Staying informed and involved!

Hello Everyone!

Wondering how you can stay up-to-date on the happenings at Strong Missions when you aren’t here in Costa Rica? WELL you’re in luck!

We could not accomplish anything without our partners in mission and would like to keep you all informed and involved!

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and sign up for our mailing list. Even if you think we have your contact information, please sign up!

In addition, please forward this to at least 5 of your friends that may be interested in hearing about our continued work!

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Take care and have a blessed day!

La Carpio update

There are constantly changes. Depending on when you were there last, you will see a lot of difference from the pictures. As you can see, the sanctuary has been expanded and now it´s one big room. They recently took down the “storage” in the sanctuary, and moved it off to the side, and added the front part of the building to use to feed the children. The pastor and the congregation are trying to make the “church” the best it can be, but clearly know that the “church” is the people worshipping and working together for the glory of God.

We (well the kids) had our first salad using the veggies from the community garden at the Evangelical Methodist church in Carrillos while we were there. Exciting!

Currently, 60 children on average are receiving a nutritious meal on Sunday and Tuesday-Friday. The pastor´s wife, Cristiana and some volunteers from the church are taking turns cooking. Nicole (from NJ) and Stan (from VA) were also there in Nov. to help serve the children. Stan was mega-famous. Everyone wanted their picture with him.

My favorite part was when Kevin (in purple shirt) would not stop following him around. He wanted to play and just chill out with Stan. Even to the point when we were meeting with the pastor and all the other kids were running around and making noise and Pastor James asked them to leave, Kevin quickly took a seat next to Stan and just sat and waited 20 minutes for the meeting to end.

When Nicole was on her way to Carrillos and talking to the driver of the van about La Carpio, he “blessed” her saying it was dangerous, etc. When Nicole arrived in Carrillos, she told us this story. Stan said yes it´s “dangerous”, you might just leave your heart behind.

La Carpio and the children and the people we have met there have touched many of our hearts. And many of you like Stan and myself, have left part of our heart there. We are thankful for everything we are blessed with and know that God has blessed us so that we can bless others in return. God will take your blessings and multiple them.

Please continue to pray for the work that God is doing in this place. Blessings and Happy Thanksgiving!

For more pictures-click here.

November Dental Clinic

Thanks to 15 dentists from the US/Canada and 3 local dentists from Costa Rica, last week 150 patients were seen in 3 days. Extractions were done every day-OUCH, and cleanings for 2 of the 3 days.  

Thank you also to all the people who helped, between check-in/check-out, translators, “cooks” aka instrument sterilizers, runners to get more supplies, those that handed out fliers, etc.

Here are a few pictures of the clinic.

For more pictures: click

How do you turn $1 into $2!?

Hello all!

As families back in the US start to settle into the Thanksgiving and the Christmas Season, our feeding programs are getting ready to gear up in Carrillos.

As you all know, your support has been helping to feed 50-60 children 5 nutritious a week at our sites in La Carpio and Los Guido. As the kids in Costa Rica get ready for their summer break (December and January) the need for nutritious meals increases because kids no longer have access to a meal provided by the schools. With that in mind, the Evangelical Methodist and the Pentecostal Churches in Carrillos are getting ready start their summer feeding programs.

Last year the Pentecostal Church provided 5 noon meals a week to roughly 70 children and the Methodist Church provided 5 dinner meals a week to 30 children. Those numbers have steadily been increasing and we expect this year to be feeding roughly 150 children in Carrillos, 100 in La Carpio, and 100 in Los Guido.

Your support has been instrumental in providing the resources that have allowed these programs to grow, reaching more children every year. Based on these projections by February 1^st, with your help we will have fed roughly 145,000 meals since the feeding programs started.

At this time of year, with additional programs come additional funding needs. At current, the feeding and education programs are seeing a budget deficit of roughly $35,000. That money would be used to help us meet the budget of feeding 350-400 meals a week for the summer months.

However, through the General Board of Global Ministries(GBGM), God has given us a great chance to turn $1 into $2! Starting at Midnight EST on December 3^rd GBGM will be doing a matching funds campaign. This means that every dollar you give will be matched by GBGM as a donation. So your Donation of $50 becomes $100, or a donation of $100 becomes $200.

As you have heard many times, just $35 feeds a child for a month. If you pledge to feed 1 child on December 3^rd through your generosity combined with GBGM you will actually be feeding two children!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS. Because the funds are limited to a total of $500,000! 

SO on December 3^rd simply follow this link - http://www.umcmission.org/Give-to-Mission/Search-for-Projects/Projects/3021552 and click the “Give Now” button on the side row. Every dollar donated will be matched by GBGM. Turning 1 into 2 is as simple as that.

Thank you all and God bless!