April 2026 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

The year is advancing very quickly. Last month was a bit unusual. Michelle and the kids flew out from New York to Jacksonville, packed their bags, and then flew back to Costa Rica. Jeremy completed the remaining weeks of furlough alone. He gave ministry updates or presented our ministry in 11 churches. He drove over 4,300 miles for the remaining meetings across the states of Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. While this furlough was mostly to report back to supporting churches, we now have 2 more supporting churches, and 1 has increased our support. We greatly appreciate that boost in support. We are now at 94.5% of the support needed. There is a possibility that others may be able to help us reach closer to 100%.

As Michelle and the kids returned to Costa Rica, they stayed very busy as well. Apart from getting our home back in order, Michelle has been helping out with the children’s classes again and prepared new lessons for the month of April. They have also been helping out with church activities like weekly evangelism, youth activities, and ladies’ meetings. She decorated the church for Resurrection Sunday and also worked with the kids for their special song.

As you can imagine, it was a very busy month. Jeremy was able to spend a little extra time with his family in Georgia as well as Michelle’s parents in Florida. Michelle focused on “holding down the fort” at our home in Costa Rica. The kids got back to school and have had a great start to the new year. Ellie is now attending the high school near our home. At the end of the month, we were able to meet up with the two other BIMI missionary families in Costa Rica and had a nice meal together. We hope to do so again before too long.

Although our furlough was short and sweet, we enjoyed getting to see everyone again. This month, please pray for the following:

1 – That God will provide the remaining funds needed to help us reach full support.

2 – That God will use us to strengthen the church and reach more souls for Christ.

3 – That God will guide us as we consider options for training up laborers in Costa Rica.

4 – That God will provide the means for the church to have its own building and become self-sufficient financially.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

March 2026 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that you are all doing well. It seems like this last month went by in a blur! We originally had 12 meetings scheduled in the states of SC, NC, VA, WV, MD, KY, OH, PA, and NY. Our meetings in SC were canceled due to Winter Storm Gianna. We finished the month arriving in New York City right after the blizzard from Winter Storm Hernando. I believe we have seen enough snow and ice for the next few years! While most of our travels were to give ministry updates in our supporting churches, we visited one new church in Pennsylvania. Apart from the normal services, we also preached in one Spanish service and taught in a high school chapel, a Men’s prayer breakfast, and a ladies luncheon. Our church in Costa Rica has continued to reach the surrounding area as well as send a group to help with evangelism training to another church that is going through a revitalization effort. I am told that between those that came from our church and those that attended, there were about 45 people present.

One good thing about furlough is that our family spends nearly all of our time together. We also get to do some pretty fun things together. While in Kentucky, we were able to visit the Ark Encounter as well as the Creation Museum. Now that the kids are a little older, I believe they were able to better appreciate it all. Later, in Ohio, we were able to do a little sledding on the snow and even ride a four-wheeler. When in Washington DC, we visited the White House and two of the Smithsonian museums. In Baltimore, Jeremy met up with a friend from Bible college. In most of the churches, we enjoyed getting to spend time with the pastors’ families and others from the churches. Near the end of the month, we visited New York City right after the blizzard and it was a unique experience. We enjoyed some New York Pizza. Who said that being a missionary can’t also be fun? After New York City, Michelle and the kids flew back to Jacksonville to pack their bags and they arrived back in Costa Rica on March 2^nd to get the kids back in school. After that, Jeremy began his journey toward Northern Michigan for the next meetings. The next few weeks will go very quickly and Jeremy will return to Costa Rica near the end of the month.

As we visit our supporting churches, it reminds us how grateful we are for your hospitality, prayers, and support. We hope that we have also been able to be an encouragement and a blessing. This month, please pray:

1 – For Michelle over the next few weeks as she “holds the fort” at the house in Costa Rica.

2 – For Jeremy as he travels to visit the last churches on this furlough.

3 – For the Lord to provide some additional support so we may return fully funded.

