2010 Summary

We pray that our greetings find you filled to overflowing with His peace, joy and faith as you continue to further His kingdom around the world and in your communities. We thank the Lord for knitting us together as you all belong in our serving those in need in Costa Rica throughout these past three years. We pray for you incessantly, anticipating God´s answer to all your requests as you seek to be obedient to His beckoning.
As for us, we wish to fill you in on a summary of what the Lord is doing in the communities where He has called us, as well as in our family. 2010 proved a broadcast of His faithfulness and diligent way of responding to our needs and petitions for guidance. Our hearts are eternally grateful for the healthy birth and growth of our first born, Joseph Abraham, who came into this world August 28th here in San José, Costa Rica. God perfectly knit together the details as well as the emotional support we needed to stand up on our two feet as parents. There is no greater calling in the kingdom of God than to witness God´s gift of life and the responsibility to direct these little ones to Him. Amidst the adjustments and surprises of a four-month-old, our lives have been enriched with the privilege of parenthood, both Luis Diego and myself are speechless in how God touches our hearts through His son, little Joseph Abraham.
This blessing of becoming parents has challenged us as a marriage to dig deeper into our hearts to love one another, to care for one another and to communicate. Most parents will relate when I mention that this is a challenge when sleep deprivation, hunger, and unknowns are thrown into the mix. Like this morning: how did something so little get poop all over his clothes and activity chair in milliseconds of time? It took two capable adults to clean up the mess. Only God knows.
This past year has proceeded to unfold as a transitory period in our serving the Lord. Kristina was serving alongside an incarnation missionary with a group of single mothers whose goal was to grow in the Word and simultaneously be trained through a sowing workshop and possibly become business women who could sell their products to support their families. Many miracles and life changes happened through the hand of the Lord leading in the group. One family composed of the mother and two daughters were attending the women´s Bible study on a regular basis. God touched their family and the youngest daughter was healed of an issue of rejectment and pain from the past family affairs. They locked together in forgiveness and were freed to worship God in those areas of past hurts. Another woman has struggled due to her immigrant status saw her daughter through the process of receiving her legal documents to be here in Costa Rica. One 17-year-old mother who had participated in cultish-like activities and wore only black before surrendered her heart and life to Christ this year and has shown change in her face and even way of dressing as she also expresses how God´s Word is moving in her heart throughout the weeks.
Also, Kristina co-facilitated Kids´ club with the local church which holds the vision of reaching out the children at risk so that they may come to Christ and bring their families to Christ. This particular church had worked together with the leaders who participated for 2 ½ years, and have seen great fruit of the children´s behavior bettering as they matured and their families that out of sheer curiosity came to the Lord because they wanted to know why their children where different. Dozens of children have received Bible training as well as Christian values through the games and activities, and we praise God for the 20 plus families that have received Christ and become members of the church congregation through this outreach. There is one boy who since he began attending the outreach activities and Sunday school has completed a 180° change in his behavior. This 9-year-old boy was rejected in every way by his father and appears to have abused his mother visibly before him on occasion. He was full of uncontrollable anger and negative emotions. As the pastor´s wife involved him little by little in the preparation of class, he has discovered his love for Jesus Christ and for the stories that flow from His Word. He participated in the Christmas play and has been a Sunday school helper for many months. His mother is floored at the change in him and how he has matured through his contact with others in the club activities.
Luis Diego for the first six months of this year served as a volunteer in FHICR distributing donations and collaborating in marketing activities. Also, he has been active throughout 2010 as a Sunday School teacher at the local church where we belong. Due to lack of teachers, he has willingly taken on all the children ranging between 4 to 11 years old. It is a small group of about 15 children, but it has been the challenge to teach on some many age levels at once. Luis Diego has been flexible and faithful to his responsibilities and the kids appreciate him being their only male mentor currently. When we are faithful in the little, God delivers in great. A new Pastoral family has arrived and is revamping the Children´s ministry. We are very pleased that the Lord has answered our need to have a stable family guiding the congregation´s spiritual health.
At the beginning of the year, Luis Diego helped out with a church plant in Cartago with the former pastor, Pastor William Zapata. He assisted in the discipleship and Bible Studies that were held among those families. Many families, parents, children and youth are coming to Christ and are starting to learn about the basic principles of His Word. There are many immigrants in the communities nearby and there has been a great need to work with the marriages so that God can transfer their homes and hence generations. Many children and youth are at risk in the conditions they live to fall into drugs, fornication and dysfunctional lifestyles. Our prayer is with Pastor William and his teams of missionaries as they weekly take God´s Word to those who are hungry to learn.
Also, he continued with the group of disciples in Los Guido community and did house visits throughout the first half of the year. We thank the Lord for the opportunity to see God moving in these families’ lives as they overcome poverty and focus their lives on Christ. He has phased out of this family fellowship as they are now participating in the local church and growing in their jobs and their children´s education. As a way to follow-up, Luis Diego will go in the next month to bless them with the paint and paint with them their front gate.
So, all of these testimonies are for the glory of God in the different areas God was using both of them, but Luis Diego and Kristina´s heart was always to serve alongside one another. Their desire to serve together for the kingdom was not far away from being fulfilled, as God has foreseen from the very beginning.
To paraphrase this upcoming testimony of how we are serving as of June 2010, allow us to mention that Kristina had been lead to participate in Hunger Corps training through KFHI in Ocean shore, Seattle, WA during March 2009. This training allowed her to build up her understanding about the principles behind Child Development Programs: an outlet to empower families, churches and leaders in communities to concern themselves with the holistic development of their children and youth and hence overcome all types of poverty. It is a way to equip these three community pillars to advance children´s development in the kingdom of God and every other aspect of their lives.
KFHI was the initial contact through this training and the prospects of opening up a center in our home country were on the horizon. As time went on, the diagnostic and international communications slowly but surely ceased to flow. By the end of 2009. Kristina said, God has timing and a reason for everything. He is telling us to wait.
In May of 2010, FHICR offered Luis Diego a position as facilitator for this ministry, and through much prayer, he accepted, Kristina was getting ready to have the baby, but the former national director assisted Luis Diego as he begin initial training with the community leaders, setting up program centers and initiating the tedious process of child profiling. Luis Diego became a full time missionary staff with FHICR in June 2010.
Now that the baby is a little bit older, Kristina will assist Luis Diego as an assistant (he calls her his personal secretary) and her focus as she works with Joseph as her first priority is to keep up international communications, database, and other tasks oriented more through the computer. Luis Diego will be coordinating more logistics and training in the communities as well as empowering the leaders and community coordinators. They are both working on their yearly plan and praying hard for this year´s challenges.
We briefly inform you that due to lack of resources, FHICR has let go of three key staff, including the former national director, and we are let a small group of missionaries and one paid staff. God is in control and we ask your prayers for a new couple to take over the administration in this time of need.
Once again, your partnership with this missionary family has meant support and motivation even in moments of trial. We incessantly pray for you. And we are excited to hear what you are in store for in this upcoming year 2011. We pray His every spiritual blessing over you in Christ Jesus, our living King. May we continue serving together for the glory of His Name.

