I hope everyone is doing well, I have been thinking recently about my home church family, in talking with my Dad he tells me that there is a lot going on as far as people who are sick and families struggling with many things. A member of the Costa Rica mission trip had a wife that was very ill, and has passed away this week. My prayers go out to all over you there!
It is true that if you are just available, God will use you for His kingdom. I don’t feel that I have any special set of skills to offer anyone here; I don’t use the information on the subject I studied in college. And yet God still presents opportunities to serve Him. This is not just for me, but for any Christian that prays for God’s guidance and for chances to serve His people. I want to continue to be open to what He would have me do.
This past week we spent the day in the town of Xenacoj, where the short-term mission teams have worked. We (meaning Mateo, a guy from New Zealand that I work with) fixed up some houses that needed work. We also gather information about some children that want to be in school, but whose families don’t have the funds to send them. It is very common for children to go to school up until what is the equivalent of 6th grade, and then drop out. After that, it gets more expensive and it is when the student changes schools. There have been various people that have come down and expressed interest in sponsoring students, and so right now we are in charge of finding out information about the schools they could attend, how much it would cost, ect.
I have also started an English class with someone here, we have a great book that we were also using with the workers in the Hope Haven factory. Right now, we are not sure if we’re going to be able to continue the English classes there, it is something on hold.
We have also had the chance to take some of the children and teenagers at Hermano Pedro, a Catholic orphanage for children with Special needs and hospital, out to lunch and to spend some time in the park. I think I mentioned before that it is an overwhelming place because of the amount of children, teenagers, and adults living there. Whenever they have the chance, they are allowed to leave with volunteers to spend a few hours out. Unfortunately, they do not often have the chance to leave, even for a few hours. The one who helped us with this is Dick, he is a missionary here with Bethel Ministries, and is the only person that works on the chairs there. He has a huge job. I can honestly say he is one of the most incredible people I have ever met; he came down here 12 years ago and heard the call of God on his life. He opens his home to a couple teenage boy that live there. He expects a lot from them, but in love. When he talks about the children, teenagers, and adults at the orphanage, he speaks with such passion and love for them. He knows their stories, and when they see him, they light up. This is a link to his blog; http://blog.dickrutgers.com/
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watch and thankful…Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:2-6
