The featured photo above is of our prayer request table and jar that we set out on Monday night bible study.
Testimony
A certain Monday night bible study turned into quite an eventful evening during our closing prayer time. When we hear the question, "do you want to be healed," what comes to mind? We may tend to remember the miracle of the man Jesus healed that was an invalid for 38 years at the pool of Bethesda (John 5). Jesus was asking a very important question at this moment. He was asking this man if he was ready to count the cost of his healing. His life would change forever: his occupation would no longer be that of a beggar nor would he be of the same status culturally. Are we ready to receive the healing God longs to bestow upon us? Have you counted the cost to what you are asking in your prayers and the change that comes along with them? As we were closing, I (Hannah) began feeling heavy symptoms of anxiety which I do not struggle with. So, I shared with the group asking if anyone struggled with this. As we closed, it turned out that a couple both raised their hands. This led to a powerful prayer time together and separately as the young lady personally went through deliverance over certain struggles and anxieties in her life. I had the opportunity to ask her before prayer, "do you want to be healed?" I pray that we all remind ourselves of this story from God's word as we grow deeper in our prayer lives. If there is something that afflicts you or troubles you, do YOU want to be healed? Are you ready for the change your healing will bring?
Spiritual Emphasis Week 2026
Three times a year the Spanish Language Institute (ILE) hosts a week long event called Spiritual Emphasis Week. The goal of the week is to provide teachings that are spiritually refreshing and better equip the missionaries as they study Spanish and prepare to enter the mission field in Latin America. We had invited Eric Gustafson, a friend and co-laborer with us in the La Carpio Youth Ministry. Eric and his wife Caroline have been in Costa Rica for over 22+ years now, having raised two children internationally while also making disciples, training missionaries, leading a church throughout their time. Eric's theme for the week was discipleship, specifically the soft skills of making disciples. It was undoubtedly an insightful, edifying, and enjoyable week with him!
Discipleship Retreat
Continuing with the theme of discipleship, Hannah, Eliana, and I attended a Discipleship Retreat the first weekend of March in a place called Vara Blanca. It was led by a man named Pepper Horn, the Global Director of Downline Ministries located in Memphis, Tennessee. Vara Blanca is a beautiful zone, and it was refreshing to get out of the city for that weekend. Attending this mini-conference shortly after Spiritual Emphasis Week, we feel as if our conviction in disciple-making in our mission grew stronger and was affirmed through the insights that were shared by Pepper.
In addition to learning more about discipleship, we were both unexpectedly asked to translate the messages. Nonetheless, it was good Spanish practice!
Discipleship Multiplication Table
How did Jesus choose to change the world? By primarily spending time with 12 disciples for 3 years. Of course, He also preached to the masses and performed miracles, but His main avenue of ministry was investing in 12 teenagers / young men who were then entrusted to lead the early church after His heavenly ascension.
Below we have attached a Discipleship Multiplication Table that shows that if one person made one disciple in one year, and then they both made a disciple the next year, and if that patterned continued, in approximately 33 years the whole world would be reached for Christ. Within our lifetime, if just those of you reading this blog set out to make one disciple a year, and each of those disciples simply made one disciple a year, within the next few decades billions would come to know Jesus Christ. Play around with the math, and you will see the power in disciple-making multiplication. More on this concept will be shared in a separate, future blog.
Jardín Lankester
For the past few years, I (Christopher) have been discipling a few guys from the La Carpio ministry. When I first started this group with them, they hardly talked to each other unless prompted to. Now, whether in the car or over a meal, these guys are carrying the conversation, genuinely asking one another about their lives, and opening up to each other about their struggles and joys. That has encouraged my heart, as I told them from the start that one of the purposes of the group was for them to grow together as brothers in Christ, loving one another as Christ loves each of them.
The growth in them has been evident: fraternal love, scripture memorization, boldness in evangelism, sharing their testimony with one another and others, and personal recognition and repentance from sin. Of course, each of their journeys, just like all of spiritual journeys, have had setbacks and hiccups along the way. Nevertheless, as a group and as individuals, their growth as men pursuing Jesus has been evident, and for that I am grateful.
