change, assurance, and strength to handle each situation.

Then we were on our way to the La Finca where part of the team worked on tiling the bathroom in the new house, and the rest of us moved dirt from behind the church to the end of the new church. This was to complete the concrete footer to protect the church from water seepage. Some of the kids showed up and started helping us dig and move dirt. They are such hard working kids. Kids kept showing up and the playing and games began. The choir (leadership team) was practicing and preparing for the day’s event. From 1-3pm, La Finca has an open house for any child in the area to come and play games. It was a mad house outside, from soccer, to balloon toss, to the famous slip and slide. Candy was passed out to kids, love was being spread in a major way to kids who just don’t get it from home. The weather was mild with a breeze, a blessed day to be outside.

At 4:30 we met with the New Life Church leaders at La Finca. These are 15-20 kids from ages 11-17. We devoured some pizza and got ready to meet with this leadership team. This team performed a drama that they’d done over Easter of the crucifixion/resurrection, it was powerful for sure, singing and dance. After that we had an open meeting with them. Three of the leaders shared their testimonies. Powerful stories of life transformation. Veronica shared some of her favorite verses (Galatians 2:20). Then the New Life team asked our team to share how they’d become Christians. This was a powerful time to pour our hearts out to them. We closed in prayer, asking God to raise up more young men to be discipled (more women than men on this team and in the church).

We finished our time back at the Missions house with some dessert and passed out early, ready for another day in Costa Rica. I was amazed at how God is using these young kids, all are leading discipleship groups, are going through being discipled themselves (memorizing at least a verse a day, having to be word perfect to go on to the next discipleship book). This is a leadership factory for sure. The first high school graduation from this ministry will occur at the end of this year. Adults are now being discipled, life transformation is massive and to God be the glory.

Friday, April 9 - by Greg

Our day started with a great 6:30 a.m. breakfast and a very moving devotion given by a very young 80 year old Tony Kuzdas (Mark's Dad). He discussed the following verses - Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 92:12-15, Job 39:27-29, Deut 32;11. All these verses discussed how God's love is like an eagle's love for her babies. She teaches them to fly by pushing them out of the nest and then flying down and catching them in her wing. To fly, all of us must stick out both of our wings and allow God's Holy Spirit to soar above the clouds. One wing represents loving God and the other represents loving others. To fly, an eagle needs both wings and people need both loves. We will all always remember this lesson.

Then we went to La Finca where part of the team painted the bathroom and the other team mixed concrete, loaded up rocks, and wheeled both to the back of the church where we poured a concrete footer to protect the church against water leakage. The team also visited the community where the 2005 team built a bridge over a sewer river. We headed home and stopped for ice cream.

After another wonderful dinner, Mark gave a very moving devotion (Isaiah 61:1 and 2nd Peter 1:16). Both verses are how we need to try to understand the glory and love of God. How God wants to be glorified and loves when his children praise and honor him.

Thursday, April 8 - by Steve

We had a blessed day today in Costa Rica. We started the day with a great devotion from Doug Tobin. He opened his heart to share his testimony with us how God has worked on his pride thru many personal trials the last five years. Strong exhortations from I Pet 5:5,6. God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble.

Off we went to Los Guido to La Finca for our work day. We had a team doing trench digging for water flow (sore backs) and a painting team working on the new house on the property (caretaker). I was on painting. It was a beautiful day in CR, mild with a breeze. God has allowed us to work hard and be servant leaders. We had hamburgers for lunch.

Getting to know those involved in this ministry has been such a blessing. We work along side many Costa Rican Christian men and women. There were a group of women making cards in the church, these are sold to raise money for there families to live (living hand to mouth is the norm here).

We came back to the mission house exhausted but thankful to serve and love Jesus. After a great dinner of CR lasagna, we had the privilege to have Pastor Rogelio of the Tejarcillos church share a message. His family was there and a new Christian and his wife too. Pastor Rogelio read Ps 136:1-5 and shared how the Lord was so good to him, what a privilege it was to pastor under Mark's leadership, and that God is doing/showing him new things each day. He was full of great joy to live and serve Jesus his Lord. He shared about what was happening in his ministry in Tejarcillos. This community like Los Guido is so violent that police don't even go into these communities. What really stood out to me was how he visited house to house, loving the unlovable. That when his church meets in a local community center that locals throw rocks at the center and their cars. Pastor Rogelio sees these trials as from the Lord since He owns all that he owns. Recently his home was burglarized. This reminded me of II Tim 3:12, "all who desire to live godly lives will be persecuted". A great promise Paul reminds us of, those here in Costa Rica live it. This sharing stunned my shallow commitment to Christ. How far does Jesus want us to go to love the unlovable? I will not be the same, I pray the same for you.

