coffee, fire, freedom, missions, trafficking....

The past few weeks have been busy but beautiful. God has brought me to this place at the perfect time, and He is beginning to show me more and more some of the desires He has for me through the mission work in Costa Rica. I am involved with many different things here at the base (since there is SO much going on here). It's amazing to be a part of a vision that was truly birthed in the heart of God. 

The ministry with the prostitutes (the ministry in which I am working full-time) has been incredible. God has been preparing hearts; making them ready for a pure, healthy relationship with members on our team... which will hopefully lead to a freeing relationship with the Lord. Most of the women and men with whom we work are victims of exploitation... those who are not victims of human trafficking all have a very dark history. 1 in every 3 children in Costa Rica is a victim of sexual abuse. In this country with costs of glorious beaches and beauty, the deep darkness is often covered or hidden. 

On Tuesday night I went to talk to one of the women to whom I have been ministering to on the streets. She had been waiting to see me. As we talked, she suddenly changed subjects. Through a crackling voice she whispered, “these streets strip you of every bit of dignity”. She continued to pour out as I listened to both her and to the Holy Spirit, hoping he would speak into her life. As I closed my eyes to pray, He took over and spoke directly to her heart. I don’t know this woman’s entire life, but I do know that God has been pursuing her as he does with each of us. There are some nights when I am discouraged and wonder if I’m accomplishing anything ministering to and taking a ‘cup of coffee’ to these people.... and then God reminds me that I am only a part in the long process of His pursuit on their lives. 

‘A cup of coffee’. Can a cup of coffee change a life? I believe so. 

Last week there was an electrical fire at the ministry coffee house where we hold our Freedom Street Sunday church service. This happened on a Saturday night... it was evident that Satan was angry with us. Praise the Lord that we are accomplishing some kingdom work! :) We spent a lot of time cleaning and it is still not finished. But one thing is for sure; the One on our side will always be stronger than the one on the ‘other side’. God has already overcome. And no matter how dark the places are that He calls us to go into; I know that darkness always flees just ahead of the light. 

Two weeks ago I worked with a short term missions team (a youth group) that came down for a week. God did incredible things in them and through them. It was a blessing for me to have the opportunity to share God’s love and his heart for missions with people from my own nation! We went and worked at a girls home for young girls who have babies or who are pregnant. God took me there for a reason. The girls at this home (the youngest one was 10) were almost all victims of rape. Most of them had been raped while being exploited as sex slaves (prostitutes). As I held a 20 day old baby (that was born at just 6 months), I thought of what the mother of that child must feel when she looks at that beautiful baby. Imagine seeing a precious baby that is part of you... but is the fruit of violation and slavery. I so often get to see the brokenness of a life sold into human trafficking.... and this place allowed me to see the restoration that God can bring. Only through God can there be healing. Of course that healing is a long, long process.... but there is healing... 

I’m still praying about what God wants me to do with this new revelation. I am praying that my hearts desires will catch up to His hearts desires. 

                                   TRATA- the documentary 

A week from today my small team will be leaving to film the human trafficking documentary "TRATA". We know that the most powerful way to transform a nation is through media. The versatility of film serves as a powerful means to educate and expose the reality of this huge injustice that is growing not only in Costa Rica but also around the world. 

Our purpose for the film is to show the Costa Rican people these realities that they do not know exist in their neighborhoods, homes and communitities. While the film will have a North American audience, our main audience is the Costa Rican public. 

The film will be produced in both a Spanish and English version. 

Called to Serve- Slavery is on God's heart

The DTS is over and I will now be working full time with ‘Freedom Street Ministry” and with “Metro Ministry” here at the YWAM San Jose, Costa Rica base. 

Freedom Street ministry in the ministry that I was involved with before outreach. This ministry works with prostitutes, victims of human trafficking and exploitation. As I have sought God's heart over the past few months, my God-given passion for children's justice has grown exponentially. Through talking with the men, women, and children who line the streets at night; I have been able to hear their cry of desperation behind the words they speak. I have seen their need for a savior... and I have felt God's heart break for these victims of slavery. 

