November 2024 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that this letter finds each of you doing well. Last month was our first “missions emphasis month.” Jeremy preached on “Our Great Commission” and “How To Become Fishers of Men.” On the last two Sundays, we had two young men present their ministries and preach for us. It was a blessing for us to host other missionaries and teach the church how to love and support missionaries. On our weekly evangelism, we have anywhere from 5-12 people out knocking on doors or sharing the Gospel in public spaces. Jeremy was able to lead 3 people to Christ. We have seen a lot of visitors and some new people continue to attend. Michelle continues faithfully directing and teaching in the Children’s ministry. We had special activities for the ladies and youth group. The ladies also held a baby shower for a young lady from Columbia who has been attending for a few months. A faithful man named Alvaro will now be leading our evangelism and outreach. Another faithful man named Eddy is also coordinating a special Christmas outreach in a nearby community and we are working to get all of the church involved. He has even designed some special shirts that we can wear during our evangelism and outreach activities. Later this month, we will have a special Thanksgiving service. Our church has really enjoyed the annual celebration of Thanksgiving, although we celebrate on a Sunday.

Apart from a few health challenges, we have been doing well. In case you have not noticed, we have a newly redesigned letterhead. The old one was quite old. Lord willing, we hope to update it on a more regular basis! Ellowyn and Elijah are nearing the end of the Costa Rican school year. We are looking forward to a brief winter break. Last month, we mentioned the approval of our permanent residency here in Costa Rica. Today, we received notification that our new ID’s were ready for 4 out of 5 of the members of our family. We hope to figure out why the last one is not yet ready. A few months ago, we mentioned that Jeremy would likely need an upcoming surgery. He will have to do one more exam, and the doctor may wish to schedule the surgery at that time. Please pray for that!

We would like to close out this letter by expressing our sincere gratitude for all who continue to pray for us and support us faithfully over the years. Thank you! We pray that the Lord bless you and supply your every need according to His riches in glory by Jesus Christ. This month, please pray:

1. That the Lord keep us healthy and for any upcoming exams or surgery.

2. That the Lord continue to work in the hearts of those who have professed faith in Christ.

3. That the Lord guide us in our future steps and ministry.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

October 2024 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from rainy Costa Rica! We are now in the rainiest and most humid time of the year! Last month, we asked you to pray for the “Day of the Bible” outreach. We had about 15 people come out, and we gave out around 700 tracts. We have also continued our regular evangelism every Saturday with about 4-10 people. We have seen a couple of new families visit the church. One Saturday, we had a group from the church go to visit a sick lady to pray for her and encourage her in the Lord. Jeremy has continued his sermon series on church membership with a variety of messages. In the beginning of October, we started our first missions emphasis month. Jeremy will be teaching and preaching on missions. We are also speaking with other Costa Rican church planters about possibly coming to present their ministry to the church. We are also planning to teach the church about the blessings of giving towards missions. Michelle has stayed busy teaching and coordinating the children’s ministry. She is also planning a misisons-themed ladies activity. We will have a youth activity that same day. Apart from all of the church ministry, Jeremy also preached the chapel at the language school in early October and is also teaching a 5-session Bible class at the high school. It has been very busy, but God is doing a great work and we are thankful to have a part in it!

Last month, we celebrated Lila’s 13^th birthday. Within a few days, we will celebrate Ellie’s 11^th birthday! Both of our girls have done so well adapting to the challenges of life on the mission field. We are so proud of them! Last month, we wrote how the principal of Lila’s old school expressed how much of a positive influence she was. Well, the Lord worked it out that Lila would be able to continue attending the school. God is good! We also mentioned how we received notification that Elijah was approved for permanent residency. Since then, we have received approval for the rest of the family. We have completed the last step, and we are now awaiting our new permanent resident ID cards within the next few weeks. This is the end of a long process and significant cost, but it is a major accomplishment for us that will help us to have a long-term impact through our ministry in Costa Rica.

As we look forward to the rest of the month, please pray for the following requests:

1. That God will protect and care for all who are affected by the recent hurricanes.

2. That God will continue to guide us and use us for His glory here in Costa Rica

3. That God will save more souls and add them to the church.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

September 2024 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that this letter finds you doing well. Last month went by very quickly. We resumed our regular evangelistic efforts. On visitation, one man named Randall professed faith in Christ and called upon Christ as Savior. We had three people join the church. We also have a baptismal candidate whom we intend to baptize in the near future. Jeremy is preaching a Sunday series on “Membership in the Local Church” as well as teaching doctrines in our Tuesday night service. It has been very effective in grounding the church in sound doctrine, protecting against some of the false doctrines that are commonly spread. In the second half of the month, we had a special breakfast for Costa Rican mother’s day before the service. Unfortunately, near the end of the month, the water was disconnected from the building we rent for the church. Then, when it was reconnected, one of the sinks was left running, which resulted in a sort of “flood.” By God’s grace, the damage was minimal and Jeremy was able to get things cleaned up. We are now planning for some special events in September and October. In September, we will have a special outreach in the central park of our city for the Spanish “Day Of The Bible” celebrating its significance and impact. We are also planning for our first “missions month” in October.

