Children At Risk

It's taken me a while to decide what my next step after DTS should be. When I first arrived here in San Jose for my DTS, I was just following what God had spoken to me. It was hard for me to just follow, but God has really been teaching me to just trust and follow him, to not look to the right or left. Within the first couple weeks my attention was caught by a secondary school that YWAM offers called Children At Risk. This is also a 12 week school. So what is this school?

"For the first time in Central America, University of the Nation's "Children at Risk School."

Across the globe and across our mission, God is emphasizing to us the importance of caring for the 'fatherless' - a passion very near and dear to His heart. His heart breaks over the needless suffering of His little ones and He is calling His people now to commit to make children our priority.

The needs of children are overwhelming - over a billion children live in poverty and millions face abuse, disease and death every day.

Listen as God calls to us:
"seek justice, encourage the oppressed, defend the cause of the fatherless"

Again and again our Heavenly Father is showing us His heart:

"true religion is to look after orphans." (James 1:27)

"Let the little children come to me, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Matthew 19:14)

"A father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation." (Psalm 68:5-6)

The Children at Risk School is taught through University of the Nations, the training arm of Youth With A Mission. The course is an overview or introductory course for people who are interested in working with children at risk. The school will be running for the first time in Costa Rica in January 2009. Students from many nations will come to the San Jose YWAM base and spend three months in the classroom learning from various teachers who are experts in their field. Through lectures, discussions, small group interactions, community life, assignments and research the students will learn in creative ways. After the three month lecture phase, students will begin a six month internship in Latin America learning from and serving people and programs that work with children." -facebook

http://is-is.facebook.com/group.php?gid=41940454622&v=info

My plan is to return for the three months of class in January and see where God leads from there. I've really come to realize how much children make up a part of who I am. In Margarita the children would flock to us every possible moment of the day. During our time there I can to realize just how much joy they bring into my life and how alive I feel when they're around. Not all come from healthy families, but my heart desires to help those children and to love those who feel alone, or might be abused, or might just need a friend.

Thanksgiving

Wow, I can not believe how quickly time flies by. As I've mentioned before there is a One Story conference happening in the base here in San Jose. Last week our DTS participated. It's such a cool way to share the gospel. We're taught how to accurately and Biblicaly take stories from the Bible and tell them in a story form. This is especially helpful in communities where there isn't yet a Bible translated. Telling stories orally is a major part of many societies. If you want to learn more check out: ywamonestory.org

Since there are many people here on the base we had our Thanksgiving a couple weeks before. It's amazing how one is able to go into a place without knowing anyone and finding a family. As a family we took time as a base to reflect on all the good things God has given us: our new base, our staff, and the personal things God has given us each individually. Fun times call for fun pictures :)

On this Thanksgiving I just encourage you to take personal time with God and give him thanks for the things he's done in your life, the things he is already doing, and the things he's going to do. He really is awesome.

Tilaran and Monte Verde

Outreach is practically finished and we're now back in San Jose. This week we're apart of a conference called One Story. We're taught how to verbally share the gospel through story form and the such. This week is combined up of "lecture phase" and "outreach phase". It's our last whole week of DTS.

We spent about 20 days out "there". We spent time in a small town called Tilaran. This was a lot of fun because Rebeca, a girl from our team, is from this town. We were spoiled a lot by her parents. Image outreach in Fort Wayne, hmm... We were involved in a lot of the church activities here as well: youth nights, church, we were also a part of an English church service (since there are a lot of retired English speakers in this area). My favorite time was when we were involved in a service the church had in the plaza on Halloween. Even though it's not a national holiday for the locals they still celebrate, so the church had a service in the gazebo. We shared a drama and a testimony.

I think our time spent in Monte Verde was over all my favorite time. This is a small tourist town. We spent our mornings downtown sharing the love of God in any sort of form possible. Free hugs, worship, served Gallo Pinto to taxi drivers and anyone else on the street, free cookies. We were able to build relationships pretty easily. A couple people were even confused about seeing a mixed group of foreigners and Costa Ricans giving and loving. In the afternoons we had a team devotion (it rains every afternoon and is freezing) and at night were involved in the church services. I loved this time.




My Familia Rara (Weird/Strange family)that's what we call our group. I'm going to miss them soooo much.



Making cookies :)



Spending time with youth.



Almost every town we stayed in we've been spoiled by the locals. They have a true grasp on the meaning of humility. Virginia has blessed us immensely.



