Welcome!

Welcome to our blog, where we hope to keep our friends, family and supporters updated on our mission to Costa Rica! We pledge not to overwhelm you with trivial information or too-frequent posts, but do want to have a means to quickly get the important news out and post pictures and other fun tidbits...

As I've recently been studying the book of Judges and reading the book of Mother Teresa's personal writings, it's really come home to me how God uses not the best-equipped, smartest, or strongest for His work. Rather, He chooses to make His strength known by choosing the weakest and least of all possible vessels. In this way, there can be no possible confusion about who gets the glory for what happens!

Take Deborah, a woman chosen by God to play a key role in the defeat of Sisera's army. How culturally inappropriate was it for a woman to have authority of any kind, much less in a military situation!? She surely would have been viewed as weak and lowly, not qualified to accompany men to battle.

Take Gideon, "the least in his family, and of the weakest clan of Manasseh," who argued with God and tested Him before he would obey His call to lead Israel into battle. Not only did God choose Gideon, but then He told thousands of soldiers to stay in their tents and sent only 300 men into the battle with him. The Lord wanted no doubt about who brought the victory!

Take Mother Teresa, a humble nun turned saint, who loved simply and walked in obedience. She experienced many of the same spiritual conditions that you and I do. She didn't have any special degrees, certifications or qualifications. She had only love for Jesus and desire to please Him above all else, even when she didn't feel His nearness. She made herself nothing so that Christ could be everything.

Boy, does this message hold true with our call to be missionaries! We feel unworthy and ineffectual, out of our league and sometimes overwhelmed at the thought of what will be required of us on the mission field. But I would be willing to bet that's right where God wants us. That way, when He does His work, suffering is eased, and souls are saved, the glory will be solely His, and we hope that people will say, "What amazing things the Lord is doing!" May the church be edified and inspired by knowing that God will use any of us that choose to pursue Him and obey.

A progress update:

• Praise God that our $23,000 lump-sum launch fund is very nearly complete! He has brought unexpected blessings, and very quickly!
• Our support pledges are at 43% of our goal. Please pray that God will continue to move His follower's hearts to partner with our ministry in Costa Rica. We have several upcoming events where we will get to share about our mission plans; please pray that we will communicate well and that our words won't get in the way of what God wants them to hear.
• All five of us have a clean bill of health after medical checks for living overseas! Even with good reason to believe that an issue or two would be found based on past health issues, tests and labs came back clean. We really believe God has worked in this area and brought physical healing so that we may not be hindered.
• We are spreading the word that our house is for sale or rent, beginning with Mission Adelante volunteers who may have an interest in the neighborhood. We'll do a separate post for general consumption with that info a little later, but feel free to contact us if you have interest.

Many thanks for your prayers, kind words of encouragement, friendship and love,

Andrea (& Seth)