     God has been moving in huge ways the past few months with this ministry and I am so excited to see where He will take the ministry next. God has been opening doors for the ministry to be more effective; connections with the government as well as increased interest from the prostitutes with which we work. 

With this ministry, I will be going on the ‘streets’ 3 nights a week to visit with the prostitutes and further develop relationships with them. Through these relationships, we create comfort and trust which opens the doors for them to share if they are indeed victims of exploitation. We can then work to help free these people who are basically slaves, or human trafficking victims. We also have a church service on Sundays where the prostitutes can come and hear about the biggest freedom we have to offer. This church service has truly been amazing. We have already seen men and women make decisions for Jesus and choose to change their lives. This service is an awesome opportunity to sit and share, disciple, and help these men, women, and children.

Last Sunday at this church service, God spoke so strongly about guilt an shame. This was powerful not only for the prostitutes, but also to me. It is so hard to imagine God as someone who takes away all of our guilt and offers us forgiveness; so often we limit him by human standards. 

Another part of this ministry is English classes that we offer to the prostitutes so that they can have skills to help find a new job after they are rescued. Also, on Friday nights we have a prayer vigil in front of the largest brothel in Costa Rica. Prayer is so powerful to break spiritual chains of injustice. Through prayer we can call God’s kingdom to be done here on the Earth. 

This July, Carlos and I will be traveling with Elizabeth (with Freedom Street Ministry) to make a documentary about human trafficking and exploitation. We are praying that this documentary can bring awareness and change to help end slavery. 

Saturday  Night  with Freedom Street- Short story

Driving downtown to deliver coffee to the prostitutes is always a time when my mind is running wild; praying to God and asking for His guidance. On Saturday night before going to the streets, we spent some time in prayer. Carlos prayed that God would just give us His eyes for these people, His heart for them, and His love for them. 

After talking to a couple of prostitutes who are victims of exploitation (brought here unwillingly as slaves), we got back in the car to head to our next stop. On the way, we saw a young girl (probably 17) who was dancing for a man standing on the street. We were stopped at a stop light seeing this girl through the window. My eyes began to water as I heard God say, “imagine how I feel as her father watching her do that”. My heart shattered. 

Later while talking to a beautiful young girl (probably around the same age), I felt God crying over her. This girl who was unwilling sold to be used and abused by men; feeding their lustful cravings. I only have to see these girls while they are on the streets waiting for a ‘client’; God has to be with them in those dark rooms... God is omnipresent; and I’m sure that at some times He wishes He wasn’t...

I’m not a mother yet, so I know that I can only partially begin to imagine what it must feel like to watch a child live through injustices... to go to bed at night knowing that my daughter is being abused and taken advantage of by a grown man... I’m sure one day that thought will hurt even more than it does today. 

Metro Ministry 

METRO ministry is another ministry with which I will be involved. This ministry focuses on reaching children in the ghettos of the city. These children are surrounded by drug trafficking, sexual exploitation, poverty, and gangs (among other things). These children are desperate for a positive role model. We want to offer them the opportunity to KNOW and live for God. While our goal is to reach children, this ministry also ministers to their families through discipleship and home visits. In the 2 communities we visit each week, we are reaching more than 100 kids. We are also in the process of training local churches so that they can began implementing the program around the country to reach even more kids.

Around the base

Another fun thing about living on a base with 30 other missionaries is "family contributions". On the base, we are a family. For me, it is an honor to serve my fellow missionaries in the kitchen or cleaning the base! I have also loved playing with the children at the base... these future leaders in missions bless my life each time I get to spend time with them. 

