This was my 5th trip to Costa Rica and probably one of the most significant. For the first time I was able to bring Alli and Micah with me (Caleb stayed with his Gee and Pah). I say it was the most significant because I began to look at Costa Rica as my future home. I looked at the local people as the people I wanted to minister with and to. I walked through the Ghetto, stepped in dog crap, slipped in the mud, played with the kids all with the mentality of this is where I will soon be. I was so encouraged by the missionary team that is currently ministering to Allejuita and I can’t wait to work with them during the next year during our training.
I had many emotions this trip but the one that kept on surfacing was joy. Joy filled my heart to see my wife feed children at the local feeding center. Joy filled my heart to see Micah pushed around in a fruit cart as we walked around the neighborhood. Joy filled my heart as I heard the stories of how God is blessing the ministry. Joy filled my heart as I heard the stories of people’s salvation. Joy filled my heart as we planned and talked about moving into a neighborhood in the heart of the ministry for the first year. Joy filled my heart as I thought about the opportunity of having Tico children in our family.
Joy fills my heart as I think about this next year. It will easily be the hardest year of our lives so far. It was easy during this trip to start feeling afraid of the task set before us but we take rest and comfort in the Lord (Psalm 23). Please pray for us as we try to line up a place to live so we can move early January. We trust that the Lord will provide the rest of what we need to be there long term.
Know that the Gospel is being preached, stomachs are being filled, homes are being built and disciples are being made all in the name of Christ. I anxiously await the day my family moves to the ranch and I go from having 3 kids to having 8 to 10! This trip continued to excite me about the ranch and the important role it will play in so many children’s lives. There are so many children living in such poor conditions with little to no adult interaction. Alli and I have been called to give some of these children the joy of having a family. Not only will they have a family but they will hear the gospel, see loving parents, know discipline, go to school, be bi-lingual, learn trades and hopefully grow to the conformity of Christ. We are honored to take on this task and therefore give up what we know here in the states for the good of the Gospel.
On Saturdays we go to a village called Verbena to host a feeding for the poor. Verbana, is filled with 80% of illegal Nicaraguan people with no job, no health care and scrap metal houses. 
This park was just renovated by a team of Gringos this year. The park is right next to a community building where we will be hosting a discipleship program for Children through the local church.
Join with us in prayer as we seek to rent this house. This is directly in front of the community center and next to the park. It’s small but the ministry opportunity would be great. We will learn a lot about the culture and language by planting ourselves in the heart of a neighborhood. Plus we will be in the center of the neighborhood we plan to minister to.
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