Christian Light Foundation Costa Rica
Evangelism and Discipleship
Together in the joy of the Lord
© 2012 Christian Light Foundation Costa Rica.   Contact Us
Thursday, February 23
  Hey there again!! well this is my last day in Costa. my flight leaves tomorrow at 7:15!! should be home around 5 O'clock! it has been an awesome trip it really has!! got to watch, learn and interact with people. God has certainly been with me and has taught me alot.   Mark n Meg have treated me so well, I've learned alot from them...so yea i just want to send out a thanks to them and their clan haha...Mark, Meg, Melinda, Noemy, Valaria, Mariana, last but not least Bethany.  y'all have made this an amazing trip and have taken good care of me...thanks you so much. 
  umm lets see well goodness all the kids that have challenged me so much and the relationships that I've made, I'm definitely thankful for all of them. And will miss them much.  well this will be my last blog so. thank y'all at home that have continually prayed and supported me on this trip. you've been a great team and i am greatly thankful. with out y'all this probably wouldn't have happen.  so from the Bottom of my heart thank you. i pray God will bless you for all that you've done.  So thankful for my family that has missed me back home its been nice being missed haha...umm my beautiful girlfriend Miriam Ball who has done an amazing job at helping me through this trip, she kept me focused on the Goal ahead and God has used her greatly. so thank you dearest...oh!! and Ellie koraneke who every week checked in on me and asked me how i was, asked me what i needed prayer for and constantly encouraging me...definitely one great prayer warrior. thank you. 
  Well everyone its been great...stay focused on the race ahead...stay in the in word and constantly seek the truth.  there is so much at stake.  lets make the most of these short years we have on this earth...the devil will attack us. it will be hard. we will fall. we will fail. we will get dirty. but all of this is an honor for the sake of Christ...
  take care yall, God bless,

Monday, February 20
  Hey there!  wow what a week it has been...this has been an awesome week...the first couple days were a bit slow. but Wednesday we went to la carpio again for discipleship groups.  I went with mark and found out that lesliana, a little gal i got to know earlier on, was one of mark's disciples...and to be honest i'm not sure how to describe the feeling...it was the best part of my trip thus far...i reckon it was just because i had a connection with her more than any of the other kids i met...it made it very exciting to see her learning how to use a bible for the first time, and know the possibilities that open up for her if she would end up accepting Christ, and getting a glimpse of what they do down here all the time...i don't know...it was such an honor to be a part of that and even more cool that it was her...i just wish i would have invested more, i'm not sure if i'll get to see her again...so that is a sad thought. but!! another thing that was a huge honor to be a part of, is that i got to go to the second river a new area of la carpio, in the after noon that day as well.  which was awesome to be apart of...even though i couldn't speek the language. just seeing the craziness of how God worked there...we didn't even get through half of the area because there were so many people that came out of their homes and wanted to know more and what we were doing there. and the ladies that did most of the talking did a wonderful job i was very impressed God is going to use them and has used them in some huge ways...i'm really looking forward to seeing some of the friut that is going to come out of this area...God gave us a great first trip down there with a team. several kids wanted to be discipled and like i said before...they came out of thier houses to see us...not the other way around...it is not useually like that...God was with us...so i am greatly thankfull for all your prayers that helped make that happen and kept us safe. and i hope that you will continue to pray.  So wednesday was by far the coolest day down here. 
then!!! thursday meg took us to the beach...which was...wow an awesome day...the weather was perfect...the sound of the waves coming in...body surfing!!  made a sick sand castle, because we're cool like that, an awesome smoothy! haha it was just what the doctor ordered. 
  then friday i was at la finca most of the day putting another coat of paint on the house there...theeennn saturday was kids club...they planned a special treat for me...it was very interesting...if you wanna see what they did there are pictures on facebook...probably on the "christian light foundation Costa Rica" page...that was also very interesting but still very fun!...so this week has been a blast...sorry i haven't written in so long. 
  My trip is drawing to an end...i get home friday in the afternoon sometime. looking forward to being home but am going to miss everyone down here very much...it'll going to be an adjustment  for sure... well i'll try to checkin one more time before i leave...again thank you much for your prays and support and all of those who checked in with me to see how i was....catch ya later!!

