"Two can accomplish more than twice as much as one, for the results can be much better. If one falls, the other pulls him/her up; but if a person falls when alone, he/she is in trouble. Also, on a cold night, two under the same blanket gain warmth from each other, but how can one be warm alone? And one standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer; three is even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Living Bible Paraphrase

This Sunday we had the chance to stand alongside a congregation that lives out these verses in their community. Meeting for worship in a sanctuary the size of most Sunday school classrooms in the States, the people of God living in Leon XIII, are sowing seeds of Good News in their community. Famous for the amount of drug trafficking, prostitution, and domestic violence present, the community of Leon XIII is not your typical tourist spot in Costa Rica, and you wouldn't want to walk its streets alone. In the midst of the darkness, the pastor Sonia and the Christians at the Baptist Church of the Door of the Holy Spirit provide a light that beckons children and adults to come and experience a different form of living in relationship with Jesus Christ. Many of the more than 100 children who fill the sanctuary each Sunday come on their own to church and pray that their parents too might come to know Jesus and the love that they have experienced there. Leon XIII is a tough place to live, but these children are finding the strength that comes from being together in Christ's name. The church is in the process of building three small classrooms so that the children can have a place of their own to study the Bible and learn more. In a church made up of many children from desperately poor homes, this task is huge, but not impossible. By working together and joining the little that each has, God is causing it to grow. Our kids, Jamie and Micah with the help of another missionary kid, David Wiegner, have created Bracelets of Hope to help churches like this one in Costa Rica. Having been inspired by our colleague Ingrid Roldan, serving in Panama, these three children have been making woven friendship bracelets and selling them to raise money to give to the churches here who are helping children. It is one way that they as children can help other children. Thus far, they have been able to give over $300 to different ministries here. Not much in adult terms, but quite a bit for kids, and it goes a long way here. Together they have found that they could accomplish a lot by putting into practice these verses from Ecclesiastes. Maybe there are children in your churches who want to join forces to make a difference. They can create their own type of project to raise funds for missions and experience for themselves the strength that comes from working together. The American Baptist Churches were founded on this concept of being able to accomplish more together in missions than alone. We have experienced this to be true. Thanks for your partnership in the Gospel and in helping to brighten the Light of Christ in places like Leon XIII through your prayers and support of the World Mission Offering and others like it.

Blessings,

Mylinda