                                                          Needs

• Prayer- Please keep me in your prayers as I follow God into dark and dangerous places. Please pray for safety and wisdom. Pray for my spiritual, physical, and emotional strength! Also for God to open doors for the victims of exploitation as we build trust with them. 
• Financial needs- I am in need of people who feel called to missions through supporting. Please pray about becoming a monthly missions supporter and help make God's work in this ministry possible. As a YWAM missionary, I am living a 'faith-based/donation based' lifestyle!  There is an easy link to 'donate' through paypal on this blog! 

Ministry & goodbyes

                                                           Saying Goodbyes

As I hugged goodbye the people I have been living with the past 5 months, tears streamed down my face. It was so hard to send off the people I have come to know and love as family; serving the Lord together in missions. I have lived with these people, eaten every meal with them, walked with them in our relationship with God, supported each other in some really difficult ministries, cried together, you name it we did it. Wow, this is definitely one of hard parts of YWAM... you fall in love with a group of people that God brought together and then you have to watch them go. I continued to tell myself ‘the world needs them more than I do. The world is desperate for people like them who KNOW God personally, who are filled with hope.’ But, it still wasn’t easy to let go... I really love them.

As I sat their crying, I asked God to teach me something through this experience. I believe that God designed our lives to teach us about Him and that he is in everything... so I asked Him to reveal himself to me in the midst of this. God spoke to me about his relationship with us (believers); how deeply it breaks His heart when we stray far from Him, even for just a day. How much pain He feels when we are away even for a second because He is so desperate to have us near. Because He is omnipresent, He has to stand there and wait while watching us choose to be away from Him. His presence around us in a promise, despite our awareness of it. We just have to choose to open up and decide to live in that ‘presence’ continually. As for me, there’s no place I’d rather be.

Wow, that touched my heart and brought with it more passion for God. I want to purposefully live every moment of my life to bring a smile to His face. To let other people know Him, this God who desperately longs for a relationship with us...... 

                                                                 The past 5 Months 

The past 5 months have been the most amazing 5 months of my life; but also very touch at times. God has revealed Himself to me in such incredible ways and I daily find myself more in love with Him. It’s so addicting; the more I know the more I love Him. The ‘Discipleship Training School’ has now come to an end. The outreach in Puerto Viejo and Nicaragua were amazing. I saw God move in miraculous ways; healing the sick, watching people accept Jesus, seeing lives transformed, people freed from bondage, delivering bibles around the country and having the opportunity to see the living word of God change people....

Here is a small overview and I will continue to blog more about these past 5 months. I have SO many stories and things to share, but here is just an overview! (I'm sorry I wasn't able to blog much. We did not have much internet access at all)! 

                            Bible distribution

Bible distribution was truly amazing. The goal of this project is to put one bible in every house of Costa Rica. I was first apprehensive about going from house to house delivering a bible... I was worried that it would be impersonal and that we were just ‘leaving them alone’. I really love personal ministries so I was worried about just being in someones house for half of an hour ministering and then leaving. But God completely changed my mindset. There is nothing more powerful than the living word of the living God.... God created the whole world just by speaking... there is power in His word!!!

I was so amazed to see how God had been pursuing each person that we met... this was God’s ministry not ours. Each heart was ready, and God had been working LONG before we joined in with Him to deliver the bibles. People were touched to know that God sent us to hike through mountains for hours just to deliver them a present from the Lord! 

A little old woman we delivered a bible to. She asked us to sit and read her a few passages. We read as tears streamed down her face. She was in desperate need of encouragement. 

A family plagued with sickness. We were able to pray and declare healing over this family. God gave big promises at this house. The little baby was born 3 months early with a hole in her heart. God promised that he would heal her by the time she completes the total 9 months she was supposed to have developing in her mother's womb. 

                                                               

 Skate Park Ministry- Puerto Viejo 

The Skate ministry that we did in Puerto Viejo was fabulous! We were able to reach children and youth in a VERY dark town. Children who live surrounded by drug trafficking, sex, negligent parents, witchcraft, and complete darkness. We were able to reach these children through skateboarding and then were able to build relationships and watch God transform their lives. 

