Today we received a sweet little girl in our children’s homes. Katherine is only 1 ½ yrs. old, the second child of her drug addict mother and father. Her older brother has already been adopted and the plan is to proceed down the same path with her case. She is really timid, but we are confident that with time she will come out of her shell. Looking forward to watching how God transforms this little girl’s life!
Ministry News
In 1954, the United Nations General Assembly instituted Universal Children’s Day in order to encourage all countries to initiate action that benefits and promotes the welfare of the world’s children. On September 9th, Costa Rica celebrated this special day. Our kids enjoyed an outing to the Crown Plaza Hotel, where our hosts, Eclipse in Action, treated the kids to a festival of events. The theme was “Jesus is our Superhero.” The kids played games, devoured lots of good food, and fellowshipped with kids from other children’s homes. It was a fun activity for the kids and house parents alike. Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should to, And when he is old he will not depart from it.” We take this verse to heart here at the Abraham Project. The task of discipling the children is the most important thing we do here. In the day to day devotionals and Bible study periods, the kids are learning to forgive people from their past and trust their Heavenly Father. Seems like an easy task, but in reality what makes it difficult is that they tend to relate their earthly father to the Heavenly Father. Unfortunately, their earthly fathers have neglected and abused them giving them bad examples of what a true father should be. We’re working on changing that mental picture to one of confidence and trust in the One who truly loves them. In short, we’re raising kids who experience the freedom that comes from passionately pursuing Jesus.
With that said, we’ve had several kids express desires to be pastors or missionaries someday. We see their giftings and talents in the areas of music, public speaking, and art. Proverbs 20:11 says, “Even a child is known by his deeds, whether what he does is pure and right. We love to dream about God’s plan for their lives and look forward to seeing the fruit of all we are sowing right now.
The older kids are now leading their very own devotionals in the homes and the house parents are seeing huge success. The kids are delving into the scriptures, preparing and participating in the activities. We’re excited to see such growth in their spiritual lives!
Last newsletter, we mentioned that we had a group of 3 siblings that had been declared abandoned. We did our part to prepare the psychological reports, health evaluations, and photos. The local PANI office took over a month to even send anyone out to pick up the reports. We have called a number of times and they are still sitting on the file. It hasn’t even been sent it to Adoptions yet. It’s been two months with no movement, that’s highly frustrating! Please pray that they would move quickly to get their part done and sent to the Office of Adoptions. These kids are hopeful to have a family soon!
We also shared about our newest kids, Steven and Maria José. They have had a couple of visitations with their parents. Unfortunately, the judge has asked for extensive evaluations to be administered to a family resource that is interested in obtaining custody of the children. In our experience if a child comes from a highly dysfunctional family, their extended family tends to be dysfunctional as well. All of this has put the judicial process of declaring the children abandoned on stand-by for now. We know that the Lord is fully aware of what is going on with this case. Please pray for God’s will to be done.
First U.S. Adoption ~ Hooray!
On June 20th, the PANI asked if we would receive a sibling set that was up for adoption. Although, Ruth and Emmanuel were only with us for nine weeks, we were able to help facilitate the bonding process with their new adoptive parents from the States. At the end of August, their parents arrived in Costa Rica. Their initial meeting with the kids was touching. Ruth ran outside, clung to Mommy & Daddy and just cried. Everyone was moved to tears as they watched the realization of a dream come true! God’s gifts are perfect!
The “Intern Season” Comes to a Close
As we mentioned in the post Interns at the Abraham Project , we have many teens and young adults come serve at the Abraham Project as interns over the summer. A big group came in June to serve (pictures in the post mentioned above), and then several more came in July and August. The Project was blessed to have these willing and enthusiastic youths dedicate a month or more out of their summer to come and do whatever was asked of them!
