Hello dear friends and family,
We write to you this month full of joy and bring you greetings from HOT Guanacaste! We are entering the hottest, dryest part of the year here and temperatures have been in the 90's -- most days the high 90's! The vast array of colors we usually see has settled into a mix of pale yellows and browns, with a few strong plants and flowers here and there that are able to survive the heat bursting with color. The best thing about this season is the ripening of the mangos! Our tree is loaded with them and in a few short weeks they will all be ripe and we will be enjoying fresh mangos daily!
The Lord has impressed on me (Brooke) the past few weeks how just how very much He cares for me, how very intricately He created me to be a joy for Him. How intimate our relationship is and how very dependant I am on Him. In the midst of studying prayer with the ladies of Calvary Chapel church, the Lord deeply spoke to me through the words of David:
" O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my sould thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you." Psalm 63:1-5
When I sit in the morning and look at the mango tree, now full of green mangos, waiting to become rich, juicy ripe mangos, my lips can almost taste the rich fruit from the tree. Even more, though, is my desire for the Lord. These words from David accurately describe what is happening in my heart these days. Mangos are one of my most favorite food, one of the "richest of foods" for me. Yet even more so is sweet communion with the Lord, worship and praise of He who created us, and the wonderful, ceaseless love He has for us.
Attached to this email you'll find our March 2011 Prayer letter. Thank you for praying for us!
May you be satisfied today by the rich love of your Savior, Jesus.
In His grace,
Matt and Brooke :)
The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” James 5:16
Potter’s Field Kids (Las Manos del Alfarero)
After a rough few weeks of adjusting to losing several students due to varying circumstances and also learning of a major change in the public school schedule, we have started Potter’s Field Kids 2011! In Guanacaste, the elementary school-aged children have an alternating school schedule of morning and afternoon classes. One week they have all of their classes in the morning and the next week, they rotate to the afternoon schedule. This year, the new school director added one hour to both the morning and afternoon schedule, meaning the afternoon kids will be released and 5:40 PM on Monday-Wednesday. This changed everything for our schedule and we have adjusted and are now operating on a new schedule as well. We see half of the kids one week and the other half the next week and have Bible Club on Thursdays now and are able to keep it open to all the neighborhood kids as an outreach. This has been a surprise blessing as we now have smaller classes and much more one-on-one time with the kids. Almost half of the kids this year are new, so this helps tremendously in us getting to know them. We have also seen how God has opened up the doors in a new section of Villarreal.. Last year, almost all of the children from PFK were from the barrio where the church is located and now it seems God is expanding the territory of the ministry of Potter’s Field Kids. Please pray for these children to desire a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Please pray that they would desire to grow in that relationship. Please pray for their understanding in studying God’s word. Please pray as we try to help them form a biblical worldview in a very lukewarm culture. Please pray for God to grow a fire in their hearts for Him and their desire to serve Him and please Him would be greater than any temptation the world may offer. Please pray specifically for the needs that each may have, spiritually, emotionally and physically. Please pray for those who have broken homes. Please pray for those whose homes are full of violence or abuse. Please pray specifically for the purity of each of these precious children, that they guard their hearts and eyes and ears. Please pray that entire families would come to the feet of Jesus.
For more information about Potter’s Field Ministries see www.pottersfield.org. If you’d like to pray for a specific child in the PFK after school ministry, please contact us for more information.
Please pray this month for our children. Please pray for protection from the evil of this world, for their purity, for their hearts and minds to be guarded, and for their faith to grow. Please pray especially for Ethan this month. Please pray for our time as a family to be special and set apart and filled with laughter. Pray for our marriage to continue to grow stronger and for us to continue to grow closer to Christ. Pray that we take every thought captive for Christ and that our feet be planted firmly in the Word of God. Pray for our hearts to be humbled and broken for the Lord. Pray that we demonstrate grace, mercy and kindness to those around us at all times. Pray this month for the FEPC mission team and that God’s will be done and His majesty been seen. Pray for a special time with members of our home church. Pray with us as we plan for our next visit to the States. Pray for specific time of rest while we are there, and also that we would be able to share God’s goodness and His work here in Costa Rica with many of you. Pray with us for the price of airfare, as it has almost doubled since our last trip back. Pray for Calvary Chapel Church to continue to be a light in the darkness. Pray for Pastor Phil and his family. Pray for the work of the Holy Spirit in the men and women of the church.
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