Happy New Year friends and partners! The Lord is always up to new challenges and surprises for His children. He takes pleasure in demonstrating His greatness, goodness, and faithfulness in our lives.
We have begun the process of recruiting new mothers into the program. A number of mothers have turned in their applications and supporting documents. Our team has begun studying each case. There are still interviews and evaluations pending in order to narrow down our prospects. Please pray that the Lord would give us wisdom in choosing the next candidates for this new season.
In November of last year, we experienced some big changes in the program. We had been seeking the Lord about direction and how He wanted us to move forward in the new year. It was as though a sifting began to happen among the program participants and our personnel. Things were definitely uncomfortable as the Lord began doing a new thing. Our social worker, who was on maternity leave, notified us of her resignation and her decision not to return in January. We chose not to renew the psychologist’s contract in 2022 due to fundamental differences in program philosophy. We want Christ centered counsel based on the inerrant Word of God. We plan to look for a Biblical counselor to work with the women in the future.
At the beginning of the year, we had interviews with several perspective social workers. We hired Dayanna, a graduate of the University of Costa Rica, and active member of her local church. She mentioned that she could not separate her social work from her relationship with Christ. This was key for us. We are looking for staff members who are sold out to the Lord, and whose relationship with Jesus permeates everything they do. We trust the Lord is leading this ministry and that we can hear him say, “This is the way; walk in it” (Isaiah 30:21).
New Things in 2022!
Isaiah, God’s mouthpiece, boldly exclaimed, Isaiah 43:19, “Behold, I will do a new thing… I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Just as the Lord kept His promise to the children of Israel, He does the same for us. Sometimes, we feel like our back is against the wall, and we don’t know which way to turn. When we submit our ways to Him, the Lord shows up on the scene in a mighty way. Only He has the power to deliver, restore, and bring life to any situation. He is the architect of “new things.” When He prunes, it can feel unpleasant. But, we can rest assured that it is always for our good!