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Lessons In Flexibility!
October 1 2006 / ShareHim in Costa Rica, Sep. 8 - Sep. 23 '06 #70by Janine Leonard
Campaign Site Narrative from Guapiles Jimenez, Guapiles in Costa Rica. The speaker assigned to this site was Janine Leonard.
My second Share Him trip to Costa Rica was only similar to the first in one way--I was in the same country! I never would have imagined the obstacles that would rise up, but it is those very challenges that strengthen my faith in the Lord after the battle is through.
Our site was in a school yard. There was a building there that used to be a restaurant or bar which is now used as a classroom. There were holes in the floor and ceiling, and sections of the walls completely missing. Broken desks and chairs were piled high in one corner of the room, and old computer monitors and parts in another.
Our opening night started without pomp or circumstance. We were late and had not been able to set up there previously because the children were using the building, so there were many bugs popping up as we arrived and put the equipment up. We skipped song service and the health talk and only had special music and the sermon. We had an audience of 1 adult visitor, 4 or 5 children, and 7 or 8 church members that first night. It was a slow start!
On the second night we had 19 visitors and more church members. But that third night the key to the building could not be found. We ended up meeting in the home of a church member around the corner. How discouraging things were, but we persisted and prayed, and prayed. We sent SOS emails home for more prayer. The members prayed, and the pastor. Our fellow participants prayed for our site and for John and me. We just wanted to let the Lord lead, and He did!
By the middle of the first week, we had 20 children coming, and one adult visitor. At that point we decided to switch programs altogether. I was familiar with the Truth 4 Youth evangelism program and we began to prepare to use that instead of the Truth for Today series since our audience was mainly children at that point. On Sabbath evening we made the switch, and by the end of the second week our visiting children numbered about 30 every evening. Praise God! But the messages are for adults too. They are easy to understand, and a few of the children brought their moms to hear it too.
In the end, we did not have any baptisms, but I know the Lord wanted us to be there and to reach those who came to hear the Gospel. Those children are so precious, and they may be the future of the church. The pastor now has a plan for reaching that neighborhood more effectively, and I look forward to hearing from him how hearts are changing and the church is growing. Each night seemed to present a new and different challenge, but as we let the Lord lead, He blessed all of us, visitors, members and speakers alike.
I praise the Lord for this experience because it has given me a plan of my own. In January I will be returning to Costa Rica to work with Pastor Ricardo Marin in one of his churches. We are going to use the Truth 4 Youth program and a similar format to the one we ended up using in Guapiles. I can't wait to see what the Lord does when things are more organized on my end! That will give Him all the more opportunity to bless!
Our site was in a school yard. There was a building there that used to be a restaurant or bar which is now used as a classroom. There were holes in the floor and ceiling, and sections of the walls completely missing. Broken desks and chairs were piled high in one corner of the room, and old computer monitors and parts in another.
Our opening night started without pomp or circumstance. We were late and had not been able to set up there previously because the children were using the building, so there were many bugs popping up as we arrived and put the equipment up. We skipped song service and the health talk and only had special music and the sermon. We had an audience of 1 adult visitor, 4 or 5 children, and 7 or 8 church members that first night. It was a slow start!
On the second night we had 19 visitors and more church members. But that third night the key to the building could not be found. We ended up meeting in the home of a church member around the corner. How discouraging things were, but we persisted and prayed, and prayed. We sent SOS emails home for more prayer. The members prayed, and the pastor. Our fellow participants prayed for our site and for John and me. We just wanted to let the Lord lead, and He did!
By the middle of the first week, we had 20 children coming, and one adult visitor. At that point we decided to switch programs altogether. I was familiar with the Truth 4 Youth evangelism program and we began to prepare to use that instead of the Truth for Today series since our audience was mainly children at that point. On Sabbath evening we made the switch, and by the end of the second week our visiting children numbered about 30 every evening. Praise God! But the messages are for adults too. They are easy to understand, and a few of the children brought their moms to hear it too.
In the end, we did not have any baptisms, but I know the Lord wanted us to be there and to reach those who came to hear the Gospel. Those children are so precious, and they may be the future of the church. The pastor now has a plan for reaching that neighborhood more effectively, and I look forward to hearing from him how hearts are changing and the church is growing. Each night seemed to present a new and different challenge, but as we let the Lord lead, He blessed all of us, visitors, members and speakers alike.
I praise the Lord for this experience because it has given me a plan of my own. In January I will be returning to Costa Rica to work with Pastor Ricardo Marin in one of his churches. We are going to use the Truth 4 Youth program and a similar format to the one we ended up using in Guapiles. I can't wait to see what the Lord does when things are more organized on my end! That will give Him all the more opportunity to bless!