Here is a recent newsletter from a missionary family (Jason and Kerby Harpst) the church supports in Costa Rica.  Jason used to be a member here at Living Hope. They work with Project Abraham.

Family

As you all know, the month of June marked our 1 year anniversary of serving as missionaries in Costa Rica. We are blessed in how God has provided for our needs and helped us adjust to life in another culture. June also has brought with it, a lot of time in the Children’s Homes filling in for the house parents, tutoring the kids in their schoolwork, and Kerby has begun volunteering teaching English at the Project for adults and teens. It is great to know Spanish enough to start getting involved more with our ministry not only with the children but also the adults. We have truly enjoyed getting to know the construction workers on a personal level and other adults within the church family here. It is feeling more like home to us everyday. Ministry The last update in April about the Project included an update about the fence. Well, the new playground now has a roof as well. After hours of making the trusses for the playground roof, it is now installed in place. It is a beautiful place for the kids and they are very blessed to have a place to play during the rainy season. Thank you to everyone that helped make this happen. We also are up to nine interns now. They all come from different parts of the US and it is great to have them here. For their helping hand and also their friendship.

Praises and Requests

– We have a Facebook Page.Please visit and “like” it! (Toda La Gente Ministries)

– The community with our fellow Americans here

– Time spent with fellow Tico workers outside of the work and the children

– The 6 siblings we mentioned in April. It looks like they will be going to their grandparents early…in the next few weeks, and the fear is that the parents will just take them back.

-Minor and Jenny—There are 2 families interested and we pray that God is preparing both sides as the adoption process progresses.

– Pray for continued financial support as we operate completely on a volunteer basis here in Costa Rica and we have lost some monthly supporters.

– Pray for our adoption eligibility and what our options are here in CR

– Pray for our Spiritual, Physical, and Emotional strength.

– Pray for the children of the Abraham Project. For the children that have been adopted, the children that are currently at the Abraham Project, and for those that will be at the Abraham Project in the future.

– Pray for the Lighthouse Community Church and their vision for the surrounding neighborhoods.

– Pray for the Costa Rican workers and their families.

Email: todalagentecr@gmail.com

todalagentecr.blogspot.com

Facebook: Toda La Gente Ministries

From Erin

I don’t have much time to write, but I thought I should send a quick update from the other side of the world!

God has blessed us in so many ways over the past week or so, concerning sharing the Gospel with the Songhai. Since we don’t have the language capabilities yet, Emily and I have been playing recorded cassettes with the Gospel message in Zarma for groups of women. Some of them seem interested, so please pray that as we finish our time here we are able to communicate clearly with these particular women and find out exactly what their thoughts are! Thankfully, we’ll be having our translator back with us for a couple of days, so she’ll be a HUGE help in communicating with them! We’re SO excited for the opportunity to have more in-depth conversations about Jesus!!!

I’m struggling with mixed feelings about our time here coming to an end. I wish with all my heart that I could stay, but the responsibilities waiting for me back in the States are constantly in the back of my mind. Please pray for me, that I will use the rest of my time here wisely, and that I will be able to begin to adjust to the idea of coming back to a life in the U.S.

Before I go, here are a couple more names of some women that you can be in prayer for:
~Mariama 1, Alima, and Alima’s Mom (neighbors of the Foxes)
~Mariama 2, her sister, their Mom, Baby Luke, Fati, and the rest of their compound (neighbors of the believer)
~Mariama 3, her children, and her compound (more neighbors of the Foxes)

(Yeah, I know, everyone here is named Mariama…I’M even named Mariama!! Haha!)

Thanks once again for all your prayers and support! We love you all! Kala Tonton!

Please be in pray for Pastor Jason this Sunday.  He will be preaching Nehemiah 4:1-23.  Today’s message will be talking about overcoming obstacles and opponents.  Pray that Jason will be open to delivering the message that God has placed upon his heart.