                                                                 

Feeding Program Ministry- Nicaragua 

In Nicaragua we worked with a feeding program and children's ministry in the trash dump. Through this ministry we were able to pour into children who have little hope. By changing the way people think, they can change they way they live (Romans 12:2). 

Looking out over the entrance of the dump. 

A young boy with a cape on playing in the trash.....

Thank you to everyone who made these past 5 months possible and successful through prayer and financial support! Thank you for playing such a crucial role in missions through your support! This would not be possible without your obedience! 

More to come this week!!!!! xoxo

God Speaks- Children's Justice

God has been speaking a lot to me lately... What a beautiful and romantic, intimate and personal relationship he desires with us all...

This week was a long week... we worked on the bible project, putting one bible in every home in Costa Rica. We delivered 2,000 last week. It was a lot of hard work, hiking through the jungle to deliver bibles to very isolated houses, but it was more than worth it. We encountered a snake that was over 6 feet tall, but we also encountered families who have been praying for bibles for years. We met a man who has been praying for God to confirm that God "really wants him", and he said that he knew that we were that confirmation. We helped to free people from oppression and powers of darkness, and to bring light into dark places. But the coolest of all things was to have the honor and privilege to watch God work. God is such a personal God who desires a personal relationship with each one of these people. The word of God is so powerful, with words God called things that had never existed into being.... God's words are strong and have the power to transform.



Today was our 'break day', our day of rest... we haven't had one in a month so it was much needed. As I ran along the beach, I suddenly got the urge to run on the bank or shelf of sand that the tide had created, trying to 'beat' the sand that was quickly falling under my feet. I jumped into the ocean and was enjoying flipping on the waves when God spoke to me. I realized that I don't remember going to the beach as a very small child, I know we did do that, but those memories were replaced with something else. The first real memory I have of the beach is when I went at maybe 10 years old as a nanny.... and then each year after that. I always went as an "adult" in a child's body. I was stressed and worried a lot

   As I sat in the ocean today, I knew that that was God's desire and plan for children. God created children to be children..... to run and to play, to literally be able to enjoy the world without a single care or stress. To think and act like children. But, the world has robbed that from so many children. There are children today, as young as 4 years old, who are sitting inside of a building as sex slaves... who have never known the joys and innocence of childhood. There are children who have never spent one day without stress, fear... little children in alarming amounts that are victims of human trafficking....There are children who have never been children... and they ma never be, unless we step in. I know that is where God is calling me right now.
   I obviously grew up in a much different kind of stress than these children. MUCH different. But there is one thing that I do think is universal.... God is the only one who can heal those wounds and give people freedom. God did that for me. And I believe that he wants to do that for everyone.


     I know that this affects God's heart to see children living in this injustice....

"The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene." -Isaiah 59:15&16

"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen; to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke?" Isaiah 58:6-8

Off to Limon today!

Here is just a little bit of my heart quickly before I run out the door! :)

God has been doing huge things in me in the past few months. I know that Has been shaping me and preparing me for this next step in Limon. 

Last week, I went to a NIKO training camp. This camp is a wilderness leadership training camp. One of the goals is pushing yourself beyond the limits you never thought you could overcome. 

In NIKO, I learned a lot about Perseverance. God is a God of covenant, what we need to change is our hearts; satan just wants us to give up. I learned that God just wants to be involved in every aspect of my life... he is the God of all four parts of me; spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. In the jungle during this trial, and ALL throughout this life, there are times when I think I can’t take one more step... either physically or emotionally, whatever it may be... but God is there waiting. He only wants my good and deeply DESIRES to be involved in everything with me. 

I also learned about giving up every right. That is something that I’ve had to do on the mission field and even more so in NIKO. That week I had to give up my right to safety, personal space and time, security, to having a full stomach, to sleep and rest, to knowing ‘what comes next’, to control, to any convenience. As I sat outside of my tent one night alone in the rain, God just revealed to me how many rights Jesus gave up when He decided to come down to this Earth to live for me. He gave up all of the rights He has in the perfect heaven as a king.... and He did it for me. When we follow Jesus, we lay down our rights.... the coolest thing is that God is SO loving that He usually gives them back to us as gifts. 