September is probably one of the busiest times of the year. Last month, we celebrated Elijah’s 7^th birthday, and this month, we will celebrate Lila’s 13^th! It is hard to believe that she was born when we were on deputation. Then next month, we will celebrate Ellowyn’s 11^th birthday. In September, we also have the “Day of the Bible,” children’s day, as well as Costa Rican independence day. The kids are now back in school. Elijah and Ellie are making friendships at the new school. Lila has adjusted to her homeschool routine. She is also taking one day a week at her old school. The principal expressed that she wished Lila could be there full time due to the positive influence she has had, but the distance is just too far for us. However, we are very proud of how she has been a positive influence on those around her. Just a few days ago, we also heard from our residency lawyer that Elijah has been approved for permanent residency. This means we should receive notifications for the rest of us in the near future.

God has also been answering prayer. Just a few days ago, the mechanic informed us that the AC compressor had arrived, and it was installed the next day. Apart from the comfort of cooler air, it is essential to drive safely through the heavy rains. Also, the other problem with the person causing strife seems to have been resolved for the time being. God is good. This month, please pray:

1. That God will bless the “Day of the Bible” outreach and allow us to reach many souls for Christ.

2. That Christ will continue to build His church here in San Pablo, Costa Rica.

3. That the Lord will guide us each step of the way as we serve Him here in Costa Rica.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

August 2024 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that you are doing well! July came and went very quickly! After our US trip, we took a little time to get caught up. Jeremy resumed his Tuesday night series on “Biblical Counsel for Spiritual Growth.” He also resumed his Sunday series on 1 Corinthians. We resumed our normal evangelism efforts and held a couple of activities for the youth group and ladies ministry. We saw a few new visitors including one lady we met on visitation who has been attending faithfully. Unfortunately, it seems that the devil also desires to cause problems. Last month, we mentioned a “church problem.” There is a person who has been stirring strife and attacking the ministry, among other things. Of course, the situation is a bit more complicated than that, and we have had to be very wise in how we proceed. Dealing with the situation has consumed a lot of time, but Lord willing, we hope it will all be resolved soon. We would appreciate your prayers. In early August, we were invited to attend the 9^th anniversary of the church that we planted with pastor Berner in San Marcos, Carazo, Nicaragua. It was our first time driving through the border into Nicaragua and back. Thankfully, the process went smoothly and we did not have any problems. For the anniversary Sunday, Jeremy preached the morning and afternoon services. It was good to see how the church has persevered over the years. Pastor Berner informed me that apart from the other churches they have planted, they are also supporting 14-15 missionaries! It was encouraging to see how our Costa Rican church has been able to continue in both evangelism and services in our absence. We are excited to see how God is growing His church!

In many ways, August was a transition month for our family. Lila graduated from 6^th grade and has now begun her 7^th grade homeschool classes. Ellowyn and Elijah are now attending a new school that is within walking distance of our house. The new school is almost entirely in Spanish, providing a good opportunity to get a stronger Spanish education. Michelle is also guiding them through some supplemental homeschool subjects in English. Even with all of that, it has been a nice change of pace, allowing us to have a better balance. Although Jeremy had visited Nicaragua a couple of times since we served there, this was the first time for Michelle and the kids since 2017. We were able to show the kids the places where we used to live and serve. It was also a great opportunity to see some old friends. Some things have changed, while others have remained the same.

This month, we will celebrate Elijah’s 7^th birthday. It is hard to believe how quickly time passes! We are also planning to guide the church a few steps forward. This month, please pray…

1. That the Lord will give us wisdom and grace to deal with the attacks on the ministry.

2. That the Lord will continue to save souls and add them unto the church!

3. That the Lord will strengthen and mature the churches in San Pablo, Costa Rica and San Marcos, Nicaragua.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

July 2024 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that all of you are doing well! God is good, and we continue pushing onward here in Costa Rica. We have continued with all of our normal services and outreach. In the second half of the month, we were visited by a group from the BIMI connect trip. They helped us share the Gospel in the park and also provided us with some helpful curriculum materials to use. We are also pleased to report that our application for permanent residency has been accepted and should hopefully be approved in the coming months. At the end of the month, we began a short trip to the US to attend a memorial service for Michelle’s grandparents. Jeremy was also invited to preach the Sunday night service at our sending church, which is always a blessing. Our Costa Rican church members have really come together to “hold the fort” and continue the ministry in our absence. We are proud of how God is using them. There was a difficult church problem that came up before our trip, but we are thankful that the Lord has guided us through it. If any future issues are to arise, the church is prepared to respond appropriately. Lastly, our trip to celebrate our Nicaraguan church’s 9^th anniversary was postponed by a couple of weeks. We will look forward to seeing them in August.

