Up in the Mountain (Chauhites, Costa Rica) and down at the Coast (Puerto Limón, Costa Rica)

back to Our Walk of Faith

Wednesday, October 31st
We hung out with Max, Hanny, Diandra, & Steve for most of the day...Ismael came to pick us up around 5 pm. On our way up the mountain, we stopped for supper at a place where they fix pizza over an open fire...tasty! From there we went to his church, Vida en la Montaña. The service was just starting, but Pastor Allan wanted to talk with us. He took us into his office and we talked for just a few minutes, then he asked us to share testimony during the service. We asked him if we could pray together, and then we went into church. It's been a couple of weeks since we've had the opportunity to share, but the Holy Spirit called to mind what we needed to share. Praise God! After the service, we were able to talk to a lot of the church family! They were so loving! Pastor Allan also invited us to his house to eat lunch on Thursday!

When we got back to Ismael's house, we talked for a while, and he showed us pictures of Nalu. She was a really special lady. God gave him peace just after her death through a dream. (He had been waiting for the woman God had for him for many years...he was 37 or 38 when they married, so it was really hard to lose her so quickly.) So God spoke to him...God took Ismael to heaven, and he saw people dressed in white (but not white like we see white), so he was looking for Nalu. Finally he saw her coming closer to him, and she was grinning from ear to ear...no more pain or suffering for her! He couldn't touch her because there was a transparent wall between him and her. She told him...I'm with my Beloved...let Him keep working in your life! From that moment on, Ismael hasn't mourned her passing...he says, she's better off than I am now. She crossed the finish line before me. Wow!

Ismael also showed us a model of the Logos ship that he was on and he told us about working with the Kuna people! It was awesome to hear what God's been doing in his life! (He also has a kitten, Emilia, who is full of energy and quite entertaining.)

Thursday, November 1st
Don Quico and Doña Flory (Pastor Allan's parents) invited us to breakfast at their house this morning. Don Quico was already at work, but we were able to fellowship with Doña Flory and hear their testimonies of coming to know Jesus. Don Quico was a very hard man, but you would never guess that now...the love of Jesus flows freely from him now! After breakfast, Doña Flory wanted us to meet some of her children. They have 11 who are still alive!!

First we stopped by Rocío's house and met two of her daughters--Wendy and Carolina--and Wendy's daughters--Christel and Keiry. Roy is staying there right now because he was in a motorcycle accident one week ago and there's no way for him to get down the mountain to his house.) (His son, Noel, was there visiting him when we got there.) Roy's pretty banged up but in good spirits. Roy testified of God's protection because he knows he should have been dead. The man who hit him was drunk and tried to flee the scene of the accident, but people who were nearby wrote down his tags, so he didn't leave. Come to find out, this is the second time this same man has hit someone on a motorcycle. He is begging them not to press charges because it will mean jail time. Roy is praying for discernment right now as to what to do...the man has 4 children, but it's the 2nd time he's done something like this. We prayed for healing on his body and for wisdom for him as he makes this decision. Maybe God can use this situation to bring the man who hit Roy to a saving knowledge of Jesus.

From Rocío's house, we stopped by Greivin's workshop...he makes wooden plant holders. He's really talented especially when you realize that he made his own wood cutting machines too! We were amazed! We prayed for his business...for God's blessing to be on it. Here are some pictures of the examples that he had sitting around the shop...



















Here's what they look like with floral arrangements...












From there we went to Roy's house to meet his wife Marlene. She has a shop in their house too. She sews for several designers. They bring the pre-cut pieces and she puts them together. Right now she's working on dress shirts for one company and purses for another lady. They've all been really understanding this week because she's gotten behind. She's been trying to take care of Roy up at his sister's house, keep her house straight and work. We prayed for her business and for provision for their family especially during the time that Roy can't work.

From there we kept walking down the mountain to Hellen's house. She sings on the praise team at church...she has a really sweet spirit! Before we left her house, she invited us to breakfast on Friday morning.

We went back to Don Quico and Doña Flory's house to visit a little more, and to wait for Pastor Allan to pick us up for lunch. When we got to his house, Roxana was putting the food on the table...perfect timing! Allen was their only child at home because Adriel and Aziel were both still at school. We had a great time sharing with them. I even took a few notes as Pastor Allan & Roxana were sharing with us.

They have a beautiful house...Pastor Allan was a builder before he was a pastor, so for the past 10 years or so, they've been building their house little by little. They're almost finished now! After the tour, Adriel and Aziel were home, so we played with them and Allen for a bit before it was time for us to head back up the mountain. Before we said our goodbyes, Allen prayed over us...a simple prayer of faith. He united our hands and put his hand on top...then he asked God to protect us!! Wow...I was so touched!!





