Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Costa Rica Letter


Dear Friends and Family,
For the last two years I have served as a small group leader in the youth group at my church, Calvary Chapel Surprise.  As much as I enjoy spending time with these teens, it has been my desire to share God alongside them in another country as I was able to do with so many groups while in Peru. Recently I was asked to be one of four adult leaders accompanying a group of teens on a trip to Costa Rica. This was a great answer to my prayer.
We will leave Surprise, Arizona for Heredia, Costa Rica on July 24 and return on August 2. During our time there, we will be ministering in support of the church and missionaries already serving in Heredia. We will be performing dramas, sharing testimonies, and street witnessing. We are also prepared for a number of special projects that we may be asked to do including Vacation Bible School and painting a building for the church.
As a youth leader, I am hoping to play more of a supporting role on this trip, and ask for your prayer as I take on this new role. I hope to be a good example and source of encouragement for these teens, many of whom are traveling out of the United States for the first time. Please pray that God would show me the best way to minister to the young men and ladies of my team.
Over the last few weeks, we have begun to raise the funds needed for the 13 of us to go on this trip. Each of us has a personal goal of $1,300 to be raised, a large chunk of which will go towards our plane tickets. The rest will provide for food, room and board, and ministry supplies. Many of you have supported me in the past as I went to Ethiopia and Peru. I want to thank all of you who have supported me with prayer, encouragement and all forms of support throughout my journey. God has used each of you to reach the people in each of these places.
Today, I am asking that you pray about supporting our team as we travel to Costa Rica. Any amount of money would be a great blessing, and prayer is the biggest blessing of all. In the past, I have learned that God will supply for all my needs, and more. And I have no doubt that He will provide for this trip as well. Please pray about what part you might play in supporting us on this trip.
If you would like to learn more about our team, the trip or upcoming fundraisers, please visit our facebook page (@CCS Costa Rica 2012) or our read our blog (http://ccsurprisecostarica.blogspot.com/). If you have any additional questions, please let me know.
If you would like to support me and the team financially, please make you check payable to Calvary Chapel Surprise with “Costa Rica” in the memo section. Please contact me for my address.
Any funds that I raise beyond my personal goal will go into the group fund in order to assure that every team member is able to go on the trip.
God bless,

Rachael Hicks

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