Ministry News
We always count it a privilege to receive new kids here at the homes. We take the work we do very seriously, knowing that each child or sibling set is here for a season. We know that God has entrusted our team with the responsibility of demonstrating His love to each kid that walks through our doors. We are fully aware that even though we provide food, clothing, a warm bed, and an education, the most important thing we can do is to share Jesus with each child. That is the most precious gift we can give them during their tenure here at the project. With that said, we are happy to have our most recent newcomers. In our last newsletter we shared about Steven and his little sister Maria Jose. The brother and sister have adapted well since arriving at the beginning of June. The PANI has initiated the judicial process to declare them abandoned. Please keep them in your prayers as their parents are appealing the process and apparently have a family resource that is possibly interested in accepting the children. Both kids have really come out of their shells. They are interacting with the other children, talking, dancing, and more.
At the end of June, we received Ruth and Emmanuel into the folds. They are a brother and sister team that are bound for the States soon. The Office of Adoptions has already found them an adoptive family and they are in the process of getting to know their parents via SKYPE at this time. We are praying the all the paperwork will be complete soon so that their parents can come to Costa Rica to meet them and finalize the adoption!
We recently learned that a sibling trio has finally (after 3 years) been declared abandoned. We are in the process of submitting psychological reports, health evaluations, and photos so that their file can be sent to the Office of Adoptions. Please pray with us that the Lord would provide these kids with a loving, supportive family.
The kids enjoyed a two week mid-year break at the beginning of July. They participated in several fun activities. They went to the theater to see Ice Age: Continental Drift. Some of the kids had never set foot in a theater before then. It’s fun to see their eyes get wide when the big screen lights up! Thanks for making these things possible!
Interns at the Abraham Project
This time of year (summer in the USA, technically ‘winter’ here in Costa Rica) is not only a time for many teams to come serve at the Abraham Project, but also for young adults from across the country to come and work as interns for a month or more. This summer Jonathan and Amy Griffith, the missionaries who run the intern program, will ‘host’ a total of 19 interns! Ten young adults, ranging in age from 14-21 already came in June and dedicated a month of their summer to serve here at the Abraham Project. Another nine are here this month. They come from all over the U.S., ready and willing to work, serve, help, engage in the culture, and most importantly grow in their relationship with Jesus. They live with local Tico families, and are mentored by Jonathan and Amy throughout their time here.
Here are a few pictures that give you a glimpse into the life of an intern:
They lead and participate in the weekly prayer meetings we have on Friday mornings.
They paint. (Getting instructions about the job from Steve Thomas)
They cook dinner for the children's homes.
They dig holes in the new property adjacent to the Project (an archeological study had to be done as part of the permitting process to build the next children's homes - this included digging 42, 1x1x1 meter holes!).
They explore Costa Rica and do zip lines!
They go hiking with the local church's youth group.
They babysit the Griffith kids to give the hard-working parents a little mini-vacation!
They hang out with the kids from the children's homes.
And they do much, much more. Thank you interns for coming and graciously giving your time and energy and love to the Abraham Project this summer! More pictures to come of the group that is here serving this month...
New Highland Elementary School
Today we received a team of teachers from Elizabethtown, KY. Steve’s brother Mark, his mother, and a couple other folks comprised the team. They fed hungry families in Rio Azul, a very marginal community close to the vicinity of the project. The group hosted a special activity for the children in that neighborhood. The teachers also did a service project, painting the exterior walls of a local public school in our community. Thanks New Highland!
Two by Two ....
This past week we received a call from the Office of Adoptions about a sibling set that is up for adoption. They asked if we would receive the children and help facilitate the bonding process with their new adoptive parents from the states. We are so happy to have the brother and sister duo here with us. We are grateful to be a tiny part of the work God is doing on behalf of Ruth and Emmanuel!
Ministry News
“But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.”
II Corinthians 9:6
For quite some time now, God has been speaking to me about the importance of giving to others who are in need. To be honest, it was really a wake-up call for me to check my attitude and perspective on our mission work. God’s Word has brought conviction where conviction has been needed. I am reminded of the following passage in 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 (for lack of space I am only including verse 6): “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” It goes on to speak of how God loves a cheerful giver.
