This picture is my graduating class from Argentina plus the staff. The two fellows on the left are Carlos and Rafael, both staff members of the bible core course, then Jeremy, Nahuel, Monica, Jimena and myself, all students. On the far right is Paul another staff member. It was a great group of people and i was very blessed to get to spend three months with them.
I got back into Costa Rica on the 6th of June very ready to be with my family again and there were 2 very happy boys and one very happy wife waiting for me at the airport.there was lots of hugs and kisses and i got to carry Gabers and Riah to the car.
Although is was very difficult to be so far away from my family for so long the course itself was a very good experience, lots of bible reading and study, long hours and late nights. The part that excites me the most is that now we have the opportunity to bring the course here to Costa Rica.
Since I got back I have been on almost constant kid duty seeing as how it is definitely my turn and Karen is getting to sleep in for the first time in three months. A well earned break! It is very strange how fast they change and grow. It was a very necessary three month absence but i certainly do not want to repeat it any time soon.We took things pretty easy the first week that i was back but things are speeding up quickly now. At the YWAM base we are entering into one of the busiest times of the year as the base hosts many short term missions teams over the summer. Yesterday we had a team of 15 arrive from a Korean church in Texas. Karen has been handling more and more of the logistics of the base making sure that everyone has a place to sleep and helping new long and short term staff get settled and involved in ministry as well as a hundred other things. It has been a good experience for her as she is really getting an opportunity to use her gifts and talents but it is also a lot of work and has been pretty stretching. This picture below is of her and Paola, a Ywamer from Costa Rica that works with Karen and manages all the short term teams that we host here at the base.
Our first Bible Course here in Costa Rica starts on the 9th of July. I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of Malinda the course leader as I will be assisting her and finishing my training during this first school. We are very blessed that she has agreed to come and help us pioneer this school in CR otherwise it would have meant another 3 months out of the country to help staff the school at another base. So far we have 8 possible students for the Bible course and they are from many different parts of the globe. We have at least one Canadian possibly two, a couple from Cameroon and Saint Lucia, the rest are from either Costa Rica or El Salvador. About half of them are actually staff from the base that are wanting to study God's word so that they can be better equipped for ministry. We are very excited for the school to start and are pulling together the details, reading through application and putting the finishing touches on the schedule.
Here are a few things that you could keep in prayer for us.
- Please be praying for us during this transition period as we re-adjust to family life.
- Pray for Karen as she is working hard to organize the personal of the base during one of the busiest times of the year, also that she will be able to continue meeting with staff for discipleship, with all the administrative duties it is getting squeezed.
- Pray for the Bible course team as we put together the final details and prepare for our students.
- Pray that the money that we need for books for the school comes in quickly.
Many blessings!
Douglas, Karen, Gabriel and Zachariah
