This past month I had the opportunity to lead a women’s outreach to Costa Rica. Our group consisted of 11 women from the San Joaquin Valley, one from Texas, one from Austria, and nine ladies representing the SI Guatemalan staff. Our ages ranged from 17 to 67, and what a blessing to be with this group!

The SI Costa Rica staff did a fantastic job getting all of us involved in their different ministry sites. Three of our women joined Jeremy at his construction site. These women jumped right in to Jeremy’s vision to teach and mentor young men. Jeremy is not just building wooden craft items, he is building incredible relationships with his proteges and earning the privilege to share Jesus with them.

Two women, one a professional photographer in Visalia, joined Dustin at the photography site. They witnessed his energy and desire to help teach young people to tell their stories through the photos they take, and “learn what it means to be created in the image of a creative God.” Several of our team members were tremendously blessed by working at the tutoring center with Krysta Williams, and others at the microfinance site with Cindy and Maria. The sports site lead by Diego and Blake (current intern) was hopping! Soccer, dodgeball and ping-pong kept the women ministering with him without a dull moment. Diego’s presence in the communities where he ministers is huge, kids flock to the activities he oversees, and all the thanks be to God.

It was particularly fun for me to watch my good friend Lisa working alongside her daughter, Cailah, at her social work site. Lisa and two others on our team played, prayed, danced, visited homes of the elderly, and just had a wonderful time helping Cailah in the activities she is involved in on a daily basis in that community.

Thanks, Jeff and Tracey. You and your staff are doing a fantastic job. May the Lord continue to lead you and bless you in all that you do. It is my hope that this short report of our trip would serve as an invitation to any ladies that feel a tug on their hearts as they read it-join us next year! Details will follow.

Blessings,

Janice Hansen