We have been in a position here at the Abraham Project to witness God’s miraculous provision. In actuality, it has been a time in which we have received much, but there is still so much more that is needed to complete the project. In the midst of this, it is not that difficult to forget the importance of giving. God is continually changing my perspective to see the situation as He sees it. It has been a refreshing time in my life, one in which I have been rejuvenated and encouraged. I believe the old adage goes something like this, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Well it is amazing how quickly the doors of opportunity open up, especially when one is alert and actively seeking those open doors. We have discovered there is no shortage of pressing needs all around us. God has given us specific direction as to what He would have us accomplish and we have responded by changing our compass and following His leading. As part of this new mandate, we have been able to do the following things:
1) Purchased a radio transmitter tube for a Christian radio station in Nicaragua.
2) Trip to Panama to assist a sister church. We have plans to return in August with a mission team.
3) Raised over $4,000 to help remodel & expand a church in a rural community.
4) Planning a trip in July to complete expansion of another rural church.
To complete these tasks, we are trusting that God will give us the strength to carry out His will and to provide the necessary funding to do so. If you are interested in knowing more, please do not hesitate to contact us for additional information on how you can help.
Thanks to everyone who has kept our family in their prayers! It is greatly needed and appreciated.
Stephen, Georgiana, Luke, & Bethany Grace
Environmental Studies
The Environmental Agency is requiring a series of independent studies be done at A.P. Phase II in order to determine soil use. Today they were out digging holes in order to obtain core samples of the earth. Their purpose was to reach firm ground in order to determine how to construct the new foundations for the future homes.
New Kids at Abraham!
After receiving an emergency call from PANI (Child Social Services), we welcomed a sibling set to the Project today. Steven and his sister María José were removed from their abusive situation by court order. Their father is a drug addict and their mother has been negligent in her care for them. The children arrived with literally “The clothes on their backs.” The first night Steven kept crying because he wanted to go home to take care of his mother. We know God has deposited them into our care for a season, and we are looking forward to sowing into their lives and watching that seed grow!
Mainor & Jenny
Franco and Franca arrived from Italy last month in order to meet their children for the very first time! Mainor & Jenny have been here at the Abraham Project since 2009. The Office of Adoptions has worked diligently in order to find a family for these siblings. The adoption was finalized today (June 6, 2012). Mainor & Jenny are thrilled to have their very own parents. We wish this sweet family our best as they begin a new journey together!
Ashley gets Adopted!
On June 1, 2010 (exactly 2 years ago today) we received Ashley into the children’s homes. She was only 9 months old then. Today, she was adopted by a sweet family right here in Costa Rica. It’s so exciting to see how God moves on behalf of all the kids here at the Project. We know little Ashley will be in good hands and that the Lord will continue to guide every one of her footsteps.
The Cancha Completed
Ten more teams came down to serve at the Abraham Project during March and April and as always, it was such a blessing to have them here! In the last post about teams, we mentioned how hard all the volunteers and local workers had labored to prepare the dirt floor for concrete to be poured in the to-be church building. Well, that hard work continued into March and early April too. The work was not in vain and we can proudly announce that the cancha is complete!
After countless hours of labor, the concrete was poured in early April. Now, children from the daycare and our teams can come and play futbol, and eventually we plan on installing a basketball hoop too! Thank you to everyone who dug, sweat, hauled dirt, and poured concrete!
Almost all the teams below contributed to finishing the cancha, so in order not to be redundant, we won’t mention that for every team. But along with this project being accomplished, teams contributed in many other exciting ways:
- A Pepperdine University team came in late Feb and organized activities for the Children’s Homes and daycare.
- A team from the CR Language Academy visited from Pennsylvania in early March and donated financially to the material costs for the cancha.
- Two Joshua Expedition teams came in early March, one from McKinney Christian Academy and another from Prestonwood Academy, and they both helped in a variety of ways including cleaning offices, working with the daycare and donating materials.
- A group from University of Georgia came and continued the hard work of prepping the cancha, as well as worked in the daycare and children’s homes.