The youth group has spent the past week in Superior, Colorado.  There the group participated in service ministry through Cool River Church to the community.  Kevin Colon, the pastor, used to be apart of Living Hope.  Superior is very different than Bowling Green.  In this city, you cannot have a Back Yard Bible Club.  There are laws about how one shares his faith.  Therefore, our team had to minister through service.

The city overseer said this about how the team worked, “I cannot pay someone to work this hard.”  He asked how a group of youth could be so efficient and hard working.  Will Burnham’s response, “We are working for the Lord.  Our efforts are glorifying him.”  This conversation allowed Will to share with this non-believer about Christ.

Please be in prayer for our team as they travel back today.  Also, be praying for Kevin Colon as he minsters in an area of our country that is very closed to the Gospel.

Our daily routine is to meet at TBCH campus chapel in the morning for some fun, songs and thoughtful devotionals led by Mark Gilliam.  What a great way to begin each day.  At 9:30 we break into age level groups with over 30 youth and a dozen or more in each of the 2 elementary groups.  This has been a great time to dig a little deeper into the characteristics and names of God as demonstrated through the life of Moses.  We see creative and loving teachers leading our kids and the residents at TBCH.  Our construction team braved the heat and problem solved to hoist the trusses and begin roofing the pavilion.  The S.O.S team are our Servants on Site.  This team tackles whatever job they are given.  Today they cleaned a closet, hung mini blinds, trimmed trees and moved brush, worked on computers, organized a kitchen, and more.  After a great lunch prepared by our kitchen crew, all the kids either attended a fun class of their choice or worked beside their parent in a servant project.  A brief afternoon thunderstorm moved our 2:00 pm recreation plans indoors.  No problem, our team rallied and came up with a new plan. Dodge ball, basketball, and free time arts & crafts kept adults and the kids happy for the next two hours.  We closed our day with a time together in the chapel.  We sat in teams as Bill Starr led us in sharing ways we saw God working, what touched us, what new things we learned, and how this experience is changing us.  Our team is made up of folks aged six to sixty-six so it is really wonderful to hear the insights that are shared.

When we arrived, Team Leader Cindy Starr welcomed each family with a gift bag that included family devotions, moon pies (originated in Chattanooga) and black wrist bands that say “Watch for God”.  We are being very intentional to teach our children and remind ourselves to do this.  Today, some of the ways we saw God at work follows…
*Bob Smith is in charge of painting the concrete wall and small building that surrounds the pool.  At the store this morning, a paint supplier overheard Bob talking about our work at the children’s home and gave us some paint at no charge.   God is at work.
*Premade trusses for the pavilion were a bit off but our skilled team took a problem and made it work.  Hot weather was a challenge to our men but a brief afternoon rain cooled them.  Thank you God for rain and skills that you have given us.  God is at work.
*Preconceived notions and fears of how to relate to kids who come from troubled backgrounds were quickly resolved as we shared together in the story of rescue for Moses and the people of God.  We have much more in common than not.  We learned to work and play together as one.  God is at work.
*Young children expressed their thankfulness for the new friends they have made…for the new things they have learned today.  God is at work in their hearts.
*When we visited the site earlier in the year, the tennis court was in rough but usable shape.  We scheduled afternoon tennis lessons for the residents.  When we arrived, the courts were refinished and newly striped but the old net was in disrepair and thrown away.  Without a net, we were not able to proceed.  Teacher Danny Darnell immediately began calling and networking with local and national friends who might be able to help us.  God provided a local company who gave us the net with a promise to send a check later for payment.  They did not know us, but they could see God at work and joined in.

Side by side, parents and children are working together to complete tasks big and small.  There is plenty to do for all ages and skills.  Children see other families working together nearby.  Single adults and older couples with grown children serve right beside the very young.  Praying…singing…teaching…playing…learning…serving.  God is at work in and through each team member this week at the Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home in Chattanooga, Tennessee.  Praise be to God!

