The man with the rifle?

So, we’ve told you a couple of times that we are currently doing a feeding in one of the most dangerous barios in Alajuelita.  It’s called ‘Tejarcillos’.  Well, we take extra precautions when we go there each time.  And hey, it’s been a great ministry experience so far and we have had no incidents.

This week, we were walking into the bario rather than driving in.  We had a group of guys with us and we wanted them to take it all in; so walking was better.  As we get into the bario two cop cars loaded with 3-4 cops in each car zipped by.  This was new for us because part of the problem with Tejarcillos is there are way more people than what the cops can handle.   And of all the times we have been there, I haven’t even seen a single cop.

Within seconds a third cop car comes by but this time the cop car stops right by our group on the street.  He looks us over, sizes us up a bit and says, ‘hey, you guys need to be careful.  There is a guy running around here with a rifle and we can’t find him!”  That caused us all to pause.

We proceeded forward to get ready for the feeding station while some of the guys quietly prayed while we walking.  And it turned out to be an amazing day.  Lots of hungry kids got fed that day.  I’m grateful that were able to help those kids.

But I’m also grateful we didn’t find the guy with the rifle or that the guy with the rile found us.

⁸But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
what God is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor,be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—take God seriously.  Micah 6:8

The Message (MSG)

No House Hunters International Here

It’s funny how many people watch house hunters?  Go ahead and admit it, you watch it.  You are hooked on HGTV.

While being down here in Costa Rica for almost 2 years now, I can’t tell you how many times House Hunters has had a special on Costa Rica.  And from those shows we’ve had conversations with different people about Costa.  It started with my mom telling me, ‘wow, those houses in Costa Rica sure our nice’.  And then my response to her, ‘um mom, that’s not normal here.  We don’t live anywhere near those kinds of homes.  Trust me mom, there aren’t any house hunter international specials where we work’.

Even recently I was talking via email with one of the families that supports us and prays for us.  They said something similar about House Hunters.  They were watching the show and noticed it was in Costa Rica and how nice the homes were.  While I was talking with this person in email she said about the show, ‘yeah, I don’t think that is anywhere close to Steve and Keisa’s neighborhood’.  And she was right.  It made me chuckle.  

And that’s one of the interesting ironies of Costa Rica.  You have some places that are super, uber nice.  Homes worth millions on the coast with picturesque views of the ocean.  And then there is the valley where we live and serve.  Super poor barios with no playgrounds,  sewage running under the houses, tin walls and ceilings that turn your house into a sauna, wood pallets for stairs or sidewalks and large pad locks and chains to lock up your ‘home’.  Such a contrast.

So, just for the record, nope, house hunters international hasn’t come near here.  Not anywhere near here…

Steve and Keisa

Holes and Witches…

I’ve noticed that there are lots of holes here in Cost Rica. So, no matter where you drive or walk, you have to pay attention. I mean really pay attention!!! While driving, if you are not aware you can topple your car off the side of the road. We have all seen it. And while walking, keep any eye open or you could do some serious damage to your body. For some reason there are these deep unprotected holes. No grates! No metal covering. Just completely open.

Every now and then I’ve been driving and I see this random stick sticking out of a hole with a make shift flag attached to it. It’s almost like the little stick is a warning that says, “caution, this hole could really mess you up.”

But you know what I recently learned about holes? I’ve learned something much darker and evil. In Costa Rica there is a connection with witches and holes.  Yeah, witchcraft and holes have this creepy relationship.   Apparently if a witch desires to pray evil against you or if someone desires to see harm in your life, a witch is the way.  That person is the conduit to evil.  First of all she (the witch) finds a hole.  This is the place where she places her prayer.  Then, there is some symbol that represents the person for which she is praying against or for harm to come to.  It has some creepy similarities to voodoo.  Then blood is put in the hole as well.   The prayer is prayed and then this hole  is then covered to seal the deal.  Now isn’t that twisted?

But what makes this even more twisted is that it’s this quiet, hush-hush part of Costa.   Shhhhh!!!  It exists but it’s glossed over and accepted as merely cultural.   For starters, the city emblem for escazu is a witch. You’ll drive through the city and see bars or liquor stores with witch names or logos.  There is even this attempt of a  sexy witch painted on the side of a workout facility here.

Then there are some of the festivals.  In some of these festivals you can see these home-made 8 foot tall puppets that people strap on their heads and walk through the streets.  I have seen 8 foot puppets of the devil and witches (along with other characters like Bart Simpson and Dora The Explorer) chasing children through the streets during parades.  I was even driving home today and someone had a “I heart Escazu” bumper sticker on their car.  And in the middle of the heart was a picture of a witch.