Saturday, February 11
  Hey there! hope all is well in your lives and thank God for you...this last week went fast as well...things are well.  some exciting things are happening...the garden is taking off and looking well!  I do have a special prayer request for this up coming week as we will be starting to go into the second river area of la carpio...its a new area that they haven't ministered to yet and i have the honor of getting to take a trip in there with them this next Wednesday!! yeahh!! haha. Please pray for strength for the team that will be starting there in this new area. pray that the God will work there and prepare the hearts of the people and that the fruit will be great, for the glory of God. for those who don't know the significance of this. let me explain...La Carpio is considered the most dangerous slum in Costa Rica.  Everybody told mark he's crazy for going there...God didn't think so and allowed them to go and brought fruit.  The second river is the most dangerous place in la carpio...everybody there said don't go...God is allowing them to go and i would be grateful to you all to pray for safety as it is dangerous, and most of all that God will use them to work in this place and that many will come to Christ and that the will of God will be done!  so yea that is very exciting!  Bethany is thrilled to go in and is taking on a lot of responsibility there...so yea pray for her.
  And!! on a lighter note i get to go to the beach next Thursday!!! yea baby!!  brandis is a fan of the beach! haha...i'm pretty pumped. when meg told me we were going i squealed a lil bit. not gonna lie..haha...so yea its been a good week.
  God is continuing to bless me with his grace and mercy and teaching me and giving me a vision and heart for his ways and will...so some priceless lesson are being learned, through his word and just by watching and listening...good conversations...i'm so thankful for the chance to be here and for everybody that is teaching me and investing in me...so yea i just wanna give God the glory for that...he's been pretty darn awesome to me...well i reckon i'll check in later!  Thank you all for your support. let us not stray from the truth but continue on in the strength of Christ!

Monday, February 6
  Hey all!! so we got the garden all down and done...so thank God for that and pray for a good harvest!  all is going well! mark, meg and the girls got back this Friday, so good to have them back and see them...Melinda unfortunately got sick and couldn't come home until Sunday night...so pray for her cause she's very under the weather right now.  I just wanted to mention some thought and things that have been on my mind lately...lets see. 
  The need and importance for truth and honesty has been continuing to hit me...its something that many refuse to see anymore. the pursuit of truth is vital to the christian walk...thankfully by just pursuing Gods and his word, truth is learned and proclaimed.  but without the time spent in the word and the will to understand and live out what it says, the christian is essentially cutting off his life line...with out the truth of scripture constantly being spoke into our lives, we will inevitably slide into the ditch, off the strait and narrow and into a life of confusion and lies, even the "best" Christians are susceptible to this. all of us must be in constant pursuit of Christ and his truth, if not? we deny ourselves of the very thing we need the most. Christ. Christ is truth. with out Christ we die. its as simple as that...so let us pursue Christ without excuse. let us live our lives in a way that glorifies Christ and furthers his kingdom. 
  I have many times gotten discouraged by this task we take on, knowing that i will never achieve perfection until i am united with my God and savior. but that is not an excuse either.  the past few weeks many situations have come up to remind me of this need for truth.  a few days back i had a conversation with a friend, who ask me if i would rather be around some one who said everything they thought. or someone who never let you in life and you never get to know them...i chose the person who said everything...even though that person is a fool...i would rather know the truth about some one than believe a lie about them.  another attribute of this "truth" topic, was brought up in my crazy mind, when i was listening to the ten commandments being quoted. Gods commands us not to lie.  and i thought you know that's one commandment that i don't really struggle with...i'm a truthful guy and have striven to be known for being an honest man...no matter how difficult the truth.  but the more i thought the more i realized that i am a liar.  i might make it a point not to lie to others...but.  how many times have i lied to myself...that hit me.  because i have noticed others in the past and present who are deceived and refuse to know truth even through its right in front of them...i am guilty of the very same thing.  Let us not deceive our self. lest we lie to others and to God as well.  It doesn't matter how hard, how dirty. how sinful. or disgraceful. truth is the truth.  I might not want to admit that i am a murder, a liar, or an adulterer. but i am. all of us are. it isn't fun to think about or admit. but its the truth. don't deny it.  only a fool chooses to ignore the truth that's in front of him. let us not be fools. because we will be judged accordingly.  reading through proverbs on this trip i have read some intense words about the fool......dear friends lets us see the truth. not deny it!
  We are all sinners and must come to grips with the fact that we all need saving. Believe and trust that our God sent his son to take the punishment for our sins...this is truth...face it! take up your weapons and fight...fight for truth in a world full of lies...fight for Our God for he is with us and will protect us. we will be persecuted.  it will be hard. we will get dirty, hungry, and tired. and i pray that we all will be willing to give our lives...for truth. God is truth...lets us live like we believe it, and fight the hard battle that is before us! 
  All is well. thank you all for your support and prayer. keep praying and pressing on in Christ

