Costa Rica – Paquera – community outreach festival and mission week update…

We were blessed to have a wonderful team in Paquera. The mission week and festival held February 12th through 18th was a culmination of work including; pastor trainings, logistics, and community relationship building for a year.

I want to say a special “Thank You” to Justin Benedict and his family’s ministry. Justin lives in Costa Rica and is the director for our work.

Some of our team (from left to right): John Andrus (BMX), Camilo Rodriguez, Vic Murphy (BMX), Justin Benedict (Missionary), Manny Braswell, Dan Barth, and me.

There was so much that God did during the week and at the festival that I’ll have to write the next few newsletters to tell you some of the stories. One story will be about a little girl named Camila who was diagnosed with cancer, but God healed her, and it was confirmed by a doctor. Another story will be of a man named Luis, who had been hard to the Gospel and he was who adamantly against his wife going to church, but he came to faith in Jesus at the festival.

For now, I’ll just give final numbers received from the pastors and leaders. I do not take numbers myself but rely on the pastors and leaders to give me their input.

We had an estimated 1200 people reached with the gospel via all school assemblies, street outreaches, home visits, and festival. 138 people responded to the invitations given throughout the week. (To qualify this number with integrity; I only saw 23 response cards filled out at the festival, but I believe more cards came in after we left). The pastors are counting all “public responses” at all outreaches; schools, street, homes, and festival.

Numbers don't really matter as much because it's more about our faithfulness to proclaim the Gospel and love people. I leave it up to the Lord - He gives the increase - and only He knows what truly happened in people’s hearts.