4 – That God will provide the means for our church to have its own building in God’s timing.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

February 2026 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

This last month we began our main furlough trip. We began our first meetings in Jacksonville, FL. We then gave ministry reports or presentations in a total of 11 scheduled meetings in the states of FL, SC, NC, TN, and VA. Unfortunately, the service for one other church was canceled due to Winter Storm Fern. We hope to visit them on our next furlough. At the end of the month, we had another cancellation in SC due to Winter Storm Gianna. We then made a plan B to visit a church in TN. That meeting was also canceled due to much heavier snow than expected. We then had a plan C, which didn’t work out. As we traveled up toward Chattanooga, the snow began falling much heavier than expected so we came off the road and sought temporary refuge at a McDonald’s and mall. Thankfully, there was a church in the area that allowed us to stay at their missions house. They received us very kindly with a nice warm place to stay. They also allowed us to present our ministry on Sunday. We are thankful for the kindness and hospitality of God’s people! We were also able to book one more meeting in SC and reschedule the canceled one.

Our church in Costa Rica has remained faithful and is continuing to see new people come to the church. I am impressed by the example of those in their 70s, 80s, and even 90s who are modeling faithfulness for the next generation. There are also some newer young people who are attending faithfully and beginning to serve. A couple of weeks ago, there were 14 who went out sharing the Gospel.

We enjoyed spending some time with our family. It was good to visit some friends from our days in Bible college. We are thankful for the families that have hosted us and been kind to our family. We have made many memories of fun with family and friends. We had hoped to see snow at least once, but for the last few weeks we have seen it nearly every day! We have appreciated the beauty of snow, glistening ice-covered trees, and even had fun making snow angels and snowballs. We had one scary experience with some black ice. By the grace of God, we flagged down a man who was able to help us. He was able to guide Jeremy and help keep the vehicle from sliding down the hill into the ditch. He may not have known it, but we believe he was the answer to the prayers of those who have prayed for us over this last month.

Thank you to all who have prayed for us. There are 2 new churches that will support our ministry and 1 more that will increase our support. This month, please pray…

1 – That God will continue to keep us safe and healthy as we continue to travel in the U.S.

2 – That God will provide the means for the Costa Rican church to have its own building

3 – That God will provide additional support so that we may return to Costa Rica fully funded.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

January 2026 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that you had a great start to the new year. Last month was a time of transition. We began the month by doing all of our normal evangelism and ministry. In addition, our main task was to prepare the church for our furlough. We have faithful members who will lead the ministries in our absence. After our last service, we had our church family Christmas celebration. We had our highest attendance yet with nearly 60 people present. We are now near capacity at our current meeting space. Earlier in the month, we took some time to look for available lots in San Pablo. There are a few available and we are praying that the Lord would guide us and provide so that the church might have its own building. On the 16^th, we flew into Florida and hit the ground running. In the second half of December, we gave a ministry report in 4 supporting churches in the Jacksonville area. We were also able to spend some time at our sending church. Jeremy was able to teach the Sunday School and it was great to see everybody again.

As for our family, it was nice for the kids to have some time off of school. Although the kids had no classes, we stayed very busy preparing for furlough. During our time in the Jacksonville area, we stayed at Michelle’s parents’ house. It’s always good to spend some time together and catch up after being gone for so long. We spent Christmas with them and a few days later we met with Jeremy’s family in Georgia. Unfortunately, many were not able to come because of sickness, but it was good to see everyone that we could. We are now preparing to begin traveling to many other supporting churches, so we are taking advantage of the time we have to spend time with our family.

