Stop 37 - Costa Rica (Tico Tierra)

Coffee in a juicebox is a invention of world resounding magnitude. The picture above shows me slurping down a cappuccino in a child-like juice box. Overall the coffee in Costa Rica has set a new standard in caffeinated excellence.

Besides enjoying local cuisine, my YWAM (Youth With a Mission) team of 17 people has worked for two full weeks to serve the people of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our work has included building roads, assissting low-income childcare, giving food to the homeless, and having our women befriend (and pray for) local prostitutes. Although our work apears to be a small pebble falling into a giant lake of needs, I believe the resulting effect can travel like waves around the world.

Although our team has only 17 young people, God can take our small acts of love and permenantly divert someone for death to life.

Next we plan to travel to the mountians outside the captital to help rebuild areas devestated in a recent earthquake.

What can you do to serve devestated people right outside your front door?

Stop 36 - Oklahoma City

While finishing a whirlwind tour of the Midwest, I stopped for a time of reflection at the Oklahoma City Memorial (see picture). Despite the tragedy of many people (including children) being murdered in a car bomb, thoughts of redemption floated to the surface of my mind. Two beautiful memorials in the area glimmered with hope on the once blood stained ground. Upon leaving the hollowed grounds, my soul remembered a God who understands and redeems the toughest of times.

Stop 35 - Wichita, Kansas

Blizzards for beginners. While on my outreach with a nonprofit called YWAM, we were temporarily immobilized by a snowstorm. With two roommates from Texas and one from Burma, my friends had were enthralled by their first heavy snowfall. The result was childlike antics and merriment. Despite our snowman being closer in appearance to a pyramid, we had many laughs in the winter wonderland of Kansas.

After the snow turned to a slushy grey, we continued our work with local churches and a homeless shelter in Kansas. In contrast to the icey outdoors, our goal is to offer the spring of new hope to people's hearts.

How can you encourage someone with new hope today?