It is a joy
to connect with all of you again. We count it a privilege to have you in our
lives. Below are a few updates of our lives. Enjoy.
Carmelinda’s
Corner
SCHOOL IS
FINALLY OUT! This year has gone by so slow! I don’t know why though. One of the
highlights of my school year was winning the basketball tournament. I may not
have played the whole game, but it’s the support that counts! Besides that
school has been pretty boring. What has been fun is getting involved with the
church youth group. Christmas was kinda boring as well we just “relaxed” which
means my parents slept while I did nothing. I did get a new watch and I keep
telling my parents the time, by the way here it is 3:44! And I am really
excited because I am getting new glasses since my prescription has changed and
they are scratched up and old. I am also excited because we are going to the
mountain on new year’s to see the gorgeous fireworks that light up the night
sky threw out the city! Well I hope you and your family have a wonderful new
year and may God bless you!
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| Carmelinda 13 years old |
The Big
Move
The latest
news is that we have moved. We found a perfect house two blocks from the
national university. It's a five bedroom house, two baths, sun room, office,
kitchen, a huge living room and a small dining room. We have two small lawn
areas, almost big enough for the dogs. DeLynn takes Fred (our dog) on walks now
to give them both some exercise!
There are
several reasons DeLynn and I moved. First, we are moving into a new field of
ministry. We are starting a ministry with university students and so in looking
for a place we wanted it to be close to the university.
At the
beginning of next year, we will be starting a Bible Study with university
students using the ALPHA program. We will specifically be using the course
ALPHA campus. ALPHA Campus has been tailored especially for college
students
and other young adults. The ALPHA course covers the basics of. It answers questions
like: Who is Jesus? and Why did he die? The Alpha course lasts eight weeks,
with a day or weekend getaway in the middle. Each week, guests gather for about
two hours. They share an informal meal, sing a few songs, listen to a talk on
how Christianity approaches the question at hand, and then gather into small
groups for discussion. The talks each week act as a springboard for small group
discussions.
To help us
with this venture, a VIDA220 team of two guys and three girls have been
assigned to us. They have been busy with surveying the area, prayer walking,
and getting acquainted with the ALPHA program. We are praying that God sends us
more workers to help us in this field.
We are
extremely excited about starting this new adventure. It’s a calling on our
lives that God has had on us for some time, but now that He’s giving us the
green light. We are leaving it up to God as to what he does with this, but our
prayer is to start a University church. Please keep us in prayer as we
move into this new area of ministry.
The other
reason we moved was to be close to El Nido, the new ministry Gloria is going to
be involved with; more on this later in the newsletter.
VidaNet
Base
Just
recently, DeLynn was looking for a place to house our VIDA220 team, when he
came upon a property just two blocks from our house. It used to be a small
Japanese school. When he saw it he immediately thought it might be good for a
base. Since we closed the other base in the mountains, we have not found one to
replace it, until we saw this! We are grateful that the owner is giving it to
us for $1,000 a month for 10 months. At the end of those 10 months, our hope
and prayer is to the buy the property. The property is valued at $550,000.00
and she is asking, $300,000.00. The property is large enough for offices, staff
housing, it has an apartment for a custodial couple or small family, storage,
housing for smaller teams, dining room, kitchen, Vineyard church plant and a
house for El Nido. We know this is a God thing and are amazed at His timing.
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| New Heredia Base |
El Nido
200 pounds
of literature are coming this way! What a blessing for El Nido to be able to
receive this. This will enable us to share God’s love to so many women that
need Him.
At the
beginning of November, I, along with our VIDA220 team, was privileged to attend
a Crisis Pregnancy training course that was offered by an organization called
Beautiful Feet International. And even though I have worked at a Crisis
Pregnancy Center already many years ago, the information was so helpful. We all
came away ready and excited to start!
While some
of the representatives from Beautiful Feet International were visiting Costa
Rica, I was able to sit down with them and share my testimony and my calling to
start a Pregnancy Center in Heredia, as well, as dream about future centers. I
have decided to join with Beautiful Feet International as an organization that
will help me get started as well as provide accountability and encouragement
for the ministry.
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| Melissa (Director of Beautiful Feet) and I |
Since my
new adventure has started, I have enjoyed sitting back and just letting and
watching God work. I heard God telling me from the beginning that this will all
happen in HIS timing. I just have to be patient. So I have purposed in my mind
not to run ahead.
One of the
most miraculous things that has just happened is that God has given El Nido its
own place! Plans were to share space in our home. We were going to divide our
home so that El Nido could have a couple of rooms and share the living room as
a waiting room, but God saw things differently. The new base Vida Net will be
renting has a house that is perfect for El Nido. So now, El Nido, will have
three consultation rooms (where one of them will hold an ultrasound machine
being donated), a waiting room, an area for children to play while they wait
for their mothers, an office for myself, a baby boutique, two bathrooms and a
receptionist office! I am SO happy.
There is a
team coming from Ohio at the end of January that is coming to help me get El
Nido ready to open. The house will need to be painted and a few repairs will
need to be done, but other than that, it will be ready to move in.
Here are
some prayer requests regarding El Nido:
1. That my donations from the States
would all be able to get here. I cannot start with what I have because I don’t
have enough.
2. I will find the volunteers needed,
especially those who will do the counseling.
3. That God would continue to provide
financially for El Nido.
4. Creativity as to how to attract women
to the Center.
Partnering
As
mentioned before, a VIDA220 team is helping us for the next 5 months. They have
been with us a month already. Liz Swagart, who is the leader of the team, is
from Plain City, Ohio. Elena Vachon is from Glendora, California. Elena used to
live in Ohio and her and her family used to attend the Spanish church my
father, Elam Staffer is associate pastor of. John Winston is from South Bend,
Indiana. Dina Molina is from Shiroles, Talamanca. Jose Luis is from Carbon,
Talamanca.
We have
enjoyed our interaction with this team. Pray for them as they learn to live
with each other (it’s like being married to each other!) and as God speaks into
their lives and as they learn more about themselves and God while ministering
to others.
 |
| VIDA220 students |
Prayer
Requests:
1. We are currently raising money for
our family. Please pray we can raise the sufficient amount to cover our costs.
2. Pray for our new endeavors, that God
would take control of it all.
3. We are also continuing to raise
money for the ministry. Pray God continues to provide for all our costs;
VIDA220, El Nido, PVM, Base Heredia and Base Talamanca.
4. Pray that God provides more workers
for our new church plant.