Shirley S. as she recovers from open heart surgery.

Brandt C. has a mass on his right arm.  The doctors are doing tests to determine what it is.

Cristan O., 37, has breast cancer.

Gary C is having surgery to remove a shunt in his arm in order to put another one in.

A family’s adult child is going through a difficult marriage separation.  It could lead to a move of the spouse and the children not seeing the other parent.  Pray that God can heal their relationship.

A member has a friend whose husband left her and took everything. Pray for Kristie to feel God’s love during this hard time and for the relationship to be healed.

From Emily

I am almost moved to tears about how wonderfully the Lord has heard and answered prayer! In the past week, He has given me confidence to speak Zarma (although it’s not exactly fluent or even understandable at times, and my dictionary is well-worn) and I have found myself resting in the knowledge that He is always, always in control.

This week we began playing Gospel tapes for women around the village. We use The Good News for Women, which shares Bible stories about women Jesus encountered, plays a song or two, and shares testimonies from various African women who have become Christ followers. We ask women to listen to the tapes as they work, and most have graciously allowed us to play them! When they hear that the tape is more than just fun music, they often become disinterested, but we are praying that the Lord will bring us to the right compounds.

Love Him.

Ministry looks different every day. Although playing tapes is a huge part of our reason for being here, we are in this village to shine light in a dark, dark place. Whether I am playing with a precious kid, peeling garlic for a friend, or praying for a young bride, light is being spread when I do it all in Jesus’ name! It is incredible to me how even the smallest action here makes the largest difference- I sow a seed every time that I tell a child that Jesus loves them, even if they do not know who Jesus is. I was encouraged this week as I read 1 Corinthians 3:5-9:

“…the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, [another] watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers, you are God’s field, God’s building.”

Regardless of the fruit we see at the end of the summer, God is growing the seeds that we plant across our village. He is working on hearts in ways that we cannot even imagine, and He knows the names of each person He will call to Himself. I am so thankful to be a part of a ministry that will one day see many Songhai believers in our village! Thank the good Lord Jesus that salvation is not up to Erin and I- if that were the case, we would never see a single woman believe in Jesus. I’m so glad that God is in control of every single heart and situation!

Our family getting their hair done!

Please please pray for us as we spend 3 more weeks out in the village. Pray for endurance. Pray that we will have patience with the people. Pray that the Lord will give us strength, health, and motivation to live each day to its absolute fullest, nearly exhausting ourselves from ministry!

I promise, she begged us to hold our stuff!

Pray fervently for the hearts of the Songhai. Pray that we would be led to the right women, and that they will see more than just our white skin as we talk about our Savior. The Lord hears prayers and has answered them in miraculous ways this summer, so we are extremely grateful for your partnership with us in prayer!

War and peace, poverty and prosperity, closed minds and open hearts – emeritus IMB missionary Sam James has seen it all. Driven by a divine love for the Vietnamese people, James has dedicated his entire life to bringing Christ’s message of hope to the lost of Vietnam. A message, it seems, that is resounding in hearts across the country.

Thank you Lord for growing your church.

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/24847314]

As missions pastor, I have traveled all over the world.  Out of all the countries I have been in, America is one of the greatest.  We have our issues, like any country, but we are free.  I say that in the context of worship of our God.  We are not persecuted for our love of our Lord.  This fourth, please pray for our country, that we can always have freedom to worship.  Also, pray for those countries were those who believe in Jesus are persecuted.  Pray that his witness lives strong and his church can grow.

As a veteran, I also realize what it cost for this country to be free.  There are brave men and women in various armed forces serving in other countries so that we and often people, of those countries, can be free. Take time to pray for the soldiers…that they are safe…that they are encouraged…and that they know the Father’s love.

Please be in prayer for Pastor Jason today as he brings the message to Living Hope Baptist Church.  Pray that he is sensitive to the Spirit and preaches boldly what the Lord has laid upon his heart.