From left to right: Eddie (23), Brayan (24), Christopher (25), Benjamin (17), and John (16).
La Cruz
During Holy Week, we did a hike with the youth ministry called La Cruz (meaning The Cross). Yes, indeed it is a hike up a mountain the leads to, you guessed it, a big cross! It was a very fitting outing to do with the youth, as Eric (previously mentioned) shared an evangelistic message with them once we reached the top that was connected to the passion of Jesus Christ.
In total, there were 22 youth who attended! This year we have seen numerical growth in the amount of youth regularly attending the youth ministry, being 28 youth in total who were invited on this hike due to their attendance and participation in the youth services. This past year has felt like a new start, as many of the youth we had invested in for years have turned 18 or on the verge of turning 18 and are working or have moved due to work. Despite being a whole new group, it has been a fruitful time with them, and we look forward to what our future with them holds.
(Due to the photos we have of the actual cross showing the youth's faces, we have supplemented our blog with the above images).
Eliana's First Birthday!
Yes, it is true: Eliana is already one years old! Many people told us concerning kids, "The days are long but the years are short." Many late nights felt long whenever Eliana woke up in the middle of the night and stayed up, but now we look back asking, "Where did the time go?" Our family blessed us with the opportunity to fly back to Florida for her birthday weekend, and put together such a lovely party for her. Being with family and friends alike, was such a sweet way to celebrate her birthday!
Jerome's Visit
My father-in-law surprised Hannah by flying back with her and Eliana to Costa Rica after our trip to Florida! He spent an extra 5 days with us, and it was fun and filling to our hearts to have family with us. We were sad to see him go, and moments such as those remind us of the importance of family and the relationships we have in life.
Continuous Blessings
Certain commitments continue to be a part of our regular routine. On Monday nights, we continue to have a Spanish young adults group that has been studying through the book of Ecclesiastes. On Tuesday nights, missionaries come to share a pot-luck style dinner altogether. Christopher has been enjoying the first semester of his masters degree and looks forward to the remainder of his degree. While busy, we enjoy each of these activities as we get to do them inside and outside of our home. Pray that they would continue to be fruitful for ourselves and others as we advance in our mission here in Costa Rica. Look below to see some more photos.
Cultural Moment
Here (in the photo above) you can see one of the young adults excited to share her MATE with the group! Mate (pronounced mah-tay) is a traditional, caffeine-rich, infused herbal drink native to South America. Traditionally, it is shared in a group, with one person preparing it and passing the same container to others as they each sip through the straw adding more hot water along the way. Think of it as tea time but all out of the same cup!
Everyone loves playing Spikeball!
Jonathan and Tara Higdon are missionary friends of ours who recently graduated from ILE to head to Panama for mission work. That is one of the blessings and also hard parts about the type of ministry we serve in. We have the opportunity to meet man great people and then have to say good-bye to them as them head to other parts of Latin America. We met the Higdons last July through ILE and although are sad to see them go, we are excited for the work God has in store for them.
Prayer Requests:
- I, Christopher, have invited two more youth, Angelo and José, to partake in discipleship. I pray that you pray with me for these two teenagers, as both have expressed a desire to follow Jesus more faithfully.
- That Eliana will sleep through the night!
- For us as a whole family. This past year has been the toughest year yet for us. Being abroad as missionaries with a baby, has both been beautiful and certainly challenging. As of now, we’re currently going through a very busy season that has had difficulties in a number of ways: physical, spiritual, emotional, relational, and financial. So we ask you all to lift us up in prayer, both for our well-being, shalom, discipline, worshipful endurance, and wisdom.
Praise Reports:
- Everything shared in the post above!
- Eliana has been walking like crazy! She had taken her first steps when she was 10.5 months old, but shortly before her first birthday, she really began walking around with consistency. It has been such a sweet time seeing her achieve and grow so rapidly in that milestone!