WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING:

This week has been so good and full. Thank you for all your much-needed prayers! One of the things I've enjoyed most so far is building relationships with the locals through our various ministries.

We have been helping a local church pastor in the mornings with work on the church building. Through this, we've also been able to get to know his family and some church members better.

Please pray for:

-willingness to think differently, wisdom, and creativity for pastors to reach the un-churched people here

-for desire to know the Bible better to be able to preach the gospel accurately & so they would not grow weary or discouraged

We have also been going to a local high school to teach ESL class. For me, it's been such a joy to be in the classroom teaching English again, something I thought I would never do/enjoy again. Gary, the missionary we partner with, has started coming to this local high school to help teach ESL classes for two reasons. One, to build relationships with local high schoolers to invite them to youth group so they would be able to learn about Jesus. Another reason is because being able to communicate fluently in English helps open up better job opportunities, giving them a better future (Talking to our host mom, and confirmed by many other sad stories, Costa Rica has a high unemployment rate for various, large-scale reasons. Knowing English does not guarantee a job at all, but it gives them a higher chance). Students are required to learn English, but most do not practice (whether lack of opportunity or fear of being wrong), so no one really can understand or use English adequately.

Please pray for:

-the high school students to have a desire to learn English

-this relational ministry to bring youth to know Christ (praise God that already, one of the students has been expressing constant interest in youth group! He will be hanging out with us this weekend, and please pray for opportunities to share the gospel to him!)

In the afternoons, we have been holding a children's camp, and some of the moms end up coming and participating as well. This is in partnership with a local church, in one of the poorest parts of San Jose. We have been going on prayer walks for the neighborhood, and then hosting a camp with games, message about the Bible, and crafts.

Today was the last day of this camp, and it was pouring rain. No one was coming because of the rain, and I went to ask Gary why we were still here. He said we were waiting for the children to come. I was already upset because my socks and shoes were soaked through, and in my head, I thought, "No one is going to come." But Lily said, "Let's pray." I was hesitant to ask for something so improbable, but we prayed, and literally within a minute the kids started coming. A good 20+ kids showed up, comparable to previous good-weather days. And then throughout the lesson, the rain stopped until the end of the camp. Only God is powerful enough to change the weather and change our souls. What an awesome God.

First 8/8 team picture!! Of course with ice cream :)

In all things, despite the constant changes in plans, the best thing about this trip is being on a team. Everywhere we go, I see how every person's personality and talent is needed to carry out our work, and that has been something I praise God for. Thank you for covering us all in prayers! We will still be teaching ESL classes in the same school next week, so please continue praying for us!

- Doris Yeung

Costa Rica STM 2017 - An Awesome God

WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING: