January 1st. 2008

2007 has been a year of tremendous blessings, lessons, a few trials and many miracles. I am grateful for God’s blessing and provision during one more year since I accepted the challenge of serving Him full time.

CFCI and STM
Christ for the City continues to be a blessing for many churches, pastors, leaders, children as well as young and wiser people in Costa Rica and the United States as we continue to provide opportunities where both receivers and coming servants interact, serve each other and build each other under the love of God. We all work hard at proclaiming the Good News to communities in urban centers all over the country. I feel blessed at being able to facilitate and see people’s lives being transformed according to His purpose for all of us. After 7 years down the road I don’t seem tired of this, this is the perfect ministry for somebody who doesn’t like routine!

Other ministries I have served and collaborated with are Festival con Dios that mobilizes mainly Costa Ricans to poor communities where we set up a "Christian fair" for the locals, everything Festival offers is free of charge from the food to the dental care to the clothes and haircuts.

I also have the privilege of serving many people through our music ministry Sin Paredes, we offer concerts, teachings, devotionals and a friendly ear to whoever wants to talk with us, talking to the people simply energizes me.

I also offer a helping hand (whenever possible) to our Transformations ministry feeding program every Wednesday, we go to the poorest areas in San Jose, our capital city, and offer a hot meal to whoever comes to us. By befriending people in these areas we are able to reach many for Christ. You would be surprised to see how many doors a hot meal can open!

ISRAEL
I was speechless when I received an invitation for an in-depth Israel study trip. As a Latin missionary a trip to Israel was far down in my list of (possible) dreams. But God has His ways of surprising his children, I was a very surprised child when, one by one, he started opening doors until I found myself arriving in Tel Aviv! I was excited, challenged, humbled and touched as I saw God's investment in my life. I walk trough every door the Lord opens with a fearful sense of gratitude and awe, I know he who has been given much will be demanded even more so I keep moving where I understand He is leading.

SIN PAREDES
Another miracle this year was the release of our 2nd CD called Sin Paredes. This is another prayer answered as all of us in the band continue to look for creative ways to reach our young generations in Latin America with the Good News. We had a pretty busy December this year as we toured during weekends. We closed 2007 with a new CD, 20 live concerts and a number of Radio and TV interviews and appearances. We’re starting to get dates for 2008 as we look for international distribution with... well hopefully with somebody. Would you please pray with us as we knock on doors? I will keep you posted on what is happening.

COMUNIDAD DEL ESTE
My dear new church should be called “The Little Church that Could”. We celebrated our 2nd Anniversary last August as we remembered the four birthday parties we have organized for the terminal section of our National Children’s Hospital, the +1,000 Christmas gifts, the clothing, the children’s formula we have given to kids in poor and distant areas of the country. We also thank God for allowing us to offer the +2,000 hot meals we have been able to serve for the kids at San Vicente, a very poor community with a hunger for food and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our next big project is acquiring property to build a camp for the handicapped, our camp will include a private house in a woody area where children in terminal phase will come to die in a home-like, dignified environment together with their families. If something you have read catches your attention and you are interested in knowing more about our projects or becoming a volunteer or a long term missionary with our ministries drop me a note and give me your phone number, I’d love to talk and answer your questions.

HEALING HEARTS
I found the time to complete the Spanish translation of a workbook for Healing Hearts. This wonderful women’s ministry opened its services for Latin America under the name Sanando Corazones. It is serving women who are suffering and/or have suffered abuse, co-dependency and violence in their lives. The workbook is an invaluable guide to find forgiveness and freedom. May the Lord use Healing Hearts to reach thousands of women as they step up in faith and begin the journey of recovery from physical and emotional trauma.

ROBBERY AND BLESSINGS
Last June 25 we experience our first robbery (and hope last) ever at home. This has been a hard trial, we have spent over a decade working hard and raising funds to get some ministry supplies and tools to develop our ministries. Part of our home belongings were stolen too. I thank God for His special provision; a love offering helped cover emergency expenditures and repairs. Recovery feels slow, but God is faithful and I know He makes things beautiful in His time. As we recover and work extra hard to re-acquire some of our needed ministry tools and household stuff we thank God for his faithfulness, for providing for our basic needs every day, for protecting our lives and for being present each day, each moment.

LOOKING AT THE FUTURE
I am praying I will be able to start a semester at Universidad Evangélica de las Américas while I continue to work with CFCI. I thank God for the flexibility my agency has given me so that I can pursue a Masters in Missiology. I will start paperwork to obtain a scholarship during the second week of January and hopefully as I study I will continue to serve with a few short-term mission teams, offer concerts and seminars with Sin Paredes, maybe I could even find the time for a little more freelance translation. 2008 looks a bit challenging, but also more exciting than 2007! I want to embrace it with passion as I walk in obedience. I covet your prayers for wisdom, good health and balance as I seek to serve Him and study in order to serve Him better.

I foresee a tremendous harvest in 2008 and I am humbled God has called you and me to be part of His plan for this generation. I can’t help feeling excited and energized as I think of all the things God has in store for all of us in the near future! Our Latin American youth is very receptive and they are willing to listen to the Gospel if it is preached in integrity, with passion and in an honest way.

I hope you have had a merry Christmas; now I pray for an absolutely breathtaking 2008 as we hold hands with our loving Creator and walk with Him!

Carlos