Adding on to the working facilities for ministry on the church property with Amistad International


A puppet show put on by the kids in club


Fixing the gutters outside in front of the property


Craft time

April Discipleship training

So Luis Diego has been serving for more than two years in the community Bible Study and felt it was time to lead the Adult Bible Study through a discipleship training so they can develop the basic assets of their faith in Christ. He has remained faithful despite hard weather, discouragement and instability in attendance. I admire him deeply. The younger couples in the group are responding positively, asking questions and reading their Bibles throughout the week.
Kids´ Club continues, though we are praying for God´s direction since the local church has left Luis Diego on his own with the ministry responsibilities and coordination. There are no more volunteers or resources coming in for the Saturday morning activities. He has resorted to paying for the snacks and materials needed; we are waiting to see what God has ins tore for these little ones.
UPDATE: Pastor William from the church took over Saturday night teachings and is now looking for someone to take his place as he is being called to serve in other church plants in Nicaragua and another province in Costa Rica. Luis Diego has supported the ministry off and on due to ministry changes for him. The children´s ministry transitioned and the families now participate in a community VBS on Saturday morning only a block from where they live. They have been learning about Christian values and young adults from the Christian school are mentors for the children. It has proven a wise change and they are responding well. There is a Colombian Refugee living on the church property to protect it that our family still support when there is a need.

THE NAME

Tying into the way God provided as we continued to serve in the community and local church, God stirred in our hearts to find the name for our baby. Suddenly one Sunday afternoon on our way back from church, as we were piling into a mini van to head on home, my husband blurted out,

“if it´s a son, his name will be Abraham.”
“Oh really?” I commented, “and what made you decide on Abraham?”
“Well, it´s a strong biblical name, it´s the one I like and nobody I know is called Abraham, so he will be unique.”
“And what will be his middle name?” I questioned.
“Oh, I hadn´t thought about it, you can pick it and whatever name you want for a little girl is fine with me.”