Now maybe that seems innocent to you?  Maybe its just a symbol in your eyes?  Maybe you think it’s an over reaction on our part?  But how?  How can it be when those that love this country know how dark it is?  How can it be ‘just a story’ when those who have seen it KNOW that this dark practice plays out all over the place.  In talking with my friend today he said to me with vivid details, ‘this is so bad and it’s so real here.”

So, when I see a hole now, I think a bit differently.  I still try to swerve away from it when I’m driving.  I try to not fall in them when I’m running.  But it also reminds me to pray.  It reminds me of the power I (we) have in Christ.  It reminds me that we are to stand up and represent light in the darkest of places.  Even if that dark place is a hole in the ground.

Steve and Keisa

Here’s an older blog about a neighbor of ours who was a practicing witch.  Click here if you’d like to read that too.

Neighborhoods

This is a typical neighborhood, we call them barios, that we do ministry in.  Some amazing people live in places that are so difficult and challenging.

Just check out what you see.  No backyards fenced in for the kids to play in.  No real side-walk to ride your bike on.  No landscaping that makes your neighbors jealous.  House on top of house on top of house.  Tin roofs with tin walls which can be like little ovens that people happen to live in 

And then there is what the locals call ‘black water’.  You can see it here.  It’s the water from everyone’s pipes running wherever it can run out away from their house.   It’s a combination of all the sewage and run off water from neighborhoods.  And a neighborhood like this can have hundreds if not thousands of people who live in them.

Amazing isn’t it?

Crazy poverty…

We have been in a new bario for a few weeks now with a feeding center. It has a reputation for being extremely violent and super impoverished. While walking through this bario today I was once again blown away by the need. The poverty is just crazy bad! Check out this house; there are 10,000 people that live in homes just like this.

Steve and Keisa

School Fun…

One of the greatest ways to open doors here is through the schools. We teach English in 2 schools and a third has asked us to help. Here’s a group of kids from this past week. It’s such a great time.

Steve and Keisa

Evil Exists…

I struggle with the notion that some people can’t believe that evil exists.  Part of me wants to say with disbelief and sarcasm, ‘really?”   They have a hard time struggling with the idea that you could label ‘bad things’ as evil.  Or maybe some people wrestle with the fact that there is a driving force of evil (Satan as the Bible says) that is active in the background of humanity.

But I say, how can you NOT believe that evil exists?  Have you turned on the tv to see the chaos that our world is in?  Have you looked at the internet or read a paper in the past week?

Do we really believe that?  Or do we just not know?  Are we not paying attention to things in this world that are happening; corruption, rampant drug abuse, sexual slavery, abuse, violence, and social injustices.

I have always believe that evil existed.  I’ve read about the clarity of this truth in scripture.  To me it’s a no brainer.  Then add to that the things that I’ve seen, heard or experienced in this world and yup, I’m convinced.  Ever since we have moved away from our lives in the States to Central America I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been confronted face to face with situations that are just dark-evil!  I could tell you of three experiences this week alone.  But here’s one story.

We were in a bario this week praying for a family that we’ve been building a relationship with for months.  We stopped at this house and prayed with Susana (that’s not her real name but let’s just call her that) and her family.  Once we were done we took off and prayed for 2-3 other families.  Upon passing back through the neighborhood we passed Susana’s house again and she was broken.  She was in tears.  She handed me a piece of paper that she just received when we were visiting with others.  And on that piece of paper stood out two words in spanish:  sexual abuse.

You couldn’t miss the words.  They just jumped out at you.  Those two filthy, horrible and evil words.

And through some one on one conversation Susana told me the story that was related to those two words.  3 years ago her 8 year old son was molested by a man in their neighborhood.  Evil!  And as she told me the details in Spanish I was sickened.  She told me that when her son Pablo (that’s not his real name either) was held at knife point at his throat.  The man repeatedly punched her son in the gut.  And then he sexually abused her son.  And she shared the details in tears.  Details that you don’t want to know.  Details that you don’t want to think about.  Evil!

They are details that have affected this boy emotionally and physically.  To this day, she told me the family doesn’t talk about this event.  The name of the abuser is not even allowed to be mentioned in their home.  There is this bottling up that is taking place.

But today, things hit the fan.   The reason why Susana was in tears was because an official notice was hand delivered to her home that this man is appearing in court with a possibility at parole.

Now, I don’t know how that strikes you, but I was sick to my stomach.  Deep down in side I was full of rage and anger.  It’s something that makes no sense to me.  It’s one of those things that to me is the darkest of dark.  It’s the vile of the vile.  I can’t come up with any word that is PC and I can’t sugar coat it.    It’s one of those things where I can’t, at this point in my life, find any grace or mercy or kindness to show to a person like that (just being honest).   To me it’s just evil!  And to see what that kind of evil does to people breaks my heart.  It has to break the heart of God!!!