Serving Pinto and Hugs




Our whole team got sick :(


Students from the University we spent time with one morning



Abrazos Gratiz

Lump

Here´s a video we´ve shared with the ¨gringo¨ church service here in Tilaran and with a highschool. It´s so good i thought i´d share.

Glimpses of Costa Rica

I'm finding it hard to find time (and internet) to update my blog, so I'm going to post as many pictures as I can in this time frame (however long it is).

Outreach has been going great. Our group has been reduced to 9 students and 3 leaders. While I'm sad to see one staff, and four students leave, I know this is God's will. Our small group as become a small family.

We've spent the last two/three weeks in churches supporting the local church and reaching out to the community. We're involved in physical labor in the community, often we build relationships outside of the church, and lead a lot of services in the church. We share our testimonies, are involved in dramas, help with worship (I play guitar, Reanna sings, and when there are drums Many plays) and give teachings. This is a very stretching experience for me, but God has been faithful in helping me through all.

We've spent time with the Bribri, an indigenous people group, they have been the most hospitable people I've ever met. Everyday they showed up with fruit or food to share. They are such open people and so ready to grow in Christ. It's easy to see God working here.

We also worked in Margarita. A city built on the side of a highway. There are so many young people here. The children flocked to us everyday after school. We spent a lot of time just building relationships, playing with them, and loving on them. We took a day to hike to a waterfall and go swimming with them.

Next we head out to Tilaran and Monte Verde for twenty days. We'll be working with local churches and reaching out. We've been in San Jose for a few days to do ministry here (helping in the Salvation Army, helping physically with the new base, and taking a day off).

Pray that our group would continue to be united in God. I'm so blessed in the group of people God has placed me with. I've learned so much through them and our relationships. It's hard to know if I've learned more in my time with them than in the lecture phase. The love God gives us for one another is amazing.

Know that I'm thinking of all of you and you're in my heart.

Zephaniah 3:17 is such an awesome verse that I want to share with you all. Maybe you've heard it before, but I encourage you to really hear and understand this and accept it into your life:

"The Lord your God is with you, he is might to save. He will take great delight in yhou, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Now that is PURA VIDA!!!

Outreach Begins!

Thought I'd update everyone on what's been going on. We've officially moved into the new base, and we've officially ended the lecture phase! Whoo hoo! It's a bitter sweet moment but I'm really excited to see what God has for us now in outreach.

This week we have a four day adventure called NIKO which is a Greek word that is to overcome. As students we don't know what we'll be doing but it's the draw us closer to God and one another. We're going to Talabanca and will be in the forest for four days as students we have no idea what we'll be doing- but that's the idea. After our NIKO time we'll have two weeks outreach in Talabanca. As a team and base we've felt God has called us to have outreach here in Costa Rica. We'll be working in five different locations. I'm super excited about this time.

As a group we've really become more than just friends, but family. So I ask that you'd pray for our group that we'd listen and obey God in what He asks of us in this time!

We're Moving

YWAM San Jose is moving into a new building next weekend! This is really exciting time for this base. This building was originally for growing and processing coffee, and is now being remodeled for YWAM. It's a cool building with a lot of different levels (only two stories right now, but they hope to add two more in the years to come). The base here is beginning to take off. They are now not only having the Class DTS, Compassion DTS (which is what I'm in), but they are beginning a Soccer DTS, and an Extreme DTS. I'm so excited to see what God is going to do with YWAM in this area!!!

Tabarcia

Hey, just realized I never posted about our mini-outreach!

We spent a week in Tabarcia, a city about an hour from here, for a mini-outreach. It was so good to just take time off from classroom life and just go out there and live out what we've learned. We stayed at the Arbol De Vida Iglesia (Tree of Life Church) and participated in their activities.

One day during the week we spent time working in a church camp. The men helped remove and relocate a cabin while the women helped clean the main living areas and bathrooms. The older couple run a Christian camp throughout the year and receive 15-30 young people visit during their ministry.

We also helped out around the church one morning.

We spent time at the daycare running a program for the children involving songs, games, a drama, and a teaching from the Bible.

We helped a beginning ministry by painting, gardening, and digging the foundation for another room. This missionary family is working on having a conference center and a place to house missionaries on visits.


We also shared testimonies and stories and dramas during the three services they had during the week and finished off with Sunday School with the children.

(If you're interested in more pictures add me as a friend on facebook: Alexandra G.

Back from Tabarcia!

I haven't completely forgotten about my blog- just too many things have been going on! We spent a week in Tabarcia, a city about an hour from here, for a week long mini-outreach. I plan on having a detailed update later but I just wanted to post in between.

