These past two weeks of the new year have started off with some amazing plans. But in the midst of it all, the Lord also presented us with a new experience. Our first funeral service took place last Tuesday. One of ladies that attends our Spanish service asked Geiner if he could perform the funeral for her nephew, and of course he obliged.
Baby Ian was stillborn, so needless to say it was an incredibly sad situation. Please keep Priscilla and her family in prayer…for the Lord’s peace and comfort to overwhelm her, as she deals with this terrible loss. And please also pray that in some way the Lord will use this to mend this family. During the service Geiner was able to present the gospel, and there are believing members of the family to come alongside Priscilla during this emotional time. Please pray that the gospel presentation fell on fertile soil, and that the Lord will be glorified in the midst of this tragedy.
"There is a time for everything, and everything on earth has its special season.
There is a time to be born and a time to die.
There is a time to plant and a time to pull up plants.
There is a time to kill and a time to heal.
There is a time to destroy and a time to build." Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 (NCV)
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Reflections of 2010
On December 28th we celebrated our 1 year anniversary here in Costa Rica…and today we celebrate the start of a new year. The cliché “time flies when you are having fun” couldn’t be more appropriate for what we are feeling these days. We brought in the New Year with prayers of praise and thanksgiving, and for guidance and direction for this ministry. We also began our plan to read the bible through chronologically together. What an amazing way to start a new year! We are so grateful to our heavenly Father for allowing us to be a part of His work here in Costa Rica, and for continuing to bless and provide for His plan.
In the coming year we have decided as a couple, and as a church to read the bible through chronologically. We invite you to do so with us. We just think it is a neat way to be connected spiritually, even if we are not so close physically. Here is a link with the plan, if you so choose to follow along:
http://www.bibleplan.org/ch/nkjv
Looking back on this last year here, we want to give glory to our precious Lord by reflecting back briefly on what He has done here. Let’s take a quick look:
January
• Settled in with all the details of relocation…phones, internet, licenses, and car registration.
• Began Foundations class in La Aurora.
February
• Continued details of getting established
• Boxes arrived!!! Unpacking process
• Continued Foundations in La Aurora
March
• Began bible study in Perez Zeledon (Geiner’s home town, about 3 hrs away) every two weeks
• Continued Foundations
• Evangelizing in park in central Heredia
April
• Continued study in Perez Zeledon every other weekend
• Continued Foundations in La Aurora
• Ezra arrived for two week visit – blessed us with worship for the studies, evangelizing, and fellowship
• Continuing to seek the Lord’s direction
May
• Marriage Retreat with fellow missionaries here in Costa Rica
• Continued study in Perez Zeledon
• Continued Foundations class
• Denise feels first earthquake!
June
• Pitman family arrived for visit for a week – enjoyed our time with them, what a blessing they are to us
• Continued study in Perez Zeledon
• Continued Foundations in La Aurora
• Seeking the Lord’s direction, and why He has us here in Heredia
July
• Foundations ends in La Aurora
• Lord opens door for Calvary Chapel Pura Vida to start services in San Pedro
• San Pedro Christian Fellowship invites Geiner to teach in English service
• Doors close to continue study in Perez Zeledon
August
• Geiner teaches through the book of Haggai in English service
• CCPV (Calvary Chapel Pura Vida) begins Spanish services in SPCF (San Pedro Christian Fellowship) building
• Geiner begins book of Ephesians with both congregations
• Ventures in Faith and Calvary Distinctives offered to SPCF congregation because of interest expressed in becoming part of CCPV
September
• Started weekly meeting with SPCF to investigate possibility of them joining CCPV
• Started counseling appointments at CCPV on Wednesdays
• Started Foundations class at CCPV on Wednesday evenings
• Denise received temporary residency while paperwork is processed
• Heather arrived in Costa Rica for TESOL certification training
October
• Spanish and English services continued through Ephesians
• Foundation classes continue
• Meetings toward merger continue
• Started home study in the neighborhood on Thursdays
• Meetings with different ministries to investigate outreach possibilities for congregation
November
• Meetings toward merger include meeting with attorney
• Spanish and English services continue through Ephesians
• Continued home study in neighborhood
• Continued Foundations class on Wednesdays
• First bilingual service followed by lunch – Spanish and English congregations enjoyed fellowship
• Traditional Thanksgiving dinner with our missionary friends Victor and Nichol, and Brian and Tracy
December
• Meetings continue toward merger
• SPCF congregation approves becoming Calvary Chapel
• CCPV and SPCF decide on new name for combined church (Calvary Chapel Comunidad Cristiana), signifying the combining of two languages and two congregations into one church, under the Calvary banner
• One year anniversary for Geiner and Denise’s arrival in Costa Rica (Dec 28th)
• Sign on church location now reads
“Calvary Chapel Comunidad Cristiana”
• First Children’s Christmas outreach event held
Our prayer for 2011 is that the Lord will refresh you through His Word, as we all draw closer and closer to Him day-by-day. Happy and blessed New Year to all…and we look forward to sharing what the Lord will be doing here in Costa Rica throughout the coming year. God bless you.
