Visiting Canada

I am coming to Canada!!!!! But…..only for a limited time! I am hoping to reconnect with all of you and also just share about the amazing things that God is doing here in Costa Rica!!! I will be in Canada from May 14th-July 30th to just seek God in the vision he has given me, share it…..and also to see what you all have been up to the last year!! But…..in order to make this trip a success, I need your help!

Have you ever imagined what it would like to be raised in a slum? Could you picture what life might be like for a teenager or child growing up amongst abuse, drugs and family dysfunction? How would you think of your future if you couldn’t finish your education or were discouraged to do so? Imagine living in a place where being abused is almost expected, where drug addiction is just a part of life, where neglect and rape commonly starts right in your home. Imagine the possibility of your own parents prostituting you so that they can pay the rent. Now…..imagine this……..this is NORMAL.

Sadly, this is the reality of life for many living in the slums. Despite the presence of many organizations, the need is never covered completely. Even so, many come with medical aid, food , clothing, and churches but the problems remain and the youth/children are left in despair. They have food for the day but they are getting eaten up spiritually.

What is the answer to bringing hope to these youth? I believe the answer is simply spending the time to know these youth and be that encouragement. Encouragement to follow their dreams and encouragement towards God. The church needs discipleship, people willing to answer the questions that so many have about God and life without any strings attached. Full acceptance of who they are in the moment. Who will tell them that they have value? That they have purpose? That with God’s help they can break the cycle of dysfunction? And this is exactly the problem………….there is a HUGE lack of people who do this!

Think about the people in your life who made in a difference……who was it? Hmm I’m guessing that it was someone who simply took the time to know you and love you. That’s exactly what I want to do; build relationships in the community, share God with everyone and disciple those who want to have a deeper relationship with him. The idea is simple but the mission is difficult….but the good news is that YOU can help!

Ways that you can help!!!

1) Become a Prayer partner for my ministry! I am working in a community that lives in poverty and I work with children/youth at risk. Many of them come from really hard situations. This is very challenging for me and I need prayer. I need people committed to praying for God’s work here in Costa Rica.

2) Be an Advocate! One thing that I would like to do is share about the ministry going on in Costa Rica. I need Bible Studies/ small groups to share with. I plan to bring some snacks from Costa Rica and possibly cook a typical Costa Rican dish for some or all of the small groups. Could you open your home and invite some friends over? Do you know friends who have Bible Study groups that would be open to hearing about Costa Rica? Please…..let me know!!!

3) Partner with me Financially! In order to carry on in the ministry here and reach out to children and youth at risk, I need the finances to cover not only basic living costs but also funds to help the ministries I work with.

There are many ways that you can make a difference in the lives of children and youth at risk in Costa Rica. Please pray about whether God is calling you to partner with me and the work here. If you are interested in meeting over coffee to talk, I am more than happy to share about Costa Rica and also learn more about you. If you feel God tugging your heart to missions, I would also love to meet you! For those of you who are not in Canada and would like to chat....we could email or arrange a skype call. My email is rachelyrach@gmail.com.

Children's Home

This last week I went back to Coronado where I was teaching English last year to visit with the caregivers and the children!! I have missed them so much. I have been wanting to visit the 2 ladies who care for the children. Time and time again I have seen so many people come to minister to the children but nobody to encourage these ladies. They have sacrificed so much and don't have any help.

Imagine you with 8-11 kids!!!!! INSANITY. Also imagine that on top of that, that these kids come with behavioral issues/ most have been abused. Needless to say.......they need encouragement/ other adults to talk to. These ladies live there for 15 days and then get 2 days off. During the 15 days, they don't leave the children's home. So, it occurred to me that it would be cool to go up there once a week or once every 2 weeks and give them manicures and just chat with them.

So I had a blast chatting with them and then played with the kids for a bit. I really love these ladies and kids. Even though I am no longer teaching there, I hope to visit them when time permits. Please remember these amazing women in your prayers. It's a very stressful job and its really hard to just draw close to God amidst the chaos.

Moving!!!!

I am soooo excited to say that I will be moving to a mold free, cockroach free house in one week!!!!! God opened the doors not only for a house but also another room mate!!! My friend Brooke from Calgary will be living with me while she is studying Spanish at the institute. She is my age and has been called to work in Talamanca, a indigenous community close to the Panamanian border. So I have a wonderful friend from my hometown who is also called to CR long term. AWESOME! Even better, while I am in Canada she will be there to be with and encourage Marilyn. I was a bit worried what would happen with Marilyn while I was away. God has his ways of working things out. I know that this house will be a success because my missionary friends have been living there the last year and in a week will be moving to Honduras to do missions......so.....no surprises this time!! NO MORE MOVING PLEASE!