When I went into missions, so many people told me that I would be laying down my right to having a relationship and marriage. I gladly laid that down to follow the Lord and He has been confirming to me over and over again that He will honor that and give me that back as a gift. 

In this Easter weekend, God has really been speaking to my heart a lot about what His sacrifice means to me...  I asked God to take my understanding, my knowledge, and my experiences with Him deeper and further. To let my knowledge sink to my heart even more profoundly. He surely did do that. 

Tomorrow we leave for our outreach to Limon where we will be pioneering a new base. This town is the port town where human and drug trafficking are huge industries. I am so excited to see what God is going to do in and through us these next two months. Please pray for us as we answer the call to go and make disciples of all nations; and to love justice and mercy!

We are praying that through a real encounter with Christ, lives can be transformed and people can find true freedom. 

"Look at the nations and watch--and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.” Habakkuk 1:5

More to come later! xoxo

Thank you all for all you do! 

The Presence of the Lord... Homeless Shelter!

Last night was... too many things to put into words. 

I and a group of about 6 other missionaries went to a homeless shelter here in the city. This homeless shelter was amazing... people line up outside of this government funded shelter each afternoon. They receive a number... women and elders are accepted first. The shelter accepts 102 people each night. When the people enter, they shower, get clean pajamas, and are assigned to a room. In the rooms there are bunk beds, sheets, pillows... it is such a clean place. 

We went to help serve dinner and to minister to these people. (Starting next week, we are going to take all of the left over food from the base to donate to the shelter).

I know most people have horrible thoughts about the homeless, thinking that they are just lazy or bad people.... nothing is further from the truth. 

The others were serving dinner and I felt like God was leading me to go talk to the women who were waiting to eat (they eat by room number so that there are not too many people eating at the same time). I went into room number 15 which was occupied only by women. 

I walked into the room and the 6 women in there sat up in their beds. They were beautiful. They exchanged glances and then one finally asked, “Are you an angle”? (I assumed it was because I was blonde). They then began to tell me that I was gorgeous... but the reason they asked that was because they felt the presence of the Lord with me. They all had goose bumps. I was immediately awestruck with God’s awesome-ness.... He promises to go with us; but these women could feel it and smell it. Wow... God is good.

I began to talk with the women who immediately opened up to me. It was obvious that they were desperate to talk to someone. Two of them told me that they had been praying so hard lately and then God sent himself through me. I was just so amazed at how good God is even in the small things. We had prayed earlier this week about where to go to do ministry that night, and God had told us to go there. 

They all told me that they were struggling with ‘deep, profound’ sadness. My heart turned inside of me. 

Dayana, 33 years old, was absolutely gorgeous. We began to talk and she just poured everything out... she had been waiting for a moment such as this for 13 years she told me.... wow God. She left her house when she was 13 when her father tried to kill her (he was a violent alcoholic). She had nowhere to go and thus began her long journey. She lived with one family for a while but the man was very violent as well; she showed me her ear which had been split all the way in half from his abuse. She had four children who were living with her ex-husband. I’m not sure what happened with her ex-husband, but it was extremely traumatic. She was desperate now... living on the streets. When she first went onto the streets, it was because of alcohol. Alcohol had been her way to escape the pain, but had cost her everything. She has now been sober for 8 months... and just found out that she is pregnant. My mind was screaming, these are the people Jesus came to save!!!!  She was desperate... in need of a savior. She knew God and she knew Jesus, but just had wandered off. 

