We've had a great week with our first mission trip group of 2010. This group was from Connecticut and although they've supported Roblealto for 25 years, this was their first visit to Costa Rica. And boy were they touched by the kids here! They completely fell in love with our children and we know they are going to continue to be a part of Roblealto's ministry. We really enjoyed spending Monday night translating for some of the volunteers as they had dinner with the house parents and kids. We keep practicing our Spanish! One of the highlights for the group was going to Los Guido to see the community where many of our children come from and prayed over the lot where we Roblealto will build their next child care center.
It was also a big week for the campaign for the new center. After months of planning, we officially launched the Los Guido Campaign! We sent out a letter, brochure and DVD to 42 churches that support Roblealto to encourage them to join us in this initiative. We also put the campaign online and you can see it at roblealto.org Our next big job is to look at various foundations for funds. We feel very over our heads in applying for grants, but we were blessed with help from one of the volunteers this week who has grant-writing experience. We have a list of many Christian foundations that are more likely to be interested in supporting Roblealto than secular foundations so we are praying that this will be a chance to raise money. Thank you for your continued prayers. We have such a passion for this project that will serve 250 at-risk children and their families!
Tomorrow Ridgewood comes for their week at Roblealto. We get to meet them at the airport and it will be great to see them! Mark will join the men as they do demolition on one of the houses. Very manly! And next weekend we head to Panama City for the weekend to stay with my friend Janna as we need to leave the country for our visas. It'll be fun to get to see another part of Latin America and spend some time in hot, sunny weather (we've been having lots of rainy, cool weather here, not that I'll get any sympathy from the Minnesotans!)
We love you!
Hilarious about the demolition project. Every man's dream. I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I love the last comment about not getting any pity from Minnesotans. Do you miss MN weather at all??
Good afternoon Mark & Emily!! I rolled into my driveway this morning from Newark, NJ at 4:30am!!
ReplyDeleteWe all had such a wonderful time at Roblealto this week despite the long days and hard work. However the friendliness and warmth from everyone there: including Pam and Lizzy, you guys, the staff, and especially the host families and the children MORE than made up for it!
I told Pam this is was not a 'good-bye' but instead an 'until next time' departure. I have taken a little piece of God's Heaven back with me from Roblealto.
There is no doubt in my mind that I will be back -- probably soon and with others in tow to help with funding.
Our God is a great God and the $6 millionfacility will not only be a 'hope' but a 'reality' for Roblealto, the community, and the children it is destined to nurture.
Mark, I did not have a chance to say a formal farewell to you -- but I don't think we needed to -- we will be in touch a lot regarding Roblealto and the new adventure we are all on.
Don't you just love when God gives you a blank canvas but then gives you all the materials you need to paint a beautiful portrait?!!
Until next time,
Your hands in Windsor, CT.
Marlene