When we got back to Ismael's house, we found Emilia playing with a mouse that she caught...quite interesting!! We had to smile at her antics!! Then Ismael got home, and he wanted us to talk to one of his friends (Lonnie) in Panama City, Panama. Lonnie is Kuna, but he was adopted by American missionaries because his mother died when he was a baby. Needless to say, he speaks English as well as you or I. His parents are responsible for having the New Testament translated into the Kuna language. We were excited to "meet" him, and we are praying that God will cross our paths while we are in Panama. The Kuna live on the San Blas islands...360 islands off the coast of Panama...it would be an amazing experience!! We'll just keep praying because it is quite a ways off!

Then Ismael gave us contacts all throughout Panama and Colombia and even one in Peru!! He's been in touch with all of them about us or he will talk to them in the next week! Praise God! He continues to go before us!!

Friday, November 2nd
This morning we ate breakfast with Erik, Hellen, and Mauricio. They shared amazing testimonies of God's provision and restuaration of their marriage! Praise God! Praise God! Praise God! Erik had to head off to work, but we stayed for a bit and looked at pictures of the family!!


We also visited again with Doña Flory this morning...she showed us a ton of pictures too!! From there, we went back to Ismael's house to pack our stuff. He's leaving today to visit a friend at the Nicaraguan border, so we are going back to Max's house at least for tonight. (This will be our third time at his house...that's a first!! God must have something special there!)



Odir and his wife, Sujey, invited us to their house for lunch today. Odir, Sujey, and Ismael shared testimony of how the business was started and what God is doing through it! It's awesome to know and see God's hand at work in all areas of life! After lunch, they took us to see the factory where the men work. They make plastic bags for companies who make salsas, dairy products, juices, etc. One of their customers is Dos Pinos which is one of the biggest brands of dairy products in Central America. As a matter of fact, they just had a meeting with Dos Pinos today to start selling them a new dispenser that they've come up with. It's pretty exciting to say the least! They've got a really big step of faith to make in this coming year, so pray for wisdom for them!!

Sadly enough, it was time to say bye to the folks on the mountain! Ismael dropped us off in Heredia. The good thing this time is that we knew where we were going, and we were excited to see Steve, Max, Hanny, and Diandra again! It felt like coming home! We shared for a bit about what we'd all done over the past couple of days and played some with Diandra before it was time to go to bed! (Pray for Steve's teeth...he had his dental appointment on Thursday, but he's still having a lot of sensitivity on the teeth they worked on. He's hoping not to have a root canal!)

Saturday, November 3rd
This morning has been pretty low-key--journalling and chatting with Max and Steve. Hanny and Diandra went to visit Hanny's sister because she's in town for a few days. We are hoping to hear from Pastora Carmen today. She lives near here, but she preaches at a church in Limón. Ismael has been in touch with her, and she sounded interested in meeting us today. We're still praying about an open door!! We'll have to see what happens...

We went with Steve into Heredia to check our e-mail...it was quite interesting finding a place because half the city was without electricity. From there we went back to Max's house. Right as we walked in the door, Hanny was giving directions to Pastora Carmen. I guess we are going to Limón tomorow...we're continuing to pray for an open door there. The reviews have been a little mixed about Limón...people have told us that it is the most dangerous part of Costa Rica and that there's a huge epidemic of Dengue this year...at the same time, we've heard that the beauty along the way is incredible. It should be interesting...

Sunday, November 4th
We had to say goodbye to Max, Hanny, Diandra, and Steve again today...sad, but we hope to stay in touch.

Pastora Carmen shared testimony of how the church started just 2 1/2 years ago as a Bible study at Don Oscar and Pastora Carmen's house. There was a bar across the street that kept them awake until 3 or 5 am on Friday and Saturday nights, so they prayed that God would close it down. It changed tenants every couple of months, but it continued operating as a bar. One year ago the mother church in Zapote decided that the Bible study was ready to become a church...they had torn down all the walls that they could in the house, and they were out of space. Guess what was available for rent?! The bar...they rented, remodeled, and redeemed the space for the sake of Christ!!!

Pastora Carmen continued sharing their testimony...they have 3 children...2 of which the doctors told her weren't possible to have. (God radically healed her scarred and tumor-filled womb!) Two of the kids had serious medical problems that were supposed to take their lives. Then Pastora Carmen had a disease that confined her to the bed and caused her to have brittle bones. God healed that as well...she says she dances for the Lord now!! This family has been through it, and do you know what she says...God has used the circumstances of their lives to form them and to shape them!

Now God is using them to bring radical healing to the lives of their church members. She told us about a teenage girl, Tamara, who got pregnant nearly a year ago. Her mom, Fiorella, called Pastora Carmen after an exam to tell her that the doctors had told them that the baby was forming, but its brain and skull in the center of its head wasn't. Plus there were some serious problems with its heart. The family got together with Pastora Carmen, and they started praying. The next day, they went back for more testing, but they couldn't find a thing wrong with the baby. Now Daniel is 2 months old and just as healthy as he can be! People were praying for him all over Costa Rica and Nicaragua!!

