Jaco Outreach

We have been adjusting to life here in Jaco and making this place our own for the last several months. I have learned to love this place and community as well as the students. We will all be sad to leave. We have only 2 weeks left and although I am anxious to have completed this first school and get a little break. I am very sad it is coming to an end, the time here in Jaco and the time with my students.

We have been participating in a program started by a lady named Blue and the church we attend here. They built a little room for a tutoring program for the kids in an area of Jaco know as the river community. Here the kids have few opportunities for a good education. Please pray for the children here, that the education system is changed and that the kids don’t give up on their education all together. The kids are amazing here. Often times the kids here raise their own little brothers and sisters as the responsibilities fall to them at such a young age. The members of Radical, the church who works in this area are truly very “relevant” in their community. It is a small church, more like family to me. The majority of the congregation is teenagers. The pastors who run the church and also Christian Surfers ministry have a lot of work on their hands along with other church volunteers who work with the youth on a regular basis. Two of our students went to visit the woodworking shop that one of the guys from church started to help out the youth in the community and give them the experience and skills to work with their hands and earn money. It’s a huge blessing for them but we realize it often goes unappreciated so please pray for Fernando and Jessica as they are amazing in their endurance and strength working with the youth despite little to no appreciation in return. To us, their love for the boys is a huge reflection of God’s unconditional love for us. The boys truly are amazing and we have become their friends, more even so our students with them but we also realize we are here for a short time and more their friends than authority so we share in the prayers and burden for Fernando and Jessica who will continue the task and work with them once we leave.

We have been assisting the church here in various areas as well as Christian Surfers with what is needed in the moment. Our students are also working on collecting surveys and all the information the can gather regarding the needs here and for us to pass this vital information along to YWAM, San Jose and for whoever would like to continue the work here or partner with someone to benefit this area for Christ. We hope to have extensive data to pass along and the many connections and relationships that we have built in our time here. This time has been yet another challenging and excellent pioneering training for me. We are constantly trying to figure the next step out along the way. It has stretched our faith and abilities intensely.

God has also been working on me and showing me areas in my life which need uprooting. I am discovering fresh perspective on how I am a reflection of His love and grace. We are all growing together even more intensely than in Bogota and its challenging at times and yet so good in others.

We would appreciate your prayers as we close out these next 2 weeks in Jaco.

Blessings,

Rachel