Newsletter, June 2007

Harvest Hands Newsletter - June 26, 2007

Dear Harvest Hands Friends and Family,

Dick shared our monthly Harvest Hands newsletter with you last month. And now, I have a few updates for you. I’ve written this three times and it keeps getting longer!
First of all, the “thank yous”. I (Cindy) want to thank all of my family and friends for supporting me during this time of my dad’s death, or I should say, my dad’s beginning a new life in Heaven! To all of you who visited Fred and Dot during my time here in Costa Rica, thank you! To all of you who spent time in the hospital with us, thank you! To all of you who helped out with the memorial service, the prep time and the wonderful buffet afterwards, and to all of you who came, thank you! And to all of you who have visited my mom and who will visit my mom in Ledgeview Living Center, thank you! The body of Christ is truly a body and I could not have gotten through this time without my body parts! Thank you for your prayers. God is faithful to pour out His grace.
It is now summer in Maine. Here in Costa Rica we are coming into “winter” or the rainy season. It’s just about always sunny in the mornings, and it’s almost always guaranteed that we’ll have rain in the afternoons. As I sit here, the beautiful mountains are slowly being covered by clouds. We’ll start to hear a little rumbling, our “chicken-dog”, Biscuit, will come into the house to shiver and hide and then the rain will begin! It’s so very refreshing, even when it is raining so hard that it’s like a liquid blizzard! The rain falls like God’s grace.
It is not unusual to have people stop at our door asking for food. Some, such as a lady who visited last week are in truly desperate need. She, her husband and two daughters moved from Nicaragua three months ago. Her husband had been looking for work and will be starting tomorrow. They have been three months without an income. She asked if we had any beans that we could give her. Fortunately, we did, but no rice. But we were able to give her some other food, as well. We would like to have a little extra on hand for times like these.
The ministry in Anonos is going well. Last week we had our first meeting in our new location. It is an open air gym next to the river. We had two different teams who came to clean and prepare it for our first night’s fiesta. We had about 85 children, 28 teenagers and about 15 adults. We played games, served hot dogs and a blessed time was had by all. Children and mothers alike were ministered to.
As time passes on there is more and more favor with the people and with the local government.
On Father’s Day, Rodney and our friend Luis had an opportunity to share Dick’s Father Day message in one of the small homes, here in Anonos. A drug addict and his father and mother-in-law came to know the Father in a whole new way. They received Jesus as their Savior! Javier, the addict, who is 23 went to rehab the next day and is doing very well. Our hopes are to start a Bible study in this home. This was a great Father's Day gift for us all, especially for our Heavenly Father! Isn’t is amazing to think that we can be a gift to God!

While our son Josh and Jim Gaunder were here with us, we had an opportunity to minister to a 17 year old crack addict. When we entered the little tin house, there was a man who saw us, the three Gringos and a Tico going in. Our friend Luis stayed outside. The man must have asked Luis what we were doing. After we shared the Lord with the 17 year old crack addict, Jim and Luis had an opportunity to lead this other man to the Lord.

There is not a time that when we visit the community of Anonos that there is not an encounter. Whenever we visit Anonos something powerful happens.

We are close to wrapping up a week with our first big team. There are 11- 9 teens and two leaders. Oh, they have been a blessing! These kids are workers, who love the Lord deeply. Their devotional life may put many of us to shame! As of tomorrow, some of them will have spent three full days digging dirt out of the basement of a church here in Anonos. This is such a witness to the community. And they want to finish what they’ve started. The pastor of this particular church plans on making the space into a bathroom and shower for the addicts and the homeless in Anonos. Keep the Columbus Vineyard youth group in your prayers. May God bless them richly for their hearts!

We also know that prayers are being answered. The people of Anonos, at least most that we meet are hungry, thirsty and expectant. I think of Isaiah 55, where the Lord gives an invitation for those who have no money to come and buy. Strange, how He says to come and buy, without money and without cost. It sounds like an oxymoron. What do they use? How do you buy wine and milk without money?

The local government is considering the relocation of many of the homes in Anonos. Many of these homes sit on the steep riverbank and in danger of sliding into the river, if there was a mudslide. Also, there are all bunched together and if there were a fire, they would all burn. It would create great damage and probably injure many. Many of the people here are from Nicaragua and don’t have papers. The one without papers will be the first to go.

The photos that I’ve sent were taken at one of our outreaches in the gymnasium.


Thank you all, once again for your prayers and your financial support. If anyone would like to support us financially, checks may be mailed to:
“Harvest Hands”
c/o Vineyard Christian Fellowship
P.O. Box 55
Mechanic Falls, Maine 04256

Love,
Rodney and Cindy