prayers and pioneering ARE a part of the bigger picture!

This past weekend we took our current students to Jaco to meet the people and connections we were blessed to make last year with during the internship phase. Last year, we thought going into it, we would be mostly pioneering, praying and researching the situation in Jaco. What we were not expecting was that we would get caught up in work and ministry that already has existed in Jaco. Instead, we saw an opportunity to infuse the work that already existed with a well-needed, breath of fresh energy to those who are working, almost completely on their own. I applaud those few who are already working and have for many years, making a difference no matter how small it seems on the grand scale of darkness that surrounds Jaco. One project we spent most of our time in was in a community know as "the river" or "the hole." This video explains the project and the woman and church who began the project

A Canon 7D short: El Hueco from gnarly bay on Vimeo.

Its only been 4 months since we last were in Jaco, yet I could see from being among the kids an the community once again, how it has changed by leaps and bounds. Bleu's long-term efforts there have become more visible than ever. Just to give you an example... In one particular family that lives in this community, the male figure in the family, had sexually abused both generations of his children. When we were there, we saw how it was affecting the children, particularly a little 4 year old girl. Her behavior mirrored her abuse. I remember that she would never come up and hug us, as all the other children would and that, she rejected any type of affection or care on our part. Now coming back months later, she runs into Bleu's arms and is a happy and smiling child versus the angry, downcast and disturbed child from before.

Bleu told us a person from the community asked her to pray for this particular man. Eventhough everything in her wanted to punch this guy instead of pray for him, she was compelled (by a source not her own ;-) to ask him his name and immediately his demeanor softened and melted. She did pray for him. Though she can't prove that he is a completely changed man, she does see a change in the community and his family.

I remember her telling us that we think we need to be counselors and trained proessionals to make a difference. Now she knows otherwise, its God's healing hand that makes the difference whether its through a trained professional or us. This little girl's smiles and renewed face of hope and restoration; this is all I need to realize that our time there and all Bleu's work, heartaches, and discouragements are well-worth it.