I began to intercede in prayer in my spirit, and then God took over. Things began to come out of my mouth that I didn’t even know, as tears streamed down her face. She couldn’t believe that I knew those things about her life, which I didn’t, but God sure did. We talked for hours. I spoke words of truth to her, encouraged her, and declared words of God over her life. Words of truth. And I truly do believe in Dayana. I could feel God’s heart for her.... He gave me an image of her sitting on the street alone and scared; and he had a string tied to her heart, tugging and pulling her closer. He obviously didn’t cause this situation, but was determined to use it to draw her close (even so determined that he sent us there to minister to her). He wanted her heart so desperately, just like he wants all of our hearts. 

I began to pray for her... but before I warned her that I couldn’t pray in Spanish very well because my spirit still talks to God in English. She said that was fine! Another girl, Laura, from my missionary team how now entered this room to see what was going on. I placed my hands on her and could literally feel how heavy the presence of the Lord was in this room. I open my mouth and out came this passionate prayer in perfect Spanish; a prayer that spoke right to her heart; a prayer that had Laura’s chin on the floor. When I finished after 15 minutes, Dayana looked up with tears streaming down her face. I knew that that was the Holy Spirit. 

When I experience something like that, there are no words to describe what I feel... complete amazement at God, fear from how HUGE and powerful He is, but absolutely in love with His goodness, very humble, very little, but filled!

She truly wants to get off of the streets and get her life back. She gave me a ring to remember her with and to pray for her. When I left last night, all of the women in the room had peace and hope... how precious is hope. Thank you God... where the presence of the Lord is there is Freedom! 

I am going back to visit and continue to minister at this place. I can’t wait to see what God does! These people just need someone to believe in them and speak truth of their value over them. 

The owner was a man who lived on the streets for 15 years... he is now working at this government funded shelter. He has a wife and children, a house, a life... He KNOWS that it was God who took him off of the streets. However, he is looking for a relationship with God. Wow! Praise the Lord! 

TEAM Video! :) & 2 HUGE works of God!

Here is the link to my Limon team video! We will have another video soon! We made this one quickly so that we could inform our friends and family as soon as possible!  Hope you like it! 

Bible Distribution

"In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, And the Word was God."   John 1:1

 This past Saturday, we as a YWAM base handed out over 1,600 bibles in a town in Costa Rica. We are working with a project that has the objective of placing a bible in every one of the 1.3 million homes in Costa Rica.

We have seen amazing things as we go door to door ministering to people and offering them a free bible. 

This Saturday, our team saw some crazy things.... one of the most radical things was a life-saving encounter. After going to one house and meeting with a lady, she asked the 2 missionaries to go to her sister's house and give her a bible. They followed the woman to the sister's house where they found the girl in a dark room in bed.

Earlier that day, the girl had tried to hang herself and was found dangling by her older sister. The missionaries were able to speak words of truth into this girl, pray for her, and led her as she accepted Christ as her Lord. They then connected her with a local church to help her in this long journey ahead! Praise God! He saves!

It is amazingly powerful to see the word of God change lives. And by going to these people's houses, we are able to watch it happen quickly! 

*The team of women from a local church that went with my group! We try to always include the local churches to try and create unity in the faith!*

Freedom Street Church

'Freedom Street' is the prostitute ministry that I am working with (that I have written about a few times before). On Sunday, we help a church service for the prostitutes in the ministry coffee house. 

This Sunday, two male prostitutes gave their lives to Christ. When one of the male missionaries asked the man, "will we see you in your usual spot this week?", the man replied, "I will never go back there again. My life is forever changed."

It is only through the power and promises of Jesus that these two guys found the strength to get off of the streets. These two guys were victims of exploitation. This process has been a long process to even get to this point... but it's not over yet. These men are still in need of a miracle as they seek (fearing for their safety) to escape from this life of exploitation. 

Please be praying for a miracle. 

But, there are no words to describe the feeling to see two prostitutes who finally find their identity and 'worth' in Christ Jesus. To describe the state of my soul just in knowing that they have turned their lives around. 

These two men who have been abused, exploited, unloved, and lost in some of the world's darkest places; have encountered the life changing light and love of Christ.