I had my work cut out for me, how many names flow with Abraham?


I didn´t cease to pray, but it was a few weeks until I received a revelation for God. During a trip to visit some FHICR members in the countryside, I was reading through Isaiah 40 as the Lord cast a vision over my heart for our son. I really desired a name that would encompass His providing and unfailing faithfulness in our lives as he grew in the womb and always.

I sat in awe as He whispered to me:
His name will be Joseph Abraham, a son who will follow after me with all of his heart and bring comfort to many by serving in love and wisdom. Miracles and wonders will flow from Me through him, and as he remains in Me, I will use him to bring many to me once again and to trust in Me to heal their broken hearts. He is a strong man, full of energy and eager to conquer, the hard times and struggles will form him to overcome and inspire others to do the same. He will be an able communicator, and when he speaks, my glory will manifest. Teach him My Word and to worship and follow only me, for he will nurture many a faith and walk.
So says Isaiah of our King Jesus:

1 Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD's hand
double for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD [a] ;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God. [b]
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
6 A voice says, "Cry out."
And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever."
9 You who bring good tidings to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, [c]
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
"Here is your God!"
10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
and his arm rules for him.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.


So we reconvened and accepted that his name is Joseph Abraham, God will increase, Father of nations. By the way, the girl name never showed up.

HE ANSWERS OUR CRY

As most of you are aware, we have chosen a lifestyle that calls us to invite members of Christ´s body and people that God prepares to financially and holistically support us as we serve full-time in the areas where God has called us to assist in ministry. Each one of us is in a process of being formed and prepared by the Potter for greater things, and many times we are challenged and tried with the hope of growing in the character Christ has laid out for us. Many times, we are tried due to poor choices and decisions we make, but inevitably because God has a purpose in our lives and wants our faith to be purified through the fire.

Well, we experienced a very challenging financial predicament for the first few months of this year. It was a time of waiting on the Lord and learning to seek His wisdom in our every move.

As things got tighter, the pressure was stronger. With the knowledge of our first pregnancy, eating healthy and living a lower stress lifestyle was important. It didn´t seem to be happening. As our emotions and faith stretched, each day passing felt like the walls were caving into us and we were drowning. But we continued to call out to God, even though He didn´t seem at all close.

Well, as our bills piled up and the money didn´t arrive, in my devotions I stumbled across Psalm 40 which articulates:

I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is the man
who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods. [a]
5 Many, O LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us
no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them,
they would be too many to declare.
The words jumped off the page and buried into my heart a deep desire to blindly trust the Lord for His provision. We had been blessed with rice and beans and my husband had the custom of giving me the best portion so that the baby and I had enough. We had a roof over our heads and running water, warm showers and we were safe. God was still in control, though we couldn´t feel Him. Someone once said that when you can´t feel Him it´s because He is getting ready to make His move. The calm of the storm was on the horizon, but when you´re in the middle of the winds and waves, it´s hard to envision.

Well, in March I got to the point of screaming to see if anyone would respond, I only had enough petty cash to get me to seminary classes and there was nothing left, God kept telling me in prayer to wait on Him, that He would defend us. So I went to class and struggled to listen to the theology being mentioned. When the professor asked for an example of a prayer request, the Holy Spirit burned inside me to speak. I shared our prayer request and the class moved on. Upon finishing class, strangely everyone stayed in their chairs. The professor turned towards me and asked if I would share about our situation to see how they could help. As I shared, once again the Holy Spirit burned inside me. Finishing, the class prayed over us and collected an offering. God provided not only to get home, but enough to pay our bills, buy food and then some. Our prayers filled with tears and gratitude a gush of relieve poured into our lives. God had answered our cry and though we couldn´t feel Him we knew He was at work.

By sharing that day, a youth group invited us to their missions teaching and we were blessed with all kinds of fruit and an offering of love. Multiple missionaries blessed me with maternity clothes and a dear couple sowed a monetary seed into us which provided for an ultrasound, a month of water aerobics and vitamins. God just over abundantly blessed and I can´t express how tender these moments have become as part of our son´s beginning in his growth in the womb.



So wait patiently on the Lord, despite your need or prayer, because when He turns, He WILL answer your cry.

How rich and sweet are the voiced sounds of the worshiper who praise Him in the slimy pit and confides fully in Him despite the muddy mess.

Even when it is dark and gray, we cannot begin to count the wonders He has marvelously carved out for each and every one of us. Thank you Lord, that we can praise you simply because of who you are.