I guess I’m just venting out loud.  I guess I’m wrestling with the fact the evil is in front of our faces and at times we write it off as myth or legend.  We couch it in PC conversations.  We wouldn’t want to offend others.  We turn our backs or turn the channel so we don’t have to face it.  So we don’t have to deal with it.

But what do you tell families that face this kind of injustice, this kind of darkness all the time?  What do you call it in front of this family who still is bearing the scars and struggles to break free?  I call it evil.

And God calls us, with the power of Christ that lives in us, to face it.  To expose it.  To call it what it is.  To shine light on it.  So that those who are enslaved, brutalized and wounded can be healed.  So that those who face evil, whether they live in big six figure homes or who live in shacks, will know that Christ has and can conquer all evil.

Evil exists…but the power of Christ still overcomes all darkness in this world.  Here’s a few encouraging words from God’s Word in regards to facing evil…

 Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.    Romans 12:21

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.  Isaiah 5:20

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.  1 John 1:5

Waiting in line

It amazes me how many kids show up to our mobile feedings. This day between 80-100 kids showed up. We love this part of what happens here!!!

Food, Sewing, School and God

As part of our ministry here we are always going out a bit ‘cold turkey’ per se, to meet new families and find needs in the community.  We work through relationships to do this.  One of those relationships is with one of the schools we teach English in.   Through this particular relationship we have received recommendations like, ‘if you guys can help, I know this family needs it.  I know that this student usually only eats at school’.

So, one day leading up to our sponsorship program we followed up on one of those leads.  We found this family and we just listened to the mother, here name is  Anna Lorena.  She poured out here heart and told us of her struggles as a single mother raising 7 children.  Somewhere in her life story her husband walked out on her about a year ago and left her with their 5 children.  She also is raising 2 other children from her family that her family pretty much just left with her.

So, she’s trying to raise her family on this HUGE pension (a hint of sarcasm added here) from her ex which is about $80 a month.

$80 a month Seriously?  Now, that can be a lot for some families here.  But, can you imagine trying to live on $80 a month.  Trying to put food in the mouths of 8 people in your house.   Trying to pay rent?  Trying to get them to school with all of the stuff needed for school.  Trying to buy the materials to sew so you can make some kind of living to support your kids.  And I guess that $80 comes in sometimes but some months it never shows up.

Can you imagine living on that?

We decided to show up to her house two weeks ago to check in on them.  In doing so, we felt lead with one of the visiting teams to go buy some groceries for them and just show up.  We wanted to help them out, pray for the family and introduce the team to this family.  As the team arrived at her house she welcomed the team in without hesitation.

So, she told them her story from the day before.  Apparently the night before she had cooked their last amount of food they had for the family.  Just a little bit of beans for dinner.  At one point while she was cooking, she laid down for a quick rest.  She slept too long that she woke up to the food being completely burned.  She was devastated.  Why?  Because that’s all the food she had left.  Heartbreaking.

But this is where it gets very cool!!!

She prayed that evening, trying to fall asleep, that God would some how provide food for her and her kids.  She had no idea of how to get food and was out of money.  The next day, this group of Americans show up to her house.  Our staff  hadn’t been there in a couple of weeks since we first met them.  Now, here’s a group of about 15 people.  And guess what those people had.  Food!  Food for her family.  Food to last at least two more weeks.     You know what that was?  An answer to prayer!!!  She was moved and so was the team.

Since that initial connection God is continuing to provide answers to prayers for their family.  We were able to find sponsors for her kids to go to school.  You should have seen those kids show up to sponsorship week.  The tears in their mother’s eyes.  The smiles on the kids faces.  The hugs that they gave all of us.

Also, the team that helped provide food for her sent a suitcase down that arrived today with one of our staffers.  Inside the suitcase was a bunch of sewing materials.  That way she can sew and try to provide for her family.

To me this is amazing!!!

So, does God answer prayer…heck yeah!  So, when it comes to food,  yup, he can do it.   And God is so powerful he can move a group of people to go buy the groceries and just show up.  Actually to show up the day after a prayer was prayed by someone in need.

He answers prayers for food, for sewing materials, for school and for…your marriage, your child that is running from God, for our stupid sinful decisions, for restoration of a relationship, for healing, for understanding his will, for giving us the strength to step out in faith….for so much.  

So, be encouraged!!!

Steve, Keisa and the Kids

Sponsorship Week on Video

Kids getting a chance to go to school and break the cycle of poverty.  Check out what happened at sponsorship week this week…very cool!!!