- Bethany Community Church, the home church of missionaries Joe and Jennie Westfall, visited from Seattle in mid-March to explore the potential opportunity of a long-term partnership with the Abraham Project. They also purchased and installed brand new curtains in the Children’s Homes.
- Next, a team from Wesleyan Church came from Georgia to serve. They planned a date night for house parents, and also did an outreach in poor area called Rio Azul, where they handed out school supplies, taught Bible stories, and facilitated crafts with about 100 kids.
- Three families from First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue (WA) came the week of Easter. Along with their children, they organized an Easter egg hunt for the Children’s Homes, did crafts with the daycare, and helped to paint the metal fence that borders the property.
- Living Hope Baptist Church from Kentucky was here in early April and installed a ceiling, as well as telephone and internet lines in the Multipurpose offices. In addition they welded and installed a metal fence for Steve's house and donated funds to help install the concrete for the soccer field.
- On May 9 an Appleseed Expedition Team came from Ring Mountain Day School and donated 50 man-hours in one day's work doing various construction tasks.
This month, there was a little pause in teams visiting us before we hit the busy summer season. That’s great news for the team leaders Jason and Kerby Harpst because they just welcomed a beautiful baby daughter into their family on April 20th. Adaya Ruth Shirley Harpst. They are enjoying these first few weeks bonding with their newborn before a dozen more teams come join us at the Project this summer!
Thanks to every single person who took time out of his/her every day life to come serve the people of the Abraham Project, as well as the people of Costa Rica. We are blessed by your service.
Ministry News
At the end of March, the pastoral group that we oversee was in charge of the church service. We decided to develop a PowerPoint presentation in order to illustrate to the congregation the daily happenings of the children’s homes. In order to take all the photos necessary for the presentation, we had to arise early in the morning (5:30 a.m.) so that we could get all those candid “pillow hair” and “rubbing the sleep out of your eyes” shots. The kids had no clue we were coming so it was definitely a big surprise to them. Needless to say, we did get a lot of really good pictures and it gave us invaluable insight to how a typical day flows in the children's homes and that’s what we’d like to share with you!
Have you ever thought about what it takes to get ten kids (in one house) and seven kids (in the other house) “up and at’em” in the morning? It could be chaos, but our house parents, Esteban & Gabriela and Aaron & Candace, really make the process look easy. At 5:30 a.m. the tios head upstairs making sure that all the kids get up and begin the day with baths and making their beds. Some of the children have their own alarm clocks. This allows them to begin developing personal responsibility. The tias in the meantime are busy preparing breakfast. As soon as the kids are dressed in their school uniforms, they head downstairs to eat their morning meal. After breakfast, they wash their own dishes and brush their teeth. In the house with the big kids, Ericka helps her Tia Gabriela comb and fix the younger children’s hair. The tias faithfully apply piojitico to the girls hairs (a special lotion that keeps them from getting lice!). During the morning rush hour, showers are taken, shoes are shined, snacks are packed, backpacks are readied, and lotion is applied. The big kids help the little ones get ready and the tios are doing a little bit of everything.
At 6:30 a.m., the kids (11 in all) load up in the van and it’s off to school! This year the kids are attending a new public school that has a private school schedule. That means that they don’t go to school half days anymore. They go all day from 7:00-2:00 p.m. This has made life a whole lot less complicated for the tios. Once they’re gone, the tias start getting the little people (5 kiddos) ready for daycare at the Abraham Project. The children start at 7:30 in the morning, and enjoy a snack and hot lunch before returning home at noon for naps. Once the big kids get home from school it’s time to do homework, study for exams, and play a bit before dinnertime. The children help their house parents prepare for dinner by setting the table and serving the drinks. Afterwards, they head upstairs to put on their pajamas, brush their teeth, and have devotions and prayer before going to sleep.
You see, much of what our house parents do during the day is exactly what you and I do, only on a greater scale. The job of house parenting is raising excellent kids who love Jesus. One of our tios recently told us that they instill “family” values into the kids in their home. They remind the children that although they are not brothers and sisters by blood, they are brothers and sisters in Christ, because we are all part of the family of God. What a sweet lesson our kids are learning right now.