Wednesday, April 7 - by Tom

After a good night's sleep, most of us were awake before 6 a.m. Everyone from Georgia - Bloomington/Normal - Arizona - Naperville - Costa Rica had a hearty breakfast of eggs - fruit - pancakes. The Spirit used Steve Madawick to lead a devotion from Daniel 1 focusing on Daniel and his resolve to not defile himself with the king's choice food and wine. He and his fellow youths from Judah were blessed by God for their choice. They became our example of resolve for our faithful ongoing walk - an example today for all of us in Costa Rica including our fellow young folks from the Georgia team.

We then moved to La Finca to work with a mixture of the teams working on painting the new house (inside and out), leveling the land for the "community center", and making 13 long steel rebar cages for wall bases of the community center. The sun was quite hot but the fellowship was outstanding. The team stopped for prayer for God to bless Rafa, the La Finca architect, who was recently diagnosed with a severe illness. He said the group prayer was one of his lifelong highlights.

We later moved back to the mission house for dinner. The Spirit moved in all of our hearts as Mark Kuzdas shared the Spirit's leading to overcome all fear (2 Tim 1:7) >>> God's power to share His love in the Good News of Jesus. He told of his visit with his Costa Rican teenage leadership team to enter the most dangerous area of La Carpio 1 week ago. He was told by all the residents not to enter this area for their own safety and that all of his team would return naked (dead). Mark was reconsidering when one of his team members told him that he wouldn't know any of them unless he had trusted God and previously come to their neighborhood. Then as they were trying to find the way to this remote area, no one they knew would show them the way for their own safety. Mark hesitated to keep walking when he saw the narrow walk ways (remember this is the most dangerous in all of Costa Rica) when one of these young team members asked him what was he waiting for. They took Jesus' love with many gifts / candy for the children and many copies of John's gospel and all the candy was gone in the first 20 minutes. They continued to the river with only the Gospel of John to hand out. Later when they returned, they saw people sitting down reading John. All this occurred because they were willing to be bold to spread the Good News and resist the temptation to be safe and not reach out to a lost people. Mark was the first white person that this neighborhood had ever seen there. The Lord provided hundreds of children and and adults this first opportunity to see what Christians are supposed to do, but don't because of fear. Mark asked all of us if we were afraid to spread the Good News too? The Georgia team took this serious as they shared the promptings of this message and the blessings of the week as they return home tomorrow. What a day!

Tuesday, April 6 - by Alex and Greg

Most of us were up before 3 a.m. so that we could meet at The Compass parking lot at 4 a.m. to be shuttled to the airport by Ron Lavin for our 6:00 a.m. flight out. Our wives, who dropped us off, seemed to be a bit more chipper than the travelers. We were the last to board, but we made it. The flight was smooth, on time, and the connection was good. We cleared customs and immigration and were promptly picked up by Mark and his crew. We had a brief tour of the city, enroute to the mission house, settled in, had lunch, and then were on our way to La Finca where we began by watching Greg walk around in amazement by the progress God made here since his last visit. We met the group of 23 spring breakers (mostly HS students) from Thomasville Ga. What an energetic and polite team (never heard so many yes and no sirs) and some of us got tired just watching them. Eventually we did do a little work priming the new caretakers house for tomorrow's paint job. The other teams were digging out dirt banks to make room for the tutoring center walls. Another team was making making iron reinforcements for the future centers walls. Then the rain came (first one in 4 months) and both teams loaded up to head to the mission house for a wonderful chicken & rice dinner with a brownie & ice cream dessert.

Then it was time for Ariel's testimony. Everyone was touched by this young man's struggles to remain faithful and live a new Christ centered life. Even though he was a former gang member, is 23 years old, has been a part time youth minister for 3 years, is studying to graduate High School, he confessed that he struggles everyday not to go out partying with his old gang member friends. He needs to be in the Word daily to stay focused and to continue to live a Christ centered life. In the end, all 3 mission teams surrounded this young warrior, and touched him with all hands in a circle of prayer for his protection, God's blessing, his studies, and thanking him for humbling all of his fellow believers.

The daily struggle between Good (Jesus) and Evil (Satan) seems so much real here. Maybe that is why the potential harvest is so great. It is a place all Americans should experience so they can really understand how blessed they are to live in a place where we have all the basics (food, shelter, protection, and parents that love you).

Everyone from our team is already in bed, but the East White Oak Church team has a few members still up. I am still waiting for the last 4 of our team members to arrive from Phoenix. All of us look forward to tomorrow's project and seeing the local believers. Please continue to pray for our safety and that God might use us to advance his Kingdom on earth.

The Compass Church

Naperville, IL April 6-13, 2010