MSM Costa RIca trip summary
We just completed our first trip to Costa Rica to a town named Punterenas located on the Pacific coast. Before starting the ministry on this trip, Jim spoke at an all night prayer meeting event in Cali, Colombia. There were many people there and the group was praying for God’s outpouring during this time of the presidential elections in Colombia.
After the prayer event in Cali, Jim continued on to Punterenas where he met Leslie for the ministry for Costa Rica. They shared with many church leaders the first night as the Lord began to pour out His Spirit on the people in a strong way. The message was well received as we began to sense a strong hunger for the Holy Spirit presence. The whole trip reflected this hunger for God’s Spirit to move among the people.
On Saturday, MSM sponsored a Pastor’s conference in the hotel where the team stayed. We were told that it was the first time anyone had gathered such a mixed group of pastors together. There were 225 pastors and leaders that came together for a breakfast meeting with worship, preaching of the Word and a hunger for the presence of God. That hunger crossed all denominational and non-denominational boundaries and the presence of the Lord was one of the most powerful MSM has experienced in Central and South America. Many of the pastors reported a change in their thinking after the outpouring of the Lord they experienced. Titles and denominational recognition was not what was important, but they said Jesus outside the four walls of the church was where the focus should be! They began to have hope again for what God would do in their community as they experienced His presence in such a strong way.
We completed the trip with opportunities to speak in some local church meetings and Leslie and Jim spoke in a women’s meeting that encouraged the women to be who the Lord made them to be in the Body of Christ. The women received the words and personal prayer and we believe God’ hand was touching them as stated in
Gal. 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you all are one in Christ Jesus. Our churches would do well to remember that in Christ we are all part of Him and there is no hierarchy or separation based on status, race or gender. God calls us “one” in Christ.
We saw many pray to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and many were prayed for to receive healing for their bodies. There were many testimonies of immediate healings as the Lord moved upon the people in need.
When we left the country, there was a sense of hope for the future for Costa Rica and that God loves the people and will continue the outpouring we saw on this trip.
