Good Goers Costa Rica

Good Goers Mission Trip Photos

San Jose, Costa Rica April 23‐28, 2012

The missionary team

From Bottom left: Jordan, Libby Middle row: Kimberly, Michelle, Amy, Rebeca, Amelia, Bethany Top row: David, Marilyn, Aimee, Christy, Matthew

“Home” for the week at the Nazarene Seminary

We were welcomed and debriefed on what was in store for us during the week long trip…..

Felix fed us well as we started out each day with a healthy breakfast which included lots of fruit.

4/24: Alajuelita and Pastor Efrain Campos Briones FAITH

By Amy from Michigan and David from Utah Hearing Pastor Efrain’s story of faith… pure faith in God was amazing. I really felt for him and after listening to his stories, and how little support he gets, both physical and financial, I felt and feel compelled to give financially to his ministry and also pray! He trusts that God will provide in his and his families lives. The pastor took us to where five “sisters in Christ” in his congregation lived – a squatter’s village. After visiting the five families (all single moms and a grandma), and giving them bags of food and witnessing the horrible conditions they live in, I can finally picture and know where God’s money is going to and what my prayers will be lifting up. They were people who have emigrated there from Nicaragua to have a better life, what we witnessed - the tin, the broken boards used for a walkway or flooring, the mud, and filth was an improvement from where they came from originally. It was a blessing to me to be able to provide these women and their families with our love, prayers, and gifts of food.

…..Trust me, everything is going to be all right 2 Kings 25:24 The Message

4/25 Tract distribution and evangelizing

Kid fun at Vista del Mar LOVE‐ THE UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE

By Amelia, Utah My favorite part of this was being at the orphanage with the kids. A few of the girls came over and wanted me to go watch them do gymnastics stuff. Even though I can’t speak Spanish and they couldn’t speak English, we made it work by me doing a handstand. I showed the girls to make their legs straight by getting in my handstand and bending my knees and saying “no” and then making them straight and saying “si.”

It was awesome because they understood! They also learned a cartwheel by me just showing them.

It was amazing being able to communicate with them.

4/25: Painting project at Casa Santa Teresita

Vista del Mar I will always remember, “baby Sharon” at the orphanage, the way she smiled at me whenever you kissed her nose. I don’t want her to grow up in a living condition where she doesn’t have a mom or dad or has to live in the slums with tons of disease and sickness, but I know the most powerful thing I can do is pray for her!

Christy from Utah

But you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.

Psalm 10:14 NIV

4/26 Iglesia Nuevo Amor feeding program

Remember, our Message is not about ourselves; we're proclaiming Jesus Christ, the Master. All we are is messengers, errand runners from Jesus for you. It started when God said, "Light up the darkness!" and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful. Corinthians 4:5‐6 The Message

SHARING THE TRUTH OF HOPE IN CHRIST

BY Aimee, from Utah I would like to tie all of my experiences for this week into one word, hope. Despite all the poverty and despair, the Lord kept bringing me back to the word. I saw hope in the smiles of the orphans as we played kickball. I saw hope in the looks of gratitude the precious ladies gave us when we delivered food to them in the squatters village. I saw hope in the eyes of the old man after he accepted Christ. I know poverty will never end on this earth, and that I cannot fix everything or mend the hearts of all the broken people. But what I can offer is hope through Christ. As I share this truth with others and love them the way Christ has commanded me to, maybe that spark of hope can ignite into a blazing flame of change and I can only imagine what amazing things the Lord could do.

The Gift of Laughter

by Michelle from Utah

The laughter of a small child is contagious! When Pamela laughed, I laughed. Our team spent the morning playing with, then feeding the children from the Alajuelita community. I was blowing bubbles with 3‐year old Pamela.

Both of us, with out telling each other, kicked at the same bubble. Our feet collided and she burst out laughing! She could not stop. The laughter spread to those around us.

The time, the hugs, the smiles, sharing God’s love, with those precious ones was a blessing I will never forget. ……Bring a gift of laughter, sing yourselves into his presence. Psalm 100:1‐2 The Message

New friends

It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

Ephesians 1:11‐12 The Message

HOPE IN CHRIST

By Matthew from Utah I think the most touching part of our mission trip was playing and feeding the children at the church in Alajuelita; specifically the little boy that I had the privilege of playing with. When I first saw him, he looked scared and very shy. After trying to get him to give even the smallest smile, for around five minutes, he still hadn’t cracked from the timid shell he arrived with. It wasn’t until another team member, named Amy, decided to drive the small car he was grasping over his head and around his body that he started to smile and warm‐up to us. Going on a mission trip isn’t about solving everyone’s problems, it’s about putting a smile on their face and giving them hope found in Jesus Christ. That is truly the best gift you can give.

4/27: 3 ½ hr White water rafting on Pacuare River (San Martin to Siquirres 18 miles on class III‐IV rapids)

A blessing while being a blessing…….

By Kimberly from Utah Kids that have almost nothing are just so happy. It just showed me that I have a family and I have a bed. I just know that I am so blessed to have all the stuff that I have. The blessings are all from God. I realized this while playing with the kids at the orphanage.

I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor and upholds the cause of the needy. Psalm 140:12 NIV

Thank you for making a difference! James 1:27 …to look after orphans and widows in distress

www.goodgoers.com