Grace Fellowship

Here is our PPM staff for the week! Kim, Ishi, Fio, and Jeric will be supporting us while we minister in the community of Santa Rita, Rio Cuarto. 

We can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store for all of us.

We arrived safely in Costa Rica! We are so willing to serve the Lord and we are expecting that God will do even more than at we can imagine. 

We got to Iglesia de Dios where we were welcomed by Pastor Jorge's family and the church cooks. We were all overjoyed to meet each other! After our introductions, we enjoyed a delicious dinner. 

On Sunday morning, we started our day with an orientation meeting. PPM staff shared some important rules and advice for us to keep in mind as we hope to have a really good week.

This morning we participated in an amazing church service, full of the Holy Spirit! We worshiped, praised, and danced for the Lord. 

Pastor Keith's sermon today was centered around the call to "Keep in the race no matter what!" The scripture was based in Hebrews 12:1-3, where God is teaching us to fix our eyes on Him and to leave behind our burdens, our past way of life, and stay focused on the reward of eternal life. 

This afternoon we got the chance to share with pastor and his family. They shared their testimonies with us: how they started with the church and about how good God has been to them. We wrapped up this time praying for them and the church. It is an honor to serve alongside them this week!

After time with the pastors, we went to get all the groceries for this week's food distribution ministry. 

We were so excited to play soccer with the locals that not even the rain could stop us! We enjoyed this time a lot!

At the end of our first official day of being in Costa Rica, we gathered as a group to share our highlights of the day and to pray for the days ahead.

This morning we bagged up all the groceries for food distribution and we prayed for the families that we are going to visit.

This morning we split the team, first team was unloading some materials and starting to place tiles in the dining area.

The second team was visiting some houses. We met Marvin and Gretel. This couple taught us the importance of being still and letting God work in our circumstances. They told us their testimonies and it was really encouraging to see the light of God shining so bright in their faces even when they are going through hardships. 

Our afternoon was spent at the school, where we connected with around 80 energetic kids. We shared the story of Jesus calling His first disciples through a skit (Luke 5:1-11). Afterward, the fun continued as we divided into two teams for bracelet making and futbol.

Today was a powerful day, with morning and afternoon ministry. In the afternoon, we visited Marielos, a remarkable woman who stands as the only Christian in her household. Her family, once churchgoers, lost their faith after her two children were diagnosed with heart disease. Yet, Marielos's courage and strength in continuing to seek God, despite her circumstances, are truly inspiring. She is a profound example to us, and her unwavering faith brought to mind Joshua 1:9: 'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.'

This afternoon, before continuing with food distribution, we visited the elderly home. We played bingo, shared lots of prizes, and had wonderful conversations. It was a joy to listen to their stories, share laughs, and enjoy some snacks together.

Tonight was special! We had the chance to connect with the youth, playing games and giving out prizes. The highlight was hearing Emily and Neiko share their testimonies for the very first time. We felt incredibly blessed and encouraged by the amazing things God has done in their lives.

We had a great time with these folks!

Yesterday, our first ministry stop was a center for drug and alcohol addiction recovery. We heard about their vital mission and vision. The visit included powerful testimonies from two of our young adults, as well as from a woman who has overcome addiction and now helps others there. She shared how God dramatically changed her life and redeemed her story.

Yesterday afternoon, we visited another school and shared the story of Jesus calming the storm from Mark 5:35-41. We had a blast playing lots of games and sharing snacks with the kids.

While VBS was happening, the rest of the team was out visiting homes. We met with Vivian, a single mother who, during Grace Fellowship's visit in April, asked for prayer on a personal matter. We were so happy to hear that God answered her request! It's a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness at work in this community.

Tonight, we had a powerful time of worship and shared a portion of the Bible with a group of women. We talked about Hagar, found in Genesis 16, and the central message was incredibly encouraging: even when Hagar was rejected and evicted, God was still faithfully taking care of her and protecting her through every circumstance.

We also had a meaningful time with the men of the church. We heard Caleb's powerful testimony about the importance of putting God first. Pastor Keith then led a discussion on Proverbs 27:12, teaching us how to be wise and discern potential dangers, even when they appear to be good.

Special mention for Jayden who helped prepare yesterday’s dinner! We had some tacos, and we absolutely enjoyed it.

It’s really cool to see all the ways we can serve the Lord.

This morning, we visited Katy and Denis's house and heard their powerful story. They shared the immense challenges they faced when Katy was diagnosed with cancer and Denis had to take on the primary care for their children. Yet, through those incredibly rough times, God was their constant help. It was truly amazing to witness their overflowing joy, profound love for each other, and incredibly strong faith.

Today, we focused on laying tiles and grouting. It's incredibly satisfying to see the dining room floor nearly complete!

Saying goodbye is tough, but it's also incredibly rewarding. It signifies the successful completion of a week filled with hard work and immense love poured into this church, which now truly feels like family.

After our final gathering with the locals, we had the incredible blessing of praying for this inspiring church team. They've been such an inspiration to us, and it was an honor to bless them once more. As we prepared to leave, they graciously prayed for our safe travels.

One last picture in our second home. See you Costa Rica, we love you.