gabigifford - Pura Vida

Pura Vida

Where do I even begin about this month?

This month, we worked with Teen Challenge here in Limón, Costa Rica. Teen Challenge is a rehabilitation and discipleship program for addicts. And let me tell you, the students of Teen Challenge are a beautiful picture of what it means to be made a new creation in the name if Jesus and through the Holy Spirit.

We lived at Teen Challenge and worked alongside the men and women who were once living on the streets, now living for Jesus. We got to go out a evangelize on the streets until 2 am to share the hope of Jesus to those living on the streets. We got to make chocolate to help support the ministry’s costs. We got to love, so much.

I could tell you a million stories from this month, but I’ll share one of my favorites for now.

One afternoon, we went into the city of Limón to go street evangelize and share the gospel with the addicts on the streets. As we were walking, the streets were pretty bare. As we were walking, I honestly was happy to not be finding anyone because I was exhausted and just wanted to go home. Just as we were about to turn around though, we met Carl*. Upon sitting down with him, we asked him how his day was and he began to pour out his heart. It’s amazing how much people want to talk, especially those who feel as though they have been forgotten. He was ready for a change though. He felt as though he needed to make a decision whether to stay on the streets or leave forever, and he wanted a way out. He poured out his testimony to my team and spoke of his love for Jesus and his family and that he was just lost. From the time we sat down, throughout him sharing, you could just see the desperation in his eyes and how grateful he was that someone was just sitting with him. He finally felt seen. He was seen, by God.

We listened. We loved. We prayed.

After praying with him, we got to tell him all about Teen Challenge and how we had a place for him to come home to. Immediately he said yes! We were all brought to tears and we just began praising God all together, because His lost sheep, was coming home.

Carl had never sat in that spot before. He always sat somewhere else, but that day he felt he needed to sit where he did, and that’s where God sent us. That’s where God met him.

2 weeks later, Carl is living at Teen Challenge, sober, and learning about Jesus. He still has about 11 months left in the program, but I pray in a year I am flying down here to watch him graduate.

Pray for him. Pray for all the men at teen challenge. That God would give them the strength to finish the program.

This is only one story out of many.

The men and women that live on the streets of Limón and San José just want hope. They just want love. They just want to be seen. Jesus did that through us. What a privilege to be the hands and feet of Jesus and serve His kingdom in this way.

I am overflowing with joy and love for the Lord and His power. GOD IS SO GOOD! I can’t even find the words to express how amazing this month was.

He is the true pure life.

Pura Vida.

But in all honesty, it was one of the hardest months on the race to date. I’ll share more of that in my next blog, but know that God still does this amazing goodness even when life is so hard.

Love,
Gabs

*names have been changed

If you want to know more stories from this moment, please reach out and I would love to share!

(Left: Sharing the gospel with *Carl, Top Right: Taking the phase 2 men to the beach, Bottom Right: With some of our beloved leaders)

(Top: Men from Teen Challenge program, On Bottom from left to right: Our sweet friend Erson, our awesome host Max, making chocolate, and sweet sweet Tito)