Aug 2023 Ministry Update
Hello friends and family! It is a blessing to be writing to you all! God is so good! May we sit in this truth amidst the busyness and struggles of life you may be facing.
My wife and I have one month left here in Costa Rica. Pretty crazy to say that. it has gone so fast! We are super thankful for the time we got to be here! As my wife and I have pursued missions, we have really sought out God's heart for what missions should look like.
Matthew 28:18-20
"Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
There is so much that goes into how we carry out these verses. We go to make disciples, leading people to Christ, and empowering them to live for Christ. So that was our desire coming to Costa Rica. To make disciples! God had provided us so many opportunities to do so. Through the coffee shop. Through the local church. Through men in rehab or on the streets.
For the coffee shop, we had the vision in mind from the start to help get the coffee shop running and all the systems in check. That we would pursue business as missions well, but with the hopes of handing it over to locals who love Christ so that they can be on mission. They know the culture. They know the families. As
we live on missions, we must recognize that we can't be it all for everyone. We are not called to. We are simply called to point people to Jesus. How much more does the Kingdom grow when we lead people to Jesus, not to ourselves. That we let their needs be filled by Jesus, not us! That we aren't just bringing physical relief, but empowering them in their faith! Big Kingdom growth looks like setting aside one's pride and humbly pointing others to Christ!
So we have some exciting news for the coffee shop! We have young Costa Ricans that are living for Christ who want to take over the shop! They have a Young life here and are very passionate for the youth! They were already praying about the idea of starting a coffee shop when we ended up crossing paths. Crazy! We are in the process of confirming the transition and training them up before we leave. Please be praying for this transition! We are so grateful for the connection God has given. He hears our prayers!
Other updates...
The church here has purchased the property for the rehab center to be started near Jaco! This is such a huge blessing for the community. That people on the streets have the opportunity to seek true change in Christ if they desire. Our friends from across the country are coming soon with a group. The hope is to go out on the streets preaching the Gospel and also start to prepare the property. I am so thankful that God has involved my greatly in this part of missions. Makes me think in my prayer time that He may have me getting involved in rehab work in the states. Not sure...
I have felt God really prompt me to write a book! I am in the process of writing a book about leaving lukewarm Christianity. How it looks to pursue the fullness of new life in Christ. I am thankful to be able to have another outlet to bring glory to Jesus Christ our King. Please be praying for God to speak through me in the process of writing.
We are really growing out Christian apparel business! It is such a beautiful way to spread the Gospel and help financially support our ministry. The stories and lives influenced through this business have already been so encouraging to see! If you want to see our shop online, you can click the shop header at the top of this page! We would love for you to get a shirt! We will be coming out with a lot more designs as we move back to the states. We are unashamed of the Gospel!
We have been preparing for our transition to New York. We are excited to lead the youth ministry! We are excited to preach the Good News of Christ back in the states. It feels like less of going back home, but simply the next mission. The local church just set up a platform for us to receive support! We are receiving part-time salary from the church, so financially supporting us through this link will help us have more time to dedicate towards Kingdom initiatives. We are praying for partners so that we can continue to be workers of the Gospel! The link will be below. Thank you for reading and God bless!
Samson & Chloe
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