Our house parents are definitely our “heroes!” The Lord has blessed us with parents that truly see their work as a “calling” and not just another job. Without a true calling, this mission would be incredibly overwhelming. God regards their work as a labor of love that He will not soon forget. Hebrews 6:10 “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
Thank you Esteban, Gabriela, Aaron, and Candace for your love and dedication “to the saints” the forgotten children of Costa Rica/Nicaragua!
Teams!
Already in 2012, we have been incredibly blessed to have five short-term teams come and serve at the Abraham Project. It’s always such an encouragement to see people take time out of their daily lives and come down willing to serve. This year, one of the biggest projects that every team has worked on is La Cancha. The “cancha” is the dirt floor that will one day be the floor to the new church building that is in the process of being constructed. In order for concrete to be poured however, six inches of the dirt had to be dug out first. Talk about some hard labor. The volunteers who have come down willingly wielded pick-axes, shovels, and wheelbarrows to get this seemingly endless task done. As the saying goes, “many hands make light work,” and although the work clearly wasn’t ‘light’ it probably would have taken our local workers months to do this job without the teams’ help. So we are incredibly thankful for every volunteer’s effort!
In addition to the cancha, the teams have done much more to bless the Abraham Project. Whether here for a day or more than a week, here are a few more highlights of how the teams contributed:
- A Joshua Expedition Team from Tulsa, OK came to serve for one day and “broke ground” on the cancha
- Grace Community Chapel came from New Brunswick, NJ for the third consecutive year and brought care packages for all the kids including brand new shoes. They continued the work on the cancha, as well as did songs, Bible stories, and games with the Children's Homes.
- Love and Truth Church, who has been coming from Jackson TN to serve here since 2007, did electrical work and took the Children’s Homes to the park and to ride Go-Karts.
- Grace Community Church, the home church of missionaries Jason and Kerby Harpst, came from Clarksville, TN for a week in mid-January. It was their third consecutive trip. They spent a lot of time doing activities with the daycare and took the Children's Homes to the Amusement Park.
- A team of high school girls from Whitefield Academy in Louisville, KY made their debut trip to the Project from February 15-22. Not only did they finish digging the cancha, but they also brought clothes, shoes, and household goods for Children's Homes.
The energy, effort, and encouragement the volunteer teams bring to the missionaries and local workers here is invaluable. The Project wouldn’t be where it’s at today without these teams!
Joselyn Goes to Italy!
Many of you remember Joselyn, a girl we had in our children’s homes since she was four. A couple of years ago, she was relocated to another children’s home after a failed adoption attempt to Spain. We have great news to share! The Office of Adoptions informed us that they had found a family for her in Italy! A couple weeks ago, she and her parents, Aldo and Gloria, stopped by the Abraham Project for a visit. We enjoyed seeing her again and meeting her new family. Today, they left for Italy. Joselyn was nervous about flying on a plane (never mind the fact that they had 2 layovers – Panama City, Amsterdam, then on to Rome). We have since heard that the family arrived safely in Italy and is now beginning their new life together. Please continue to pray for Joselyn. We trust that the Lord would go before her to prepare the way as she adapts to her new family, new language, and new culture. She has always held a special place in our hearts and we believe that God is not done with her yet!
Ministry News
The month of December was super busy for the kids in the children’s homes, as they wrapped up final exams and the school year. December also marks the beginning of summer vacation! Our house parents, Esteban & Gabriela, took on the task of making 250 tamales for the kids in the children’s homes. They invited Jenny (Gabriela’s mother) and Emilia to help clean banana leaves, prepare the food, and mix the masa. Tamales are a huge part of Christmas tradition in Costa Rica.
