Missionary Heart in Costa Rica
Short Term Mission Trip | January 2023
At the beginning of January, our team of 11 traveled to Costa Rica to support Highlands Missionaries, Mike and Noribette Day, with an outreach event hosted at a church in San Jose de la Montaña. The Days are a part of a team that serves the people of Costa Rica by organizing marriage conferences, parenting workshops, evangelistic soccer camps, and ministering to communities through teaching English and community development projects. Learn more about the Days and their ministry in Costa Rica below.
A NOTE FROM THE DAYS
Highlands Community Church, we are so grateful for your years of prayer and financial support! Since we first met Jerry Mays and others at church, we have felt a strong connection, a common love for the Lord and commitment to serving Him. Thank you for supporting the short-term teams that you send our way as we serve the Lord together! Thank you also for the Christmas in July experience- we definitely feel cared for and blessed! THANK YOU! Highlands Community Church, ¡estamos muy agradecidos por los años que nos han apoyado en oración y con finanzas! Cuando conocimos a Jerry Mays y a otros en la iglesia, sentimos una conexión fuerte, un amor en común por el Señor y un compromiso para servirle. ¡Gracias por apoyar a los equipos de corto plazo que nos envía, al servir al Señor juntos! Gracias también por la experiencia de Navidad en julio- ¡definitivamente nos sentimos cuidados y bendecidos! ¡GRACIAS!God worked in mighty ways over the 10 days of our trip as He showed our team what He can accomplish when we rely on Him to lead. Our first prayers were answered when we all arrived safely and on time in Costa Rica with all our bags! We were met at the airport by the Days, who helped us arrange transportation to our lodging in San Jose de la Montaña, a small town nestled 5,000 ft above San Jose. Waking early on our first morning, one of our team members met our cook for the week, Luis, who was curious about why we were there and wanted to know more about Jesus. He boldly shared the gospel and Luis prayed to trust in Jesus. What an amazing start to the trip!
The first full day was spent acclimating to the culture and climate of Costa Rica. We traveled to the city of Cartago to visit the Basílica de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles, an important historical and religious site for the Costa Rican people.
Living Water
“We started our trip by visiting a large basilica where millions travel each year to be blessed and healed by flowing water. My job for the week then ended up being in the kitchen and involved filling water bags to meet a practical need of the kids at camp. While serving, one of the Costa Rican ministry team members invited us to choose a card with a scripture blessing on it. One of mine was John 4:14, “but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Though it was in Spanish, I could read enough of the words to recognize the verse, and I loved the connection I saw: going from the flowing water at the basilica where many people traveled, hoping to be healed, to the true living water that is only found in Jesus.” - Drea
On Sunday, we were welcomed with open arms and lots of hugs into Iglesia Monte de Dios, our partner church for the camp. The whole team, which was made up of four different groups, was commissioned and prayed over for the upcoming week, with an encouragement that God’s Kingdom knows no borders. We were one team with one mission to share the gospel at camp over the next five days.
Alto Poder launched with a flurry of activity on Monday morning—stations were set up and kids began arriving. With welcoming smiles and high fives that transcended any language barrier, each team greeted their kids. God answered many prayers and provided for each of our teams throughout the week as we faced different challenges. The forecast had shown daily thunderstorms but God held the rain until camp was over each day. Word continued to spread about the camp, bringing new kids each day and God met our needs, providing the necessary leaders and provisions to create a good experience for each child. One leader was supposed to have work but was unexpectedly granted the time off, allowing him to serve a team in need of a translator.
Each day at camp we ran through soccer drills followed by a time of worship and devotion. The kids learned about what separates them from God, sin, and how Jesus is the solid rock that we can build our lives upon. That by trusting in Him, we can find salvation and everlasting life with Him in Heaven. Our camp verse was Romanos 10:9, “Que si confesares con tu boca que Jesús es el Señor, y creyeres en tu corazón que Dios le levantó de los muertos, serás salvo. If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
By the end of the week, we saw over 200 kids at the camp! We praised God for every life touched and for providing our team with the energy and strength to make it through the week. Our team was stretched and challenged and grew in so many ways by leaning into what God called each of us to do.
As a team we want to say “Thank YOU” to all who supported us financially and through prayer. We had an abundant number of people give towards our trip which allowed us to bless a Children’s program down in Costa Rica, Roble Alto, with a financial donation. We spent two afternoons there, learning about all they do to serve underprivileged kids and families, and playing with the kids. Because of your generosity we also were able to come in under budget and place funds back into the Missions budget for future trips. We were blessed to be a part of this trip and continue to pray for all the seeds planted and the lives touched during our time in Costa Rica!