I met with the landlords last night, and they are the sweetest people ever. Their not looking to make money renting the house they just want good tenants. I even chatted with their daughter for a bit and we might hang out sometime! They even lowered a already cheap rent for me! Also with a new room mate, my cost of living will go down a lot! Amen!!! So I'm looking forward to it........really it came just in time.......I found a baby tarantula in my house yesterday and was thinking......what else is in this house that I don't know about??!!

All in all though I know that I have been blessed even where I am at. There are many who would love the house I am living at. I almost felt guilty about finding another house.....but when I realized that in the end it would be cheaper and a even better location for ministry.....I knew that God was blessing it and opening this door. I have been having alot of problems in this house due to mold and it has been affecting my health so I look forward to having more energy........and not dealing with infestations!!!

Beyond Content!!!

God has been so incredibly good to me!!! I can hardly believe that I have been in Costa Rica already for a year!! I still marvel at the beauty of Costa Rica and I still am in love with the people here. Every day brings a new surprise, a new lesson and it is priceless. Yes, it has been stressful and has been trying/spiritually taxing but through it all I am overwhelmed by happiness. What a gift!

I had so many fears stepping on that plane a year ago and now looking back, I can see God's hand in every step. I felt that life was so perfect in Calgary that I was afraid of exchanging that for the unknown. It has been a journey through doing things that I never thought I could do. When I told God I would do anything for him, I had no clue that he would have me do everything that I was afraid of!! What were/are those fears? Public speaking, leading and socializing in groups. Well, that is all I've done and I'm telling you, nothing feels better than having the chains loosened of these insecurities and coming to the realization of the truth that I can really do everything with Christ who gives me strength!

Anyways, today was just one of those days where I felt God telling me that he loves me through every little thing. Being ministered to by the christian radio station here, taking in the beauty of this country, spending time with wonderful people who love the lord and seeing God transform lives. I can truly say God has given me more than I ever could have asked for.

Soooooo, if there is something that God is calling you towards......GO FOR IT! Don't worry about the risk of diving into the unknown. God knows your heart and your desires and he will only call you to the best. The growing pains may hurt but I can promise the same contentment that I have experienced. Through every circumstance, good or bad......if you keep your eyes on Jesus.....I have no doubt that you will feel the blessing of having someone perfect by your side. Who could be a better guide/teacher but God himself who knit you together in your mothers womb.....who has seen you grow and who knows your future? Rest in him.

Things are not always as they seem......

Well, I stated a whole lot of things in my last entry that have completely changed........just goes to show how we can be so mislead. Hmmmm for this reason I must always pray for discernment and seek the whole story/ perspective before passing judgements.....yeah easier said than done.

 The situation with Marilyn is somewhat resolved. In the end I got two competely different stories from either sides and after putting two and two together, came to the conclusion that my "little sister" who I care so much for has been lying about a whole lot of things. I've confronted her a bit but am finding a balance between enabling her behavior and confronting too harshly. She's going through so much in her life, and I don't want to push her too far. There is so much drama going on with this situation and so much dysfunction with her family. So I'm putting this behind me and moving on. But for the future I now know what to watch for.

So this week has been eventful to say the least. Tuesday night I spent my official 5th night waiting in emergency......I am WAY too familiar with the hospitals here! Marilyns Dad and brother got into a car accident and her brother was being checked for internal bleeding etc. So finally at 5:30am the next day I went to sleep. Thank God that her brother was 100% okay. It was quite a accident!

For the past 6 weeks I have been taking some classes at YWAM regarding Children at Risk. Those classes have been such a blessing and already I am finding ways to apply them to my life and ministry now. Last week the classes were on Human Trafficking. This week I found out naturally through Marilyn about possible human trafficking going on in Los Guido. She told me that a bunch of her friends are working in the States washing dishes and that this week her friend was leaving to do the same thing. I found that kind of suspicious and asked a few more questions.....only to find out that I believe that some youth in her community are being trafficked.....all of them.....under age 20.

So I find myself thinking about how I can raise awareness amongst the youth in this community. They are the perfect targets.....all live in poverty....all find a hard time finding hope for a better future...and then....a foreignor comes and tells them that they can go to the States to work in hotels.....that the apartment will be paid for......that they will make alot of money....and that their visa and flight will all be paid for.....and then they leave. What goes on from there only God knows. Anyways, just something on my mind now. Marilyn was wanting more information on these job opportunites and thats how I found out about it. When I warned her, she was surprised. She's never heard that woman are trafficked from foreign countries to the States to be sold into the sex trade. Hmmmm something to think about.

Texas, Drama, Stress.....and Peace.

The last two weeks have been such a blessing to me. I came back from my missions orientation in Texas last week both refreshed and encouraged. I learned so much and had time to really focus on my vision and how to better connect people to God's mission here in Costa Rica. During the orientation and my time talking with my pastoral support, I have decided to take a trip to Calgary for 2 months to raise supporters and reconnect with my community there. I am praying about when and how to go about this. Please pray for me as I make preparations for this.