The daycare center closed it’s doors on December 15th for a two-week end of year break. That evening they put on an incredible Christmas program. Lights! Camera! Action! Every child in the daycare participated in the much anticipated event. There were over 500 parents/family members present to watch their little ones perform. The singing, dancing, and celebration of Jesus’ birth, was a joyous occasion. Afterwards, everyone enjoyed traditional Christmas tamales and agua dulce (sweet sugar cane water).
Several businesses and organizations blessed the children from our homes with Christmas parties. In fact, the children enjoyed six parties in all! A pharmaceutical company hosted a get together at McDonalds, some employees from a bank brought Santa out to see the kids, and a call center brought a band & choir out to sing Christmas carols to the children! The Christmas season was certainly festive! We all enjoyed the food, gifts, activities, and bags of candy that the different organizations contributed.
Siblings Mainor and Jenny were given some sweet news in December. The Office of Adoptions informed them that they would soon be adopted by an Italian couple! The kids have been with us for over two years while the Office of Adoptions actively looked for a family for the brother and sister. For the longest time, things didn’t look promising, because Adoptions had told us that families are somewhat resistant to adopting pre-adolescent boys (Mainor turned 13 in November). But their persistence in searching finally paid off! The Office of Adoptions has been sending a social worker out to talk to the kids and prepare them for an eventual meeting with their new family. At this time, the date for a hearing with the judge has not been set. Until that happens, we will not know when the family will arrive in Costa Rica.
At the end of October, we received another pair of siblings to add to our group of kids here at the homes. Angela is eight years old, while her little brother Jefreson is four. We received a call in October from PANI, looking to move these kids from another children’s home. The other place stated that Jefreson was difficult to handle and they wanted him removed immediately. Our supervisor has told us that she usually calls the Abraham Project when she has “difficult” cases. Although, she is not a believer, she has seen the difference that Christ makes in the lives of these little ones. She likes that we offer the “religious” component to our work with the children. Pray that Jefreson’s behavioral issues are resolved quickly, and that he and Angela feel the peace and presence of Jesus in this place.
We are eternally grateful for the love that each of you extend to our family and the kids here at the project. It is greatly appreciated!
Southside Christian Church - Harrodsburg, KY
We welcomed back our good friends from Southside Christian Church in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. Southside was in Costa Rica for a two week stint so we took advantage of the "extra" time and took them to to Rincon de Osa to rebuild a church. This particular church received warning from the Ministry of Health that their doors would be closed if they did not upgrade the building to meet the new standards. Although it was extremely hot and humid, the trip was a great success as we were able to reconstruct the building from the footers up to the top of the block walls. Basically, the remaining portion is putting the trusses and metal roof on.
In addition to the construction, the group was able to participate in a youth service and the mission pastor was able to preach on Sunday morning. There was some time for relaxation as we ventured out to fish in a bay on the Pacific Ocean and I must say the fishing was very good! Not only did we eat fish, but we were also surprised when they served iguana one day. Like anything else, it tasted like chicken!
THANK YOU SOUTHSIDE!
Bellvue Presbyterian Church - Seattle, WA
This week, we have enjoyed a team from Seattle, WA. They were a group of high school students who came with a lot of vigor and willingness to work. They put a lot of insecticide on the wood and re-organized the bodega and the wood they took out to cure.
Several of the young men on the team took time to pressure wash the fence and the sidewalks and Luke even helped a little! Luke "helped" one of the young men write his name on the sidewalk:
Redeemer Community Church - Little Rock, AR
Last week we had a first-time team visit us from Redeemer Community Church in Little Rock, AR. Two interns from this team were here last year for four months and returned for one week as a part of this group.
These guys did a special project this week: they helped tear out old grass and put down new sod. It was a huge endeavor and we were so grateful for all of their help and excellent work.
A few of the guys also finished up painting the church roof! It looks great! Thanks to all of the teams that contributed to the final product!!!
One very skilled carpenter on the team worked on a shelf that will go in the lawyer's offices.
The team was also very involved in teaching in the daycare. They provided a variety of activities for the children and performed a skit that was very captivating and the kids really seemed to love.
We are very grateful for all of their hard work and the grass is looking great!!!