Pastora Carmen's mom, Nora, and her aunt, Maritza, rode with us to Limón. We were surprised to hear that Tía Maritza was a missionary with the Centro American Church...she's traveled all over Central America sharing the Gospel...sometimes on foot, other times by train, bus, or car. She even knew the Sparks that we learned about in Guatemala! She still works with children. She's kind of like a big child! We were completely entertained by her antics, and her love for Jesus was hugely evident!!

The church service was awesome...Dania (one of the girls on the praise team) even sang part of one of the songs in English. We were so touched by the worship and by the message. Pastor Carmen talked about being a vessel that God can use...a vessel of honor, mercy, or purpose. After she shared, she asked us to give testimony. (The service lasted at least 4 hours, and no one left early...on the contrary, they hung around and talked together after the service as well!!) When we finished, she asked us to come back up...she and Don Oscar wanted to wash our feet. Neither Chris nor I could hold back the tears as they prayed over us and washed our stinky feet...Pastora Carmen even kissed my feet...I was humbled. They are leaders by example. (I need to get a clue about serving!! What a testimony!!)

After the service, we met Fiorella, Tamara, and Daniel. We also met Roy and Lidia. Lidia had a word from God for us "You are going to see." As we continue to seek God, it will be interesting to see whether this referred to visual sight or spiritual sight! We also met Mamfred (their son) and his wife and their children, and their daughter-in-law and her daughter. Mamfred shared of God healing their marriage. Now they are pastoring the couples in the church. Hector and Jessica one of the couples who are pastoring the youth also testify of God restoring their marriage. It's amazing!!

This past week was Pastora Carmen's birthday, so they celebrated at church. Then they celebrated again at a lunch for all the leaders of the church. There we met Claudio and Ana...Claudio was a drunk, and his little girl shared Christ with him and he is transformed!! He has a heart for serving others now! We heard story after story of restored families and healed marriages! Pastora Carmen has discipled these leaders for 2 1/2 years, and now they are discipling others in the church...they have 200-300 members now! God's moving in such an amazing way!


Sunday night, we spoke to the youth group. We shared testimony, answered questions, and talked about relationships. We praised God together in song and even played a game or two! At the end, several of the youth stayed after so that we could pray together...some wanted to go deeper in their relationship with the Lord, others wanted to use their talents for God, and others just wanted advice.

Luis and Lety (the other couple who pastors the youth) invited us to stay at their house since Don Oscar, Pastora Carmen, and Tía Maritza had to go back to San Jose early on Monday morning. Luis and Lety have huge hearts for serving the Lord and for teens. We had a great time sharing together!!


Monday, November 5th
Erika (a sister from the church) invited Lety, Chris and I (Luis was working) to go to Playa Bonito...so we got to go to the beach!! We even swam for about an hour!! Wahoo! We ate lunch together and had a great time sharing testimony with one another.

This afternoon, Fiorella invited us over to her house to meet her mom, Olga, and Daniel's dad, Alejandro. Abraham, a family friend, was also visiting. We all talked together quite a bit. Olga shared a quote that I really like..."Giving hands are never empty." She lives her life by this...a homeless person knocked on her door, and she gave him food! Olga taught Fiorella this principle and she taught Tamara. Pretty awesome heritage to pass down if you ask me! Alejandro, Tamara, and Abraham were all at church on Sunday night, so they were interested to hear more...especially Abraham. Fiorella wanted us all to pray together before we left, so we gathered in Olga's room. Right as we were beginning, Alejandro's parents arrived. They were there to take Alejandro, Tamara, and Daniel to Alejandro's house for the night. So just Olga, Fiorella, Abraham, and us were left. God laid it on our hearts to share the Gospel with Abraham. When I finished sharing God's Word with him, he was ready to pray to invite Jesus into his life! It was awesome!!! Then we all prayed together!

Abraham, too, has a baby boy, Heidan, who is 1 month old. However, Karla's (the baby's mom) family wants nothing to do with Abraham...although it's his desire to be a part of the baby's life. We are praying that God will grow Abraham and restore this family! There is a men's conference that's coming up at the end of November...we are praying that Abraham and Alejandro will go, and that their lives will be radically transformed!!! Please pray with us about this!

What a great day!! Then we went back to Luis and Letty's house to share testimony with them and learn a little more about the church's heart to reach out to the community and surrounding areas! It's extremely exciting!!

A sister from the church, Ginnell, goes to Panama every 2 months or so to buy clothes that she sells in Costa Rica. Tomorrow "just so happens" to be the day that she's going, and she wants to take us with her!! So it looks like we'll be in Panama tomorrow!! We'll have to see what happens from there!! God bless you and keep you! May the peace of God that surpasses all understanding and the joy of the Lord which is our strength fill you to overflowing! We'll be in touch again soon! We love you!!

Pictures from Pastor Carmen's birthday celebration after church...



























a) RE showing Tía, Ana, and her little girl how to share Jesus with just a piece of paper. b) Sonia's daughter lives in Kitty Hawk, NC. We met her after church, and we thought this would be a great way for her daughter to "see" her!












Landscapes and flowers...