Giving away the movie Fireproof on DVD to local families

February Highlight

As we have been praying as a couple to serve more alongside one another in ministry as a couple, my husband has taken the initiative to train with a ministry called GoAll in Costa Rica as he is looking for alliances to help expand and develop the sports outreach that the local church has established years prior. GoAll serves with the vision to evangelize and disciple through sports and share the message of Jesus Christ through godly character and teamwork. Luis Diego has begun a series of meetings and videos that are assisting him to be able to apply these tools in the volleyball outreach the church has done in the neighborhood after Sunday services.
GoAll is a ministry in Costa Rica that the president of FHICR+s board of directors, Edgardo Gamboa, heads up with a small staff of national missionaries. Luis Diego has been coordinating with the leaders to see how to better incorporate a similar vision into the activities that are performed every week.



Update!!! on these preparations is that the leadership has adhered to a special bond with the missionary trainers and are beginning the process of preparing the training and follow up needed to focus the group in more of an evangelistic and discipleship-oriented missions as they develop their skills as a team to complete against other players on a more professional level. Luis Diego has passed off the baton and the trainers have come multiple times to church to build relationships and strengthen the communication in the process of establishing the bases for the ministry.

blogging takes time

Dearest of the dear,

We pray the Lord's abundant blessings over you in all ways, shapes and forms. Obviously, I have not proven myself a dedicated blogger, four months of silence can appear pure abandonment or boredom on my behalf. Things have been hectic, seeing as to I am actually writing from a part of the world I would have never envisioned being at this stage in pregnancy, so here's a whirl at it. I was inspired by the pending voice in the back of my noggin telling me to start writing again and the sheer inspiration of my little sister telling me she actually bookmarked our page. Thanks Melinda, God used you.

Happy reading.

February Debrief

by Luis Diego


KIDS CLUB
The activities in Los Guido are getting better because the vision it is being clearer and the kids are enjoying every Saturday morning.

They ask for example during the week if we going to be there. They are anxious for Saturday to arrive. On the other hand, of course, we need more people who can help and also more ideas to interact together in dynamic and creative ways, Spanish materials with bible emphasis….. but we keep praying for these needs, and we also have started with what we have, sometimes these kids are different ages and it gets a little challenging to be able to work with them at the same time, but they are adjusting to the situation and learning to be flexible, as well us.


VALENTINE’S:
There was an activity based in cultivating new friendships and God´s love that was directed by my church. It started at 2 pm in the afternoon, and finished at 5:30 pm, it was a great opportunity to be a witnesses with families and neighbors and share the love of God. Also we united together to present a message revealing the good news to the crowd.
My job was carrying the equipment and setting up from the beginning to the end of the activity,
The church contacted a clown ministry and they were working with the kids, teaching the message about the love of God, and there were families around the park, skate boarders practicing their tricks, and others playing basketball, etc. They were people in different places around the park listening to songs about God, and sharing His love, at the end, two men arrived that sang reggae, and it was good for the youth and presented their testimonies. It was an opportunity to reach out to the youth.

BAPTISM
In this trip we had two people that wanted to be baptized and both of them are from Colombia… Both of them came to Costa Rica is search of a job and discovered their need for Christ. One of them is interested in completing a Discipleship school through YWAM (Youth with a mission) in Chile in the future. It was the first time for me to see people baptized in the pacific ocean…. It was comical to me to see everybody moving all around because of the waves rolling in and out, in and out. It wasn´t like being in a swimming pool or a bathtub.
Then we had some time to congratulate, in this new step that they completed, and encourage them….


COMPUTER CLASSES
My classes have been hard to be honest, but challenging at the same time. I have been busy and meeting students younger them me, and also learning from them perspectives of the life. Still have to learn more of excel, word and power point, and maybe will take more class later…. I was studying very hard trying to complete the practices even though sometimes I would go to bed at one in the morning. Classes flew by and I prepared the best I could for the tests in the basic programs of Word. Praise God that we finished class and I was able to apply for a certificate because I passed with an 83% overall.

SHORT TERM MISSIONS
There was a couple from Candad who came for a week to serve in the community in the property. They decided to bless us with an investment in some garden flowers and plants in the property. they are from a small church which is growing in Canada and they have a vision to extend the vision of the members to mission work abroad in the near future. I translated and facilitated for them during their stay. IT was a blessing to share with them our heart for serving the Lord and the same Spirit that we share together to love the Lord through loving our neighbor.