Tuesday, January 31
  Hey there, sorry i know its been like six days since i wrote last...this week has gone by quick it seems. but lets see...pretty much all the uniforms are all passed out, there are a few that go to tejarcillos yet but i think that's it.  mark and meg and the girls are gone up in Arizona with family, so me and Bethany have been working on putting in a garden at la finca, it going good we got everything we needed to start out should easy be done this week. other than that we just been hanging out...I've been doing some cleaning...lets see kids club was Saturday...that was wet like usual haha but so much fun. church Sunday.  went out and got most of what we needed for the garden Monday but couldn't find everything we needed so we ask the guy at the garden section and he told us where to find the rest...so today we had to figure out where the place was. which took us like three hours...i know i know. that sounds like a bit long but we finally found it and got what we needed. so tomorrow we're planning on working at la finca on that...but yea nothing too crazy exciting has been going on...starting to miss home alil bit but that's expected from a home body like me hehe...Gods been continuing to work and change things in me so thank him for that...once again appreciate of y'all support. i sure hope Gods blesses you for...catch ya later thanks!!  

Wednesday, January 25
  hey again.  just thought I'd check in again...it been five days i know...sorry. i fail at having a blog...but yea anyway.  the team is gone they left Sunday about eleven. Then doug and karen left at like 5 the next morning, sad to see everybody go.  Its weird being in this big ole house alone...well noemy is still here but shes at work most of the day...but its good in a way to have space ha...umm lets see...oh! Monday we went back to la carpio and passed out uniforms at the kindergarten there in until like 1:30. which went very well i thought.  then we all took off and walked down by one of the rivers and handed out more uniforms down there, we had some we didn't give out the week before when we were there so we went back there...its a good walk...alot of hills. but really not to bad at all.  we walked by leslianas house. so i got to see her again. she came out and gave me a big hug...so that was very nice to have haha...then!! mark and meg had me n Bethany over to their house for supper, which was amazing! got to play some mario cart...that made for an awsome day!  yesterday was a pretty chill day. i went with Bethany and meg, to get Bethanys drivers license...that was quite the process. went here and there and there and here and back again again haha, but she got it with out too much trouble. so thank God for that.  that night was the prayer meeting at la finca so we went to that, got the privilege of playing some worship songs with one of their leadership team guys, memo is his name, so that was pretty cool to be a part of that...good day.  to all of those who are praying for me i thank you so much and want to send out some thanks to God. i feel like i have ask for alot of pray and needs...but i don't want to forget to give the God the praise and the Glory for anything that happens here...cause it is so thank God for mark meg and the teams that come down and the folks that serve with them regularly.  God has done so many extraordinary things...so i thank God for his mercy and grace to me. for giving me the chance to come down here and providing me with support he used y'all to give.  half way through the third week...still loving it and learning. i pray that i will continue to be change. God is pretty much awesome. we'd all be totally screwed with out him. So thank God...well i better get back to work. i got some cleaning to do...catch y'all later

