Dear friends and family,As we approach the end of our second year in Costa Rica we are truly amazed at all that the Lord has done. We have been blessed with the joy of once again starting a church from the ground up, a church that had 90 people in attendance last week for celebration and a church picnic, a church in which we are the only team members who are foreigners. The Lord has brought together a local leadership team with truly exceptional capacities. Jose is a co-pastor with us in Puente de Esperanza (Bridge of Hope)–this is the name the church has finally decided to adopt. Please pray for clarity about his role with the church, as he currently has numerous jobs and responsibilities with other organizations. Unfortunately, he has had very little time for the church up until now.
Jeffry and Sidey give leadership to both our youth and children. With their passion to impact the emerging generation in the Orosi Valley for Christ, they are dedicated to inviting young people on the adventure of a lifetime in Christ. Mario and Dinia have deeply caring hearts and often find themselves counseling and caring for their neighbors, most of whom don‘t know Jesus. They model a godly family life in a place where many homes are without fathers and where children as young as 12 years old are involved with drugs and prostitution.Marjorie is a single mother who has a giant heart for community service and evangelism. She constantly reminds us all of the need to touch the whole person and meet people at their point of need within the community. She is also our Spanish teacher and provides translation as needed when things get complicated and outstretch our language skills.
A major accomplishment of this team in recent weeks is the adoption of our purposes as a church. Some of you will recognize them as those wonderful and familiar 4 Cs we have held so dear for many years: Celebrar la vida de Cristo; Cultivar una vida personal en Cristo; Cuidarnos mutuamente en Cristo and Comunicar a Cristo al mundo. Even if you don‘t speak any Spanish we know you will recognize Celebrate, Cultivate, Care and Communicate! Next steps are vision and mission statements. Our church is well on the way to having a philosophy and strategy of ministry to guide it into the future and the work God has planned especially for this community. It is our desire to train and empower the church to function independently to reach the people of this valley with a dynamic message of Christ‘s love and salvation.
Even as we seek to give more and more control and leadership away to the church planting team, the Lord is opening up still more doors for effective ministry for us here in the valley. It seems the Enemy has held a strong foothold here for many generations, especially in the area of sexual sin and the exploitation of children. In recent months we have spoken to many who are deeply concerned that this valley has been a haven for those who are involved in sexual perversion. Just yesterday, two of Justice‘s teachers warned us that there are men in our immediate neighborhood who pay children (vulnerable due to their ignorance and their poverty) for sexual acts. Our own 6 year old grandchild has been approached sexually by two children in the neighborhood in recent months. A consensus is growing that a cooperative project is desperately needed in the valley to provide education for parents and children and to offer programs of prevention for children and youth. This project will require cooperation from many disciplines to include educators, government workers, psychologists and social workers, spiritual leaders and local churches among others. We have nurtured this vision we are calling Proyecto MORFO and held the first official meeting to discuss the project this week in our home. We believe that God wants to use us to reverse the course of this valley and conquer the generational curse that has tormented the people here for many years.
Prayer needs: Please pray for the team as there are many inherent challenges to having a bi-lingual, bi-cultural team. Teamwork is tough in the best of circumstances! Also, continue to pray for our financial needs. God is good and we have been able to receive full salary three months in a row! But at the same time, a church that supported us for many years wrote this month to say they will be ending their funding as of July. We need faithful supporters now more than ever before and are grateful to those of you who responded with special gifts and renewed commitments!We are resting in the knowledge that our security is found in the hands of a holy and loving God. Finally, pray for the initiation and direction for Proyecto MORFO to protect the children of this beautiful valley.
God bless you and hold you like a child in His gentle, loving arms always!
With love,
Rick & Judith
Please send gifts designated for “the Grossmans” to:
Global Outreach Mission
USA: Box 2010, Buffalo, NY 14231-2010
Canada: Box 1210, St. Catharines, ON L2R 7A7
Apartado 141-7100, Paraiso COSTA RICA
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