Recently we and our Costa Rican friends were blessed by the visit of three young adults from WA state and their pastor, Mark Rambo, who also serves on our Ministry Partnership Team. We asked Mark to be a guest writer and reflect on his recent experiences with us.  The following are some of Mark's ponderings:

Through our community's relationship with ABC missionaries, Gary and Mylinda Baits, one of our members, Sarah Nash, was able to live in Costa Rica for a month last Sept.-Oct. During that time, Sarah had an extended homestay with folks from the Aserri Baptist Church. Sarah became our community global voice and brought back with her an excitement and love for her new friends there. Sarah's heart became our bridge into the lives of people of Aserri.

So this June, myself and three young adults, Sarah Nash, Carrie Dubuque and Mark Palowoda flew to Costa Rica to visit some ministries in San Jose, but mostly to concentrate our time staying with families from the Aserri church, building relationships and getting a better flavor of the community of Aserri.

After 8 days I can say with confidence...God is real,

                                                            Jesus is present, 

                                                        and Love never ends.

These words just kept flowing through our/my consciousness. From a Tuesday night prayer meeting to a local school visit where we saw its own organic garden and sustainability and ecology embedded in its curriculum...to a long steep hike up a mountain, to just being with people, laughing and learning. Being, without obsessing about doing.
 

After 8 days we are left with a sense of excitement, euphoria, awe and wonder as to what God has in store for this emerging relationship with Aserri. As we pray for one another and continue to stay in touch, we at Emmaus house and our new friends in Aserri are searching God's will for how we can serve each other, as well as serve each other in ministry both in Olympia and in Aserri.

What is God doing? What does God have in store for us? I have no idea! 

                                    But this I do know...God is real,

                                                                 Jesus is present,

                                                            and Love never ends.

Mark Rambo is lead pastor of Emmaus House and associate pastor of Olympia First Baptist Church, Olympia, WA