Of course, whenever I leave the country, a surprise situation is always waiting to be uncovered upon my return. This last week here has definitely been a challenge. When I came home, my room mate was very sad. As she explained what happened, she started to cry. Some people in leadership in her life accused her of doing some things that she hasn't been doing. She is so hurt by this. She has had a rough life but Christ started changing her life around two years ago. Some people think that she is still living like she did before. This has really made me sad because I know that she has been doing well. I know Satan is really using this situation as a huge discouragement in her faith. She is losing trust for the Christians who are in her life. Please pray for her during this time and pray for me as I continue to love and encourage her in her faith.

Also, pray for me as I will be speaking with her leadership regarding the situation. I don't want to enter this situation thinking over protectively of Marilyn but just as someone who is questioning the situation with love and understanding. This is a challenge after seeing her so upset all week and crying every day about the situation. But God holds this in his hands and I trust that he will give me the words I need.

The positive of everything that has happened in the last months is that God is filling me with his peace. I was so worried and stressed and it was running me down. But through my trip to Texas and just taking it easy this week and praying, I feel peace. God has my finances and he has Marilyn in his hands. I need not worry but just to continue walking and seeking after God's direction.

Transparency in Financial Issues.

Me and Marilyn moved to a house a couple blocks away from our old apartment last week. The house was very cheap to rent and seemed perfect for us. So we moved everything in and started putting things in their place.......only to find that we had a cockroach problem! So I went to the store and bought bottles of cockroach spray. I sprayed the place to death trying to kill the cockroaches. Well.....that lasted about a day until I realized that we needed professional help. After attempting to take care of the problem, I tried to ignore the problem.....after all, the cockroaches hide, so I tried the out of sight, out of mind theory......hmmmm didn't work. As I was reading the Bible with my friend Anita on the couch, I saw a ton of cockroaches skittering about....it was then that I decided to call the fumigator. Some problems aren't meant to be faced on your own......

Since we are all a family in Christ, I have been realizing that I am bearing a load that is not meant for me to handle on my own. I need to be open with all of you because you are an important part of God's mission here in Costa Rica.

Something that is really hard for me to do but it so needs to be done, is to be completely honest about my financial situation here. I have really been praying for more support here as I have been running a deficit nearly every month for the last year. Because of this deficit I have gotten into debt. I have tried to ignore the problem but it has come to the point where it cannot be ignored any longer. It has hit me that if something doesn't change......I might just be another missionary forced to leave the field due to finances.

 It has been a hard line for me to draw. I ask myself......Do I really need to share this with people or should I just be quiet and trust that God will provide in his own way. It then occurred to me that I have been rediculous not to share. I have come to the realization that my pride has held me back from truly asking for help. I have lately just felt God nudging me, reminding me that this is not my mission but his mission. Anything that is God's mission is the churches mission as well. We share in the ministry here in Costa Rica. I'm not quite sure sometimes how to voice my needs so I'm hoping that the following info will convey the extent of my need.

Monthly Budget:

Rent: 300.00
Food: 300.00
Gas: 200.00
Car Insurance: 15.00
Electricity: 30.00
Water: 10.00
Total Needed: 855.00 U.S minimum is needed to cover main expenses here not including ministry expenses
Average Monthly Support: 500.00 U.S
Deficit: 355.00 U.S

Medical insurance for the year: 900.00 due on March 4th
Required trip to Texas for Missions organization: 1000.00....leaving on March 14th

Something that I am working on is taking the time to truly communicate with all of you as to what is going on here. I have been so caught up in ministry that I have found that months sometimes go by without me writing an update. I want you all to know what is going on here in my ministries and the things that God has been doing in my life. God truly has opened doors here for me in ministry and I would like to continue serving God here. I know that God called me here and that I moved here in obediance to that call. When I came I was very afraid because I didn't have any clue what was going to happen. I feel that God has blessed me beyond measure here and I don't feel like my time here is anywhere close to done.

Having said that......I know that God is more than able to provide for all my needs and that whatever his will is, will come to pass. I am asking for you all to unite with me in prayer. Prayer for provision, prayer for my ministries, prayer for me and Marilyn.  I need your partnership to continue the mission that God has given me here. I also ask that if God lays the work going on in Costa Rica on your hearts, that you will consider partnering with me financially to allow me to continue to serve here. God does provide. But God also uses people to provide. I apologize for keeping this problem from you for so long, God is helping me to face my pride and to be open about my needs.

If any of you have any questions about my work here in Costa Rica, I would be more than happy to explain in more detail. Feel free to check out my video on youtube under "Rachel Garber Missionary in Costa Rica".

As God lays it on your hearts, you can send all support to the following address.


CTEN
1731 Lesperance Road
Windsor ON N8N 1Y2

The check should be made to Commission to Every Nation or CTEN. Make sure that if your sending a cheque, that you include a note with my name on it.

For all letters:

Rachel Garber

Apdo 428-1011
La y Griega
San Jose, Costa Rica