In the coming year we have decided as a couple, and as a church to read the bible through chronologically. We invite you to do so with us. We just think it is a neat way to be connected spiritually, even if we are not so close physically. Here is a link with the plan, if you so choose to follow along:
http://www.bibleplan.org/ch/nkjv
Looking back on this last year here, we want to give glory to our precious Lord by reflecting back briefly on what He has done here. Let’s take a quick look:
January
• Settled in with all the details of relocation…phones, internet, licenses, and car registration.
• Began Foundations class in La Aurora.
February
• Continued details of getting established
• Boxes arrived!!! Unpacking process
• Continued Foundations in La Aurora
March
• Began bible study in Perez Zeledon (Geiner’s home town, about 3 hrs away) every two weeks
• Continued Foundations
• Evangelizing in park in central Heredia
April
• Continued study in Perez Zeledon every other weekend
• Continued Foundations in La Aurora
• Ezra arrived for two week visit – blessed us with worship for the studies, evangelizing, and fellowship
• Continuing to seek the Lord’s direction
May
• Marriage Retreat with fellow missionaries here in Costa Rica
• Continued study in Perez Zeledon
• Continued Foundations class
• Denise feels first earthquake!
June
• Pitman family arrived for visit for a week – enjoyed our time with them, what a blessing they are to us
• Continued study in Perez Zeledon
• Continued Foundations in La Aurora
• Seeking the Lord’s direction, and why He has us here in Heredia
July
• Foundations ends in La Aurora
• Lord opens door for Calvary Chapel Pura Vida to start services in San Pedro
• San Pedro Christian Fellowship invites Geiner to teach in English service
• Doors close to continue study in Perez Zeledon
August
• Geiner teaches through the book of Haggai in English service
• CCPV (Calvary Chapel Pura Vida) begins Spanish services in SPCF (San Pedro Christian Fellowship) building
• Geiner begins book of Ephesians with both congregations
• Ventures in Faith and Calvary Distinctives offered to SPCF congregation because of interest expressed in becoming part of CCPV
September
• Started weekly meeting with SPCF to investigate possibility of them joining CCPV
• Started counseling appointments at CCPV on Wednesdays
• Started Foundations class at CCPV on Wednesday evenings
• Denise received temporary residency while paperwork is processed
• Heather arrived in Costa Rica for TESOL certification training
October
• Spanish and English services continued through Ephesians
• Foundation classes continue
• Meetings toward merger continue
• Started home study in the neighborhood on Thursdays
• Meetings with different ministries to investigate outreach possibilities for congregation
November
• Meetings toward merger include meeting with attorney
• Spanish and English services continue through Ephesians
• Continued home study in neighborhood
• Continued Foundations class on Wednesdays
• First bilingual service followed by lunch – Spanish and English congregations enjoyed fellowship
• Traditional Thanksgiving dinner with our missionary friends Victor and Nichol, and Brian and Tracy
December
• Meetings continue toward merger
• SPCF congregation approves becoming Calvary Chapel
• CCPV and SPCF decide on new name for combined church (Calvary Chapel Comunidad Cristiana), signifying the combining of two languages and two congregations into one church, under the Calvary banner
• One year anniversary for Geiner and Denise’s arrival in Costa Rica (Dec 28th)
• Sign on church location now reads
“Calvary Chapel Comunidad Cristiana”
• First Children’s Christmas outreach event held
Our prayer for 2011 is that the Lord will refresh you through His Word, as we all draw closer and closer to Him day-by-day. Happy and blessed New Year to all…and we look forward to sharing what the Lord will be doing here in Costa Rica throughout the coming year. God bless you.
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