Transitions

                                            Bob, B Stephanie and Mary

TRANSITIONS

 January has been a time of transition for me (Bob).  In December I finished up working at Sojourn Academy.   So this past month I checked in with a bunch of ministries here in the valley and others as far away as Chile and Mexico to see where God would have me involved.  It has become a slow process and after a month there are options but nothing that is getting the green light at this point.  There is a lot of need, but I’m waiting on the Lord to help me not just jump at the first opportunity.  Waiting isn’t one of my fortes so being on the sidelines is testing me a lot.

 On the up side we are able to attend a great study on the book of Revelations given by a seminary professor.  He will be returning to the states in April and B asked if he would do a small class at his house before he leaves.  He agreed to it and what a great teacher he is.

Another transition is that the young lady that B had been discipling, Stephanie, has gone to her 10 month training in Mexico.  She left in mid-January and we won’t see her again until mid November.  There were multiple sendoffs, we had one, her family as well and her local church.  There are many teary eyes when someone close heads out far away.  For most here in Costa Rica it is rare to have or know someone that is off to a mission field out of country.  The airport goodbyes alone took about 1 ½ hours as 4 loaded vehicles made the trip.  We are very fortunate to be close to the family.

 We have a roommate living with us now.  Mary is one of the teachers at Sojourn and through circumstances she moved in with us over New Years.  (by the way Happy New Year to you!)  She will be with us until July when she will return to the Chicago area.  She just happens to be an acquaintance of Christa Thorpe as they were at Wheaton Graduate School together last year.  Small world isn’t it?         

B continues to be busy leading two different Bible Studies, one in English, The Gospel Centered Life and one in Spanish over the Gospel of John. The ministry at the Women’s prison had lost a few women over Christmas and the New Year has brought 4 new ones to the group. It is exciting for her to see God’s hand in bringing these women to an understanding of God’s love for them. She is also involved in a training given by EnTrust Ministries to missionary women to teach them how to help the women in their countries how to teach and disciple other women. It is a pilot program here in Costa Rica and she is very excited about the possibilities it holds.

We are happy to announce our first mid coast Maine visitor, Kathy Todd.  Kathy, B’s sister, will be visiting at the end of February.  We are thrilled and it just happens to coincide with my ¾ year birthday!  

We have a bed and an air mattress available should you happen to be in the area, we would love to see you!  We are not firm with our dates for a Maine visit, but expect to be there most of August.  My dad will be 90 this summer and we are looking forward to a family gathering to celebrate it.

Thanks for continuing to join us in Bob’s search for exactly where God wants him.