Friday, January 20
  Hey yall...oh wow. well its been awhile since i've written. this week has flown by. a lot going on.  i don't even know where to start...getting to actually know some of the kids and learn about their stressfull lives. learing that people are peolpe no matter what culture they come from. and that i can take what i learn and use it back in the states, one runs in to many of the same situations. the people are just poorer and more grateful ha...hard situation...drugs and alcohol ubuse are every where...soo many women and children that come with scars and bruises...i can't look into all of the eyes cause i can only take so much hurt each day. but its good...i see it in the states but i'm not as allert and focused.   and it not as concentrated...the last two days went to la finca in the morning with the team, they did vbs, then the first day we passed out uniforms and the second day we had a mens dinner which was pretty cool to be apart of...i didn't really do anything it was just cool to be there and watch haha.  today we all went to the "six flags wanna be" amusment park which was actuially really fun. the team that is down here took the leadership team. so i tagged along...fun day.  but yea...i've been a little tired but nothing that i haven't' felt before...a lot of different emotion everyday...the people you see. the kids you play with. and the places you go...the different personalities you get to experience...for those who know me.. know that i love watching people and interacting with different personalities and getting to know someone...picking peoples brains and learning what i can learn...it has been wonderful.  God has changed the way i look at some things and one thing that i have really been noticing is that scripture has really been popping out to me down here...just things that i have heard or read...sooo many times...that i'm hearing and reading them in a new light and they make much more sense...example, I've read the book of proverbs many many times...it's one of my favorite books...you would think that i would have gotten everything out that there is to get...not even close. so many things just made sense and became much more applicable to me...which is totally an answered prayer.  Thank you all for praying...i need it and appreciate it soo very much.  hopefully i can stay focused and stay useful...i don't feel i'm being as usefull as i should be and i don't do near enough...so pray that I'll work harder haha...anyway, i better get to bed soo yea catch ya later. thanks!!

Saturday, January 14
  Hey y'all...so went to la carpio for the first time yesterday...very eye opening. very poor and considered the most dangerous place we go to. its nuts what these people can do with what little they have. trash everywhere, tin shacks, kids usually have maybe a mom or a grandmother. but alot of time that person is working so all the responsibility falls on an older sibling. very few dads...any man figure is never usually around long.  there is this little thing at la finca (jenny is her name) about six to eight some where in there. she comes all the time by herself she's just alone that i know of i don't know where she goes afterward ether.  she doesn't like to go home ever and walks through these dangerous places alone...its nuts i can't imagine my little niece who is just a little younger than jenny walking around these places living pretty much alone...that's just to give you an idea of what you would see down here...it pulls on the heart. we passed out quite a few uniforms so that was good. oh i got to meet and play with the cutest little thing named sherling i think?? i could be wrong...i couldn't understand what she was saying but she would just chatter away.  i could tell she wasn't really trusting of me at first but after awhile she warmed up alot...me n her had lots of fun haha...cause i'm basically a little kid too.  today went to la finca for kids club which is every Saturday, with Bethany and Doug.  got shown up in soccer which am not good awful but i feel that way around them. not nearly as many kids were there because mark wasn't there...you should see there faces when he first pulls in...they are all hollering his name...and some how they know when he going to be there and when he's not so that's a mystery to me haha.  A team from Florida came in today bout a couple hours ago...twelve of them, so that'll be fun having people around all the time for a week.  and apparently they have an intense schedule for the next eight days, so it'll be good i'm pumped and ready to be busier.  So the food is great down here, the fruit actually has flavor like its supposed to haha.   and the driving is nuts. oh and its soo strange you'll be driving along with regular/old junky cars. and you'll see like $70,000 beamer or what ever...its crazy.  The kids and everyone else is teaching me soo much more than I'll be able to help them out...I've been able to get up in the morning and go out on the back balcony and have some solid time with God...this next week will be alot harder to keep that.  but all is well and i'm looking forward to being stretched and busy...well i hope that's a good enough update i'm not good at this kinda thing...again thank you much for your prayers and hope you'll continue to pray...its needed so thank you. God bless

Tuesday, January 10
  Hey there, well I made it!! I'm down here and well and happy haha. I'm not very good at this writing and keeping people up to date thing but yea...so far things are very good...got in about 2 Monday afternoon and Meg picked me up at the airport. We went and met up with the rest of the crew who were out doing some shopping, and we got back to the house here about 4ish? i think?...time is hard to keep track of. Then went up the mountain over looking the city and ate out and had a little send off for one of their pastor friends. Good stuff. This morning has been very relaxing which is good, cause I was pretty tired last night and they tell me it's gonna pick up soon. So I'm looking forward to that. But hey I just wanna thank y'all for your prays and support and investing in this ministry along with me...it means so very much. So thank you and well I reckon I'll check in later so yea!  
Brandis Ulrich
East White Oak Bible Church
Carlock, IL ~ January 9 - February 24, 2012
Brandis' pictures
are on Facebook  here.
Related Blog:
Calvary Chapel