How did you first become interested in missions and in Costa Rica specifically?
In Matthew 28:19 Jesus calls us to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” We began getting involved in “missions” in our neighborhood during the summer of 2006 by walking our neighborhood, inviting the poor and brokenhearted neighbors into our home, hosting a neighborhood party, and spreading the gospel. In June 2006, Brooke took her first short term mission trip to Costa Rica to serve with a team alongside Mark and Meg. We began praying about our involvement in the ministry in the months following her trip. God placed it upon our hearts to return as a couple to Costa Rica in November 2006. While shadowing Mark and Meg during that trip, God revealed his plan for our family. We thank God for the privilege to be able to have even a small part in what He is doing in Costa Rica. We feel our purpose on this earth is to “preach good news to the poor.” (Isaiah 61:1) We feel we were uniquely created to serve the poor and broken hearted. We feel God’s blessing upon our decision to serve Him in Costa Rica.
What are your plans for 2008?
We will complete language training within the first part of the year, at which point we will begin full time ministry. We have decided to focus our ministry in Tejarcillos and have begun to take on responsibilities there as well. As we look ahead, we are excited to see God open up doors for ministry and service in Tejarcillos. We continue to ask the Lord for opportunities to serve as well as wisdom for our roles after school.
What are you excited about as you think and pray about this year?
We definitely look forward to the day when Spanish fills our minds and seamlessly rolls off of our tongues. We pray we see that day in 2008! One of our greatest joys is seeing the lost cross the bridge from death to life by accepting the free gift of the grace of Jesus Christ. We are very excited to see the day when we can begin serving full time in Tejarcillos. We feel it is no accident that the vision of the ministry in Costa Rica is evangelism and discipleship. We feel passionately about both of these areas. We look ahead into the future confident of things we cannot see yet - more pastors in both Los Guido and Tejarcillos, “La Finca-Tejarcillos” and funding for them all. We serve a God who is powerful, able and willing to do more than we can ever ask or imagine. It is with that in mind that we petition the Almighty for these things and more for 2008!
How can we pray for you?
We ask for you to pray for the spiritual warfare that is so evident in Costa Rica, the ministry areas, in the lives of the national teams and the gringo team and our family. Please pray for our marriage. Pray against the evil our children encounter every single day. Please pray that as God enlarges the territory of ministry in Tejarcillos, that his hand would be upon us. We pray that his face would shine upon Tejarcillos. Please pray for the growth of our relationship with Pastor Rogelio and Neris and the youth and adults of Tejarcillos. Pray for the youth that live in unthinkable conditions where unspeakable evil exists.
Ethan, Isabelle, Brooke, Audrey, and Matt
