Institute Update

Hey, this is crazy. I just haven't posted enough to make this a good communication tool. But I'm back, and there's always stuff going on, stuff I know many of you are waiting to hear about. If I haven't said so on this blog, the project that we're involved in here in Costa Rica is a regional training institute that we're calling the International Evangelism Institute. That describes what it's for, "preparing young leaders for the urban church." We're calling this edition of it "El Legado," or "the legacy". Here's how it works. (Picture at right is a student before the Institute)

We've recruited between 10 and 20 young leaders from the Christian Churches in Central America and the Caribbean to come and live in Costa Rica for 14 months. We hope to have around 15 or 16 when they begin in January 2007.

These young people have to have finished high school, be single, and already be leaders in their congregations. While living here in San Jose, they will receive Bible, practical ministry, and life skill classes in the mornings. In the afternoons, they'll be sent out in teams to study the Bible with interested persons in the community we've chosen in which to plant a new congregation.

So these kids will be practicing in the aftenoon what they learn in the morning.

So these kids will be our all-star giant church-planting team for more than a year.

So it's going to get pretty crazy around here, but that's because there's going to be a lot of cool stuff happening.

So we're really excited, as you can probably tell.

So what are the honorable missionaries going to be doing as far as this grand plan is concerned?

Speaking for myself, I will teach some classes, translate for professors and pastors that come to teach, and help with giving spiritual care to the people who decide to follow Christ and become a part of the new congregation. I'm also a contact with the USA, which means I handle communication, legal issues, and fund-raising for the project. We'll also host a good number of groups which will come to visit and/or help with the Institute and/or church plant. That's all.

(Picture at left is same student after the Institute. Impressive, isn't it?)

Right now, if you'd like to be a part of this fiasco, (You think I'm going to ask you for money, right? No way, I need you to read this blog and tell all your friends. Sometimes it's funny.) As I was saying, if you'd like to be a part, do read this blog, and if you pray to God ever, you can mention to Him some of what's happening and ask Him to help us and the people here. He won't mind you mentioning it, since I'm not sure He reads blogs, even this one. How could He choose to read just certain blogs, without offending some people whose blog He didn't read?

Anywhooo, we need to get a couple of things squared away pronto. One is a house to rent for the students and the classes. It would probably also serve as office space for us, and we've found a few really good houses. But they were either too expensive (we're getting over that, now that we've seen the market) or the owners didn't want to rent to 15 students for a year (you can't really get over that). Our last option seems to be a closed door now, as all was cool until they said they would only rent for a 3-year contract. Everyone here signs a 3-year contract, and you can always get out of it if you need to, and people understand that. But since they specifically mentioned it, and know we only need it for about a year and a half, it would be dishonest to rent it and act like we were going to stay for 3 years. Don't you think?

NOTE: Why wouldn't we need it for 3 years, for maybe another Institute? Good question. The Institute idea isn't like a Bible College, with a new class each year. Rather it's a tool that's used when there are young leaders in the region ready for that level of training, and when a new congregation is ready to be planted. It's also intense, and we don't think it would be cool to do them back to back, not very cool for our families. We'll need a break by then.

The second thing we need to take care of before too long is a small bus to cart around students and groups. It's secondary to living quarters, but still necessary, and December will see lots of them for sale, since school is out for the Costa Rican summer. All bussing of students here is private and by contract, rather than provided by the schools, and so lots of busses will be for sale, having finished their contracts.

Well, that's enough writing for now, so I'll bet that's enough reading as well. I'll try to write again soon.