Catching the Wave

I have been asked by a good friend, Ryan, and God to share this testimony with you. I never thought it would bless more than those involved, but I am going to give this a shot.

The phone rang and after a warm greeting I found myself talking to Pastor Domingo. He pastors a small church located in his native Indian reservation Boruca, located some 300 Kilometers away from San Jose. If you have visited Costa Rica you may not know that anything more than 100 kilometers in our country is usually a tiresome trip due to our winding, narrow mountain roads. Boruca is no exception, as a matter of fact Boruca IS one of the most distant , remote, hard to reach areas in Costa Rica.

I perceived Domingo was deeply sad. For days he'd been trying to invite several youth leaders to an event in his town, he passionately told me about this idea God had given him. He wanted a youth retreat/camp for the kids in the area. The access these teenagers have to the outside world are few, they simply do not have the resources to leave the reservation and travel to San Jose. So there was Domingo telling me about this Youth Retreat and how difficult it had been to actually get any National youth Leader to go to the reservation and offer the kids their ministries.

My heart sank when Domingo told me I was his last name in his list. I could hear he was discouraged as he shared his ideas and vision, somewhat I felt he was ready for a negative answer. I simply couldn't say "no".

After setting a date we decided we would take music, teachings and materials for the kids in Boruca. My band and I got together about a week afterwards to start planning and work on a basic budget for the event. Then after considering the expenses my heart sank again. I had not considered expenses like transportation, materials, xerox copies, food for the band, etc. etc. I couldn't believe going to Boruca would be so expensive and of course I don't think I need to say that as a poor missionary I just didn't have the funds to honor our commitment. I felt I had stuck my foot in my mouth big time, I suddenly felt I had been too swift in accepting an invitation like that without considering the cost first.

After exploring a zillion possible ways of funding our trip we concluded we just couldn't make it. Could I call Pastor Domingo and disappoint him after giving him high hopes and expectations or would I wait for a miracle to happen? You see, in our ministry 3 out of 4 times we end up reaching for own own wallets to perform, reach kids and share the Good News, it's never been a burden and I think it will never be, but spending $2.200 for a single project was very different. That night we held hands together and in humbling honesty asked God to show us His will for Boruca. We were ready to go, we had an enormous desire to serve those kids, we actually loved them without knowing them, but this time we couldn't take the money from our own pockets.

I went to bed asking God to answer A.S.A.P. and then the following morning I got my reply. I got an e-mail from Ryan, he is a youth minister, but more importantly a really good friend I met years before and with whom I serve with in short term mission trips. Ryan told me the little kids in his church had been learning about missions and missionaries in VBS. They decided to raise an offering and when the Children's director asked him about somebody in the world who could use those extra funds Ryan thought of me, he wrote a quick note to let me know.

"I can't make any promises about how much would be raised, but whatever is raised next Sunday will be sent to you" he said. I laughed and cried a little, this was a direct answer to our prayers and even when we didn't have an idea of how much would be raised I felt a deep assurance God was telling us, "I have heard your prayers and here goes my wave, now get on it quick before you miss it!"

I thanked God for a swift answer, but also for letting us know He would be there to back us up in ministry. A good but weird feeling stuck with me during that week, I was full of joy, but also full of holy and reverent fear. It was (and still is) overwhelming to know the God of the universe is right behind you.

$2,200 were raised on Sunday, exactly what we needed to cover retreat expenses. In addition to the funds received several people, local companies and friends offered their donations. Suddenly We were able to give Centro Cristiano in Boruca shoes, clothes, food, a new printer, love, music and teachings (we hardly had space in the bus for us).

We returned home with empty pockets and feeling the biggest millionaires in the world. We will never forget the grateful faces of those precious kids and Pastor Domingo as we left for San Jose. There is no doubt we served "the least of these".

For all those who were involved in this adventure I offer my deepest gratitude for becoming partners in ministry. May God continue to have His way in our lives as we seek to be faithful servants.

Gloria Deo.