Last month was a good transition for our family. The kids finished their school year. Lila will be following a homeschool curriculum to satisfy the requirements for both Costa Rica and the state of Florida. Ellowyn and Elijah will be attending a school that is much closer to our home. This should help bring some balance to our busy lifestyle. During our trip to the US, we were able to visit our family in Florida, Tennessee, and Georgia. We were also able to participate in a low-key 4^th of July celebration in South Georgia. It was a lot of fun! As we finish up our short trip to the US, we are taking advantage of buying several things that are either not available in Costa Rica or are much cheaper to buy in the US. Near the end of our trip, we were able to see a few friends and get packed up to head back to Costa Rica.

As we wrap up our short trip and head back to Costa Rica, we would like to thank all of our family and friends for how they have blessed us and stood with us through the years. And, of course, thank all of the churches that pray for us and support us financially. We truly are blessed! This month, please pray for the following:

1. For the church in San Marcos, Nicaragua to continue to plant other churches.

2. For the church in San Pablo, Costa Rica to continue to grow and develop.

3. For the Lord to provide land or a church building for the church in San Pablo in His timing.

4. For the Lord to continue to save souls and add them unto the church.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

June 2024 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

Greetings from Costa Rica, the 6^th rainiest country in the world! The rainy season is now here in full swing! We’ve had a few leaky roof issues, but that is part of life here. Last month was a pretty good month. Jeremy is now preaching through 1 Corinthians on Sundays and on Tuesdays is doing a series on “Biblical Principles for Spiritual Growth.” We’ve continued our weekly evangelism efforts and have continued to see new visitors. One Sunday after church, we were able to lead a lady to the Lord. We’ve also been doing some counseling here and there. We are now preparing for a special Father’s Day service and will have a meal together with the church family afterward. We are also preparing for a short trip to the US to be able to attend Michelle’s grandparents’ burial. They were always a blessing and encouragement to us, and we spent a lot of time with them during deputation and our furlough in 2018. The trip will be about two and a half weeks and I believe it will be the first time that we have been away from the church for that long. We also now have a couple of men who are sound in doctrine who will be able to preach and teach in my absence. Michelle also has a rotation of Sunday school teachers who will be able teach in our absence. We are encouraged to see how the church has grown and matured over the years. We will also have a group from the BIMI Connect Trip come to visit us, so we are looking forward to that!

As of June 7^th, the kids have now finished the school year. Lila has a 6^th grade graduation and has finished with the highest cumulative grade average from 4th-6th grade and was invited to speak at her graduation. Ellowyn and Elijah have also done very well. For the next school year, Lila will be transitioning to home school and also studying her Spanish subjects in class one day a week. Ellowyn and Elijah will be transitioning to a local school that is within walking distance from our house. This will make things a lot easier as we will not have to drive across San José and back five times a week. Because we have now had temporary residency in Costa Rica for three years, we now qualify to apply for permanent residency without restriction. That means that we will no longer need to be sponsored by another established organization.

Before sharing our prayer requests, here is an update on Jeremy. After choosing the private hospital, the surgeon there advised Jeremy to wait 6 months and see how he progresses. So, we will take it one step at a time. This month, please pray:

1. That God will strengthen the church and care for it during our trip to the US.

2. That God will keep us safe through travels in Costa Rica and to the US.

3. That the Lord will continue to save souls and add them to the church.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

May 2024 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that each of your are doing well. April was another month that went by in a blur! We have continued strengthening the church in San Pablo. Michelle has been teaching and coordinating the children’s ministry. We now have a solid rotation of teachers for the children’s class and also on Tuesday nights. On Sunday mornings, Jeremy has been preaching through Genesis. On Tuesday nights, he’s been teaching doctrines. We have also continued our weekly evangelism. This last month was a difficult month for several church people. We have helped some with food and others we have met with to provide counseling and a path going forward. We have also established a group within the church to help create good financial processes and accountability. Thankfully, we have seen slow and steady growth and are now getting close to being full on Sunday mornings. God is good!

April was a very busy month with a little extra pressure on the family. April was the last month of dry season and we are now transitioning into rainy season. While there is something nice about the transition to rainy season, the heavy rains can be dangerous to drive in. Unfortunately, the AC compressor on the car went out last month and it is now longer able to remove the excess condensation from the windows. There is also a 2 week delay on receiving a new one, but Lord willing, we’ll have that replaced soon. Lila has been busy studying for the standardized tests necessary to graduate from 6^th grade. Thankfully, Ellowyn and Elijah don’t have to take those tests this year. Apart from all of that, we’ve had several appointments with doctors for various things. Jeremy will likely need a surgery. While that may slow us down a little bit, he is expected to have a full recovery within a month or so.

Before closing with a few prayer requests, we would like to take a moment to thank all who give and pray so that we may serve here in Costa Rica. We know that it is a sacrifice, but we are thankful for God’s provision so that we may lay a strong foundation for the Gospel here in Costa Rica. We pray that God will continue to bless and provide your needs as well! This month, please pray:

1. That God will continue to save souls and strengthen the church here in Costa Rica.

2. That God will give us greater wisdom, faith, and endurance to keep pushing forward.

3. For Jeremy – That the Lord will bless the surgery and help him to recover.

4. That God will give us safety driving through the rains until we can get the AC fixed.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz