Many of our core prayers for Los Anonos continue to be the same, including: to see broken families restored, teenagers making changes in their generation, children being able to grow and walk in the destiny God has prepared for them, and seeing the wounds in the hearts of the fatherless healed. We are also still looking for people from the community who are willing to step up in the church and take on leadership roles. This is a continual processes as the people involved in the church grow and mature in the Lord. We will continue to present these to the Lord until we see break through.
Another exciting upcoming addition to the community in Los Anonos is the beginnings of a new discipleship school. Last November a couple from another Vineyard church in New Hampshire, Les and Diana, left their careers to attend the Spanish language school in San Jose for 10 months. They have connections back to the Vineyard in Maine and met Rodney and Cindy back in the late 90’s. During their time this past year in Costa Rica learning Spanish, they became an integral part of our ministry here. They decided to return home last fall to raise the needed support to come back to Los Anonos and start a discipleship school in the community. Their plan is to focus on the intense spiritual development of the youth of this community in order to send them out to do ministry. They plan on returning to Costa Rica in May and renting a house in Los Anonos in the neighborhood above our house. They will also be taking interns into their house and spending intentional time during the week in discipleship classes, worship sessions, and intercessory prayer. Les and Diana will also take on the role of mentoring the musicians of our Vineyard church here in Anonos, co-leading our nightly Bible studies, and working alongside us in ministry. The availability of such a school is largely due to the growth and development of the church here in Los Anonos as well is the fruit of teams pouring into the community. We are very excited about the work Les and Diana will be doing as it is something we have not been focused on doing at this time. It is an expansion of the heart of what God wants to do here in the community and allows us to increase our vision and reach. Please pray that the Lord opens the doors for them to raise the needed financial support and to make the transition to Costa Rica smooth. 
We are coming close to the end of the dry season and soon it will start to rain again. We've basically had no rain since late November. Obviously with a lot of dried grasses, shards of glass, and a high smoking rate, the potential for fires is staggering. We've had two major fires in the last month. Praise the Lord no houses were burned and the people were able to put the fires out! However, there are places in the community where fire trucks cannot gain access due to the conditions of the roads. It feels inevitable that some day there will be a very bad fire in the community. Please pray for protection over the people from any more significant fires in the community this year, that no houses would be burned or people injured.
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| Carmen with her son, Starling, and her daughter, Milena |
As a note of praise, Carmen's foot is healing nicely. There is only one small, unhealed hole by her toe where the wound was deepest. She has all new skin that is covering her foot. The doctors were fairly amazed at how quickly it healed. Still do continue to pray for her heart, though. She still has much to face in life. Keep her son, Starling, in your prayers, too. He struggles with an addiction to drugs, which not only makes it difficult for him to hold down a job and help his family, but it causes increased stress and anxiety for Carmen.
Thank you for all of your prayer support. It is the most important support we can give and receive!!!
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