Gloria a Dios

Praise the Lord. What an amazing trip. God was glorified in so many ways. The mission's part of the trip just ended with some amazing things. We had the festival on Saturday night and many people gave their lives to the Lord that night and we ended the night with praise and worship. It was a great time and the skies were clear.

The next day we got up and hiked, went on boats down the river and in the back of trucks to 3 different villages. It started with a long truck ride, boat ride and then another truck ride and a small hike. The first village was to visit a small church (like 20 people) that met under a grass roof and had no walls or floor. It was a great time of encouragement and blessing for both us and them. We prayed for each of them and encouraged the pastor. They were beaming with joy because they recently got the New Testament in Bri Bri. The second village was a 30 minute truck ride and then a 20 minute hike away. It was amazingly beautiful...a village up on a cliff above the river. There were about 100 people there. We did an eyeglass clinic, crafts with kids, games and then Brandon Armstrong preached and about 8 people gave their lives to the Lord. It was awesome to see God use this young man. He was also the one that preached the message on baptism on Saturday morning. We then hiked, trucked and took a boat down a river to the final village, where Pastora Engracia lives. We have taken every team for the last 5 years to her village and it is always a blessing. She fed all 40 of us rice and we prayed for her and her church and gave her an offering as well. It was a great time. The Bri Bri people only allow you in their kitchen when you are close friends. I have been in Engracia's kitchen many times over the years and on Sunday, she told the whole team that they were welcome in her kitchen. What a relationship!

The relationship we have developed with Engracia, Manuel, Merardo and many of the other pastors is amazing. We are so blessed to know these people. What a mutual blessing we are to each other. Please pray for these pastors and others.

The team did a fantastic job. My favorite part of these trips is seeing each of these students use their gifts in such amazing ways, and these young people sure served the Lord with all their heart this week. Everyone at ABC would have been so proud of our team. If all their parents could have seen their kids in action, they would have been full of joy.

Please pray for health. A few of the team are sick (and need some rest). Please pray that it won't continue to spread amongst the team. Also, please pray for our time together tomorrow as we share our experiences together, encourage one another and pray for each other.

Thanks again for your prayers.

Adam (on behalf of the Costa Rica team)