TRINITYWOMEN on a MISSION: Costa Rica Missions Trip
Yellow, black, red, white, green; yellow, black, red, white, green…..over 1500 times. Huh? What is that? Salvation bracelets!! All part of getting ready for the Costa Rica Missions trip!
Each team member took down an extra suitcase with them to Costa Rica. This trip was focused on outreach and evangelism. And, in our extra suitcases were toys, puppets, tracts, and Salvation bracelets. (Each beaded bracelet was hand-made by several members on the team.)
Costa Rica is a country of approximately 4,600,000. We had our home base in San Jose, a bustling metro area of approximately 1,500,000 people. We would walk out of our hotel and be ‘in the flow’ of people going to and from work, school, shopping, etc. The people here are open to the Gospel and were very receptive.
Where did the puppets, Salvation bracelets, toys and tracts come in? Each day we’d head out to a new location. We’d canvas the neighborhoods inviting families to a puppet show later in the day at a local church. We’d complete a questionnaire with the people we talked to, eventually leading up to the Four Spiritual Laws. People prayed to accept Christ in the street, on the plaza, in churches! We’d give the questionnaires to local pastors and they would be so excited to follow up with the people and get them involved with the church.
People were curious; children were excited and would come to the puppet show. Our team had the event under control: from sound system, to puppets with a stage, people giving their testimony (with our translators), music, singing, audience participation (for the children), a puppet show, a human drama and the Gospel message. Each event had people coming to know the Lord. We’d pray over people and, even though we spoke different languages, there is no language barrier in prayer.
God stretched our team and taught us all. One morning we went up in the mountains to do some light construction work at a group home for men who were recovering addicts, etc. We all thought we’d be working but God had different plans. The space was so small that only some of us could work. The rest of us sat in a room with the group home residents and shared testimonies and sang. These men were so interested that they asked numerous questions of the couple that gave their testimony. Frankly, I can’t remember the last time I heard someone ask questions of someone’s testimony here in the States!
We also went to a Teen Challenge location in San Jose and, once again, God showed us His language was universal. His lessons and His love are universal.
God met our needs in so many ways. From the airlines we took allowing for two full-sized bags without charge, to a few hours spent on a front porch of a gracious woman who allowed us to wait for our bus there, to a bus driver who could manipulate the bus in and out of spaces in a way that I didn’t think was possible, to meeting people for the first time and having an instant connection with them.
We were stretched on the trip and we were tired at the end. But, I know that I will not forget Nancy and still pray for her. I met her at the Plaza outside our hotel and we prayed together. Each of us would tell you of a different moment but all very special.
Don’t underestimate the power of prayer. Our God hears and answers.
