Robinson Family Heartbeat February 2019
Updates from Bill
Well, last year has been interesting. While seeking God concerning what kind of ministry He would want us to do here in Costa Rica, I (Bill) started spending more time working with my friend Frank Gutierrez. He has an environmental NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) called Oro Verde Foundation that focuses on recycling, composting, re-forestation, and other environmental issues believing that God has called us to be good stewards of His creation. Many of you know that I was in the Information Technology industry for over 20 years so I was quite curious as to why God would lead me into an industry about which I knew almost nothing. But while seeking God about ministry, I found myself spending more and more time with Frank and the environmental programs he was trying to initiate.
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| Puntarenas Beach driftwood debree. |
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| Local workers gathering for devotions before cleaning the beach. |
In June of 2018, we signed a contract with an organization in the city of Puntarenas to remove massive amounts of driftwood and plastics that are deposited on the beach from nearby rivers. Per our contract, we hired local people to help us clean the beach and the municipality contracted unemployed (due to government regulation) fishermen to help.
It is in the communities where our workers live that we have been able to minister. Over the past 6 months, we have developed relationships with the very poor communities of Chacarita, Fray Casiano, and San Luis. We share God’s love and pray with the people we have come to know and love on a regular basis in these areas.
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| Local workers praying before cleaning up the beach. |
It’s kind of funny. Six months ago when I started cleaning the beach with Frank and these workers who speak no English, I often wondered why God pulled me down from the cool mountain air of Los Angeles into the hot, muggy beach climate to do the back breaking labor of picking up other people’s trash and removing the often times heavy driftwood that collects on the unfortunate shores of Puntarenas. (I am not receiving any pay for this work.) It was to pray with Oscar, who has stage 4 cancer. It was to pray for Johania’s family when her father passed away and to be with them and share their grief. It is to talk about God’s love and pray with our workers every day before work.
We are able to go into these neighborhoods with a combined population of almost 20,000 people and share God’s love where the police don’t even like to go.
We are able to go into these neighborhoods with a combined population of almost 20,000 people and share God’s love where the police don’t even like to go.
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| Logos Hope International Missions Ship |
In October of 2018, a friend put us in contact with a Christian ministry ship called Logos Hope. When they arrived, Oro Verde Foundation was able to partner with them to share God’s message of hope to the people of Puntarenas while cleaning the beach, planting mangroves, renovating small homes, and visiting schools and churches.
2019? “Go big or go home” is the saying. We have been asked to expand our vision to include:
1. Continuing our beach cleaning program in Puntarenas
2. Starting marine conservation (cleaning all the trash and driftwood) in the Gulf of Nicoya
3. Initiating beach cleaning programs on several of the islands in the Gulf
4. Developing permanent mangrove repopulation programs
While expanding our environmental conservation programs, we will also be able to contact many more communities, develop even more relationships and share the Gospel with even more people. You can see updates and pictures posted on our Facebook page called Missions Heart Costa Rica – here: www.facebook.com/MissionsHeartCostaRica
Updates from Chris
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| Teaching English at in my home. |
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| Young teenager riding a horse for the first time. |
I have also partnered with a small Equine Therapy center to teach English Equitation classes. I have the opportunity to be trained and certified in Equine Therapy through the school. I will then be able to continue to help young people work through emotional trauma using horses to assist with emotional healing. My goal is to help the young ladies between the ages of 11 and 20 years old who have been rescued from the sex trafficking industry.
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| Teenage Girls getting a training session on horseback. |
We have a facebook page at
www.facebook.com/SerenityRidingClub.
Please message me if the Lord lays it on your heart to sponsor a troubled teen for 6 months of Equine Therapy sessions.
What can you do to make a difference?
We need prayer partners and are praying for financial support to come in each month. This will make it possible for us to make an impact for the Kingdom of God where He has called us.
Will you consider partnering with us by giving a one-time or recurring monthly donation?
You will find us listed on the field workers page of ModernDay.org. You can give safely online through DonorGive at www.modernday.org/field-workers/missionsheart
Or, if you would like to mail a check, please make it payable to Modern Day and mail it to:
Modern Day
P.O. Box 535578
Grand Prairie, TX 75053-5578
Please include a note indicating that the gift is for Bill and Chris Robinson.
If you need any assistance, please call Modern Day at (469) 994-7008. Modern Day is an IRS approved 501(c)3 and their EIN is 26-2978592. They are also an accredited member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability and their profile page can be found by clicking here: http://www.ecfa.org/MemberProfile.aspx?ID=29681.
What can we do to serve you?
We care about you, and would like to pray for you and your family. Please email us with your prayer requests at MissionsHeartCostaRica@gmail.com
Follow our blog about our life in Costa Rica and read our newsletters online at MissionsHeartCostaRica.blogspot.com
Serving the Lord with a heart for missions,
Chris, Bill, and Nathan Robinson