I just want to encourage you today to stop and recognize God in the things or people surrounding you. God is good. Notice Him.

Week Four: The Kingdom

Week Three: Worship

Worship

How many of us instantly think of singing when the word 'worship' is mentioned? While it's most definitely a part of our worship towards God it's not the complete picture- even though music it is my favorite place to meet God. We must learn to worship God with our lives in an active response toward Him. Worshiping Him in adoration and thanksgiving everyday. In the great times, the good times, the quiet times, and even through the storms. Our God is never changing and is completely worthy of our adoration. He doesn't need our worship, but He desires to meet us there. What better place is there to meet with God?

One of our favorite things to do after dinner is go to the park. It's a typical activity here. It's a time to just get out and experience life with other locals. Normally we just walk around, talk, and sometimes get ice-cream... except last night. There are always short-term teams going through our base. So last night our DTS and all the teams joined together and decided to go to the park to worship. We spent an hour just worshiping together before a few of us decided to go talk to a group of young people who had been hanging out near us. The moment we greeted them they opened up and joined us. People mingled, the guitar was passed hand-to-hand everyone playing whatever Spanish song they knew, friendships began to grow, and ultimately God was worshiped. All we have to do is open a door.

Psalm 96 (The Message)

1-2 Sing God a brand-new song! Earth and everyone in it, sing!
Sing to God—worship God!
2-3 Shout the news of his victory from sea to sea,
Take the news of his glory to the lost,
News of his wonders to one and all!
4-5 For God is great, and worth a thousand Hallelujahs.
His terrible beauty makes the gods look cheap;
Pagan gods are mere tatters and rags.
5-6 God made the heavens—
Royal splendor radiates from him,
A powerful beauty sets him apart.
7 Bravo, God, Bravo!
Everyone join in the great shout: Encore!
In awe before the beauty, in awe before the might.
8-9 Bring gifts and celebrate,
Bow before the beauty of God,
Then to your knees—everyone worship!

10 Get out the message—God Rules!
He put the world on a firm foundation;
He treats everyone fair and square.

11 Let's hear it from Sky,
With Earth joining in,
And a huge round of applause from Sea.

12 Let Wilderness turn cartwheels,
Animals, come dance,
Put every tree of the forest in the choir—

13 An extravaganza before God as he comes,
As he comes to set everything right on earth,
Set everything right, treat everyone fair.

Salvation Army Breakfast

Our speaker for this week didn't arrive until Wednesday morning. Monday and Tuesday morning we woke up early and served breakfast at the Salvation Army. While it was a little sad, it was still such an awesome time interacting with local people. Here are a few back-stage pictures. We also had people out in the main dinning room praying and speaking with people, but we didn't take pictures out of respect.

Lito (DTS staff) filled plates with Gallo Pinto.

Annie added hot-dogs

Kendra added pastries

Reanna served plates, I poured milk... and sang a lot :)

Someone had to do the dishes. Chove and Anna- DTS staff, they rock. Scott (also DTS staff) just walks around and makes sure everyone is doing alright- and makes everyone laugh

Kitchen Duty

Everyone on the YWAM base has a work duty for two hours everyday. I get the pleasure of working in the kitchen with my boss, Johan (Jonny 52 to you, Mom) and my room-mate, Kathia. And no, I didn't get the apron that dirty :)

Week Two: Character and Nature of God

Last week our main focus was on the Character and Nature of God. Here's a video our teacher shared.

Salvation Army

Everything Thursday afternoon we have a local outreach. This Thursday we went to the Salvation Army and presented a skit about Jairus and his sick daughter, sang songs, colored pictures, facepainting, took a million pictures, and had an awesome time- so much so the leader asked us to come back next Thursday.

Week One

Here's a group picture with our teacher (Sarah) who taught about hearing the voice of God. It's been an amazing week. This also includes the DTS staff.

Voice of God

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counself you and watch over you- Psalms 32:8

Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

Parque

So today during our free time we went downtown and stumbled across a dance outreach from a local church.

Click here to see one of the skits that this group preformed:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA

Welcome Dinner

Here we are on our first night. The staff served us dinner and then introduced themselves. There's also one more Costa Rican student that's not pictured.

Casa 1

Here is a real quick foto of the house we're staying in. We call it house 1, it's where you find the girl dorm and where everyone eats, and the guy dorm is house 2 where all the classrooms are. Group foto later :D

4 days!

I decided to do a little Costa Rican history tonight and figured I'd share with the rest of you. President of Costa Rica: Oscar Arias