Believers World Outreach
This year we hosted two mission teams. Both teams were very large and came back to back. It was a very busy time for us, but it was also a very exciting time! The first team we hosted this year was from BWO (Believers World Outreach). We work with them every summer and it has truly been a blessing to partner with them.
This year they brought 70 people down and spread out all over Jaco for ten days. They came prepared to reach just about everybody in town! For the kids we had a soccer clinic, surf lessons, and VBS. We also did drama presentations around town and set up a free medical clinic for the poorest of the poor. They saw about 180 people come to the clinic! The Lord opened the door for an OB/GYN to come on the trip this year and it turned out to be a huge need. She was able to give 84 women free cancer screenings. We found out that most of these women had not seen a doctor in years. It was awesome to watch God meet the needs of these women. One of the things that makes this team so effective is their openness to trying new ways to reach people, such as their cosmetology outreaches. I’m always amazed at how the Lord uses this team. There are a lot of hurting women in Jaco and the cosmetology outreach is a great way to minister to their hearts. They get a free haircut and they hear the gospel of Jesus Christ in the process. Of course the guys get in on the free haircuts as well. This year they wanted to do something BIG before their trip was over. The week was caped off by doing a community wide children’s carnival with games, a bounce house, drama skits and food. We saw over 250 kids come to the carnival. The kids had a blast and they all got to hear the gospel! Overall, the BWO team lead dozens of people to Christ and we look forward to seeing the fruit that will come from it.
Southside Church
The second team came from Southside Church. We have worked with them in the past and were excited to do so again. The focus of this team was work! They brought 40 people with them and accomplished a lot of work in a short time.
They helped re-roof the school in Hermosa, they also built and installed two soccer goal posts for a poor school located in the jungle. Then they renovated the INVU park where we have our weekly kids club and man did it need it. By the time they were done, the park looked like a completely new place. They built new benches, repaired playground equipment, completed a block wall, put down new gravel around all the benches and repainted everything. The neighborhood kids loved the new look and couldn’t wait to put the park to use. Some of them even hung around while the work was being done. The last project they did was for Alicia, an elderly Costa Rican woman that attends our church. She had a little room on her property that was intended for her to live in but it never got completed. The team laid a concrete floor in it and put a roof on it. It was a great step in the right direction. The guys from our church plan to go over and finish the rest of it soon. To cap off the trip, the team ran our weekly kids club on Saturday morning. The kids had a blast! Then, that evening, we had a movie night with 200 people attending! God is so good!
Why We Do It
Every summer we host mission teams. The reason is threefold. First, it is a great way to impact our community for Christ. Second, it is a great way to motivate our church body in Jaco to get more involved in the community. Third, it plants seeds in the hearts of those who come on the trip. Our hope is that, someone will feel the call to full time ministry as a result of coming on one of these trips. God has always been faithful to accomplish these things. This summer’s teams were big, but they were also effective. For that we are thankful!
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