Hopkins Community Church

Our staff is ready for the week! We can't wait to get all of the parts of our team. 

We will be serving with Pastor Edgar in Lagunilla doing construction of the kitchen of the church, water filter ministry, food distribution, children's ministry, and women's ministry. We will also be serving with Pastor Dimas in Nambi doing children's ministry and women's ministry. 

It's going to be an awesome week!

The first half (Hopkins Community Church, The Parks, and Linda and Shelly) of our whole have arrived safe and sound. They are spending time settling in and eating a delicious meal at our lodging church in Samara Cruz. 

Everyone has made it and is getting settled in at our lodging church in Santa Cruz! 

(First Christian Church isn't pictured, but they have arrived safely here!)

We were welcomed as family when we arrived at the church this morning. For many of us it feels like coming back "home."

Ms. Sally has a birthday this week, so she was recognized, prayed over, and honored with the members of the church who will also be celebrating this week! 

Today we were able to go to the local grocery store to get enough groceries for 40 families! We are looking forward to going into the community this week and blessing families with the food, spending time with the individuals, and praying for them. The goal is to meet a physical need in order to meet a spiritual need. 

This afternoon we went to Pastor Dimas' church to do women's ministry. Ms. Anne and Ms. Sally taught the women and shared their testimony. It was a beautiful time! 

Alongside women's ministry, we did a VBS with over 70 children. We taught about the city of Jericho and made drums to practice taking the city for the Lord! 

Before dinner we were able to get to know the rest of the team on a deeper level by sharing our 5-minute life stories with each other, encouraging one another, and spending time in prayer for our newfound family. 

This morning we are beginning the DE-construction of the kitchen in order to do the reconstruction. We are honored to be a part of the continued process of building the church building in order to minister to more and more people of Costa Rica!

This morning we were able to go into the community and deliver groceries to homes in Lagunilla. It was amazing getting to know the families and pray for them. The stories we heard, we will never forget. 

Today we were able to give water filters to families in the community. The water filter itself is an amazing gift for these families to ensure they have clean drinking/cooking water, but the Gospel message is the most important part. Through a demonstration of the purification of the water, we were able to share the Gospel and the cleansing power of salvation with those we went to. 

Three people prayed to receive Christ today! That's what it's all about! 

Women's ministry this afternoon centered around experiencing the love of God through all of our senses. Anne and Kelly shared their testimonies, Scripture was read about how God speaks to us through all of our senses, and we had activities where the women could use all of their senses. It was a beautiful time. 

Children's Ministry was focused on the good Samaritan. We did songs/dances with the children, did a skit demonstrating the story, made bead bracelets and origami, and played soccer until our entire bodies were covered on mud. 

We concluded out time in Pastor Dimas' church by having a pizza party! 30 pizzas (or 480 pieces of pizza) were given out and gone within 10 minutes! 

What an incredible morning we've had doing food distribution this morning! We heard stories of life, death, restoration, salvation, and the power of prayer. 

We continued taking water filters to homes within the community today. It's truly an amazing ministry and a tangible way to show how Jesus cleanses us through salvation. He is the Living Water, continuing to purify us and fill us with His goodness. 

Another man accepted Christ as his Savior today through this ministry! Another party is happening in heaven!! 

We continued with the construction project this morning by welding the beams for the roof supports. It will be ready for the tin roof tomorrow! We also mixed some concrete for the expansion of the floor.

The cooks keep coming out and admiring the work, dreaming about when they can cook in a brand new space. 

After lunch we were able to hear Pastor Edgar and Pastora Maribel's story. They are an inspiration to so many. Their faith and trust in God is amazing. They trust Him for all of their needs and He faithfully provides. We were able to pray for them and honor them. 

This afternoon we did children's ministry in Lagunilla. We had a great crowd and had an awesome time playing games with them. We shared the story of Joshua and the city of Jericho. They had a wonderful time making the drums and acting like the soldiers from the story. 

Women's Ministry in Lagunilla was beautiful today. We shared with the women about possible barriers we can have between us and God and His purpose for our lives. Several of the women from the team shared their story. Then the women were asked to write their personal barrier on a cross symbolizing it being nailed there through Jesus. He wants to break down the barriers and bring us into His perfect love and joy.

Tonight we celebrated the birthdays of the week: John, Dreyvin, and Sally! It's always a good day when someone has a birthday because we all get cake!

Happy birthday to these awesome people!

During water filter ministry this morning FOUR MORE people came to Christ! So amazing! We invited Pastor Edgar to demonstrate the water filter, how to use it and put it together, and share the Gospel using the analogy of the filter. He loved doing it, and we loved watching the joy on his face as he shared the Gospel. 

This morning we worked on closing in the roof. It was hard work welding the supports for the roof, putting the tin up, and sealing everything. It was a hot morning, but the way the team came together and worked flawlessly encouraged all of us to keep going!

Wow! What an amazing time at women's ministry today! We shared about God's love through the testimonies of Kelly and Anne. Even through loss and traimic events, God's love is constant and true. 

We were able to give the ladies red roses to remind them of His love for them and that we love them as well. We can't wait to tell the stories from this time with these beautiful women. 

Our last day of children's ministry was a blast. Beads, hila-hoops, frisbees, soccer, and Jesus! It doesn't get better than that! 

The kitchen structure and lights are done! Pastor and Pastora are taking in a dream that's become a reality! The cooks are extatic to have an open, big kitchen with their first counter! 

It's rec day! Thateams we get to experience a different part and aspect of Costa Rica. This morning we went zip-lining and had an amazing time!

We spent the afternoon at Tamarindo beach, and then headed to the church for a delicious dinner and celebration. 

Thank yous were exchanged, powerful testimonies from the week were shared, tears were shed, hugs were given, "hasta luego"s were said, and Jesus was praised! This is the hardest thing of the week... Saying good bye. We love the people we've become family with and hope to see them again next year! 

What a special and powerful week!