As we prepare to ramp up our furlough travels, we are so thankful for those who have prayed for us and supported us over the years. Our desire is to be a blessing and to encourage each one. We also understand that as we travel further north, we may see snow and icy roads. This month, please pray for the following:

1. That God will protect us as we travel and keep us healthy.

2. That God will help the church in Costa Rica to remain faithful and continue growing.

3. That God will provide the means for the church to build or purchase its own building.

4. That God will help us to raise some additional support so that we may return to Costa Rica fully funded.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

December 2025 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for your prayers and support in 2025! As we prepare this letter, we can see how God has blessed and answered so many prayers. Last month, we mentioned how God blessed the faith promise commitment of our church in San Pablo. Near the end of the month, the church voted to increase the support of the two missionaries whom we support by over 50%. The missionaries were encouraged to see a missionary church supporting missionaries! Last month, we emphasized serving together in the local church. God has blessed and we have several more who are now serving in different ministries. We continue to prioritize evangelism and every week we have about 6-8 people sharing the Gospel in the San Pablo area. We have seen several new visitors and some are now attending faithfully. Near the end of the month, we had a special Thanksgiving service and were near capacity in our meeting space. On Tuesdays, Jeremy is teaching a series of lessons called “True and False,” in which we examine the truths of God’s Word in response to the counterfeits and lies of the world. We are now making the final preparations in the church before our furlough. Two faithful men will take greater responsibility in preaching and teaching. Jeremy has also arranged external support from other churches. There are a few other preachers who will help with the preaching and teaching. Michelle is preparing the children and women’s ministries.

We are now at the end of the school year. Elijah has now completed 2^nd grade. Ellowyn is graduating from 6^th grade and completing her time in elementary school. Lila is moving on to 8^th grade. This break between grades allows us the perfect opportunity to come back for a brief furlough. We are all very excited to see our family and friends, to celebrate Christmas, and to visit our sending and supporting churches. We are getting ready for cold weather and lots of traveling. We are now doing what we can to prepare our house and vehicles for our trip. We know that we will be in the USA before we know it! In early December, the ladies at the church planned a special birthday party for Michelle and two other ladies. It started out as a small thing, but quickly grew into something like a church activity. It was a blessing and it was good to see the love of Christ on display.

As we return for our first furlough since beginning the church in San Pablo, we know that it will be a trial of sorts. But thankfully, Christ has promised that He will build His church “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18). This month, please pray…

That God will continue to strengthen and guide the church in San Pablo.

That God will open doors and provide so that the church may get its own building.

That God will bless us and protect us as we travel back to the US and to our supporting churches.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

November 2025 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that you are all doing very well. We are staying very busy and did not realize that we had not yet sent out our November prayer letter! Last month, we had our second missions emphasis month. For the first three Sundays we heard missionaries give reports, present their ministries, and preach. On the last Sunday, Jeremy concluded the month on the grace of giving by faith. Faith Promise missions giving has been a great success and our 2025 church commitment represents a 35% increase from last year. Lord willing, the church will likely increase the missionary support and/or support a new missionary in our next business meeting. Throughout the month, we received 4 new members. Generally speaking, we have had better attendance, repeat visitors, and are nearly full for most services. Our teen activity was missions themed, so that was a fun way to celebrate missions month.On the first day of November we had a church-wide evangelism day. Unfortunately, a cold front arrived and brought a constant rain. However, we still had about 28 people participate. Some prepared Gospel tracts in the church building, but the rest shared the Gospel and gave out tracts at the central park, at a nearby traffic light, and in front of the church building. I believe we gave out around 800 tracts and we are well stocked for the future. In November, we are now shifting emphasis to “Serving Together In the Local Church.” We trust that the Lord will work in hearts to raise up laborers.

As a family, we are staying very busy. On the 13^th of October we celebrated Ellowyn’s 12^th birthday. We are so thankful for all that God has done in her life. Probably the biggest thing is that we are doing all that we can to prepare for our furlough in December. We now have our flight tickets purchased and we know that the date of our trip will come very quickly. We were excited to hear the good news that the kids’ school year will begin about 2 weeks later than usual. This means that Michelle and the kids will have more time to visit churches on furlough before returning to Costa Rica. At this point, the kids are mostly done with school and there are a few more activities before the school year concludes in December.

Last month, we requested prayer for Jeremy’s sister who was in a serious car accident. We give thanks to God as she has come a long way in her recovery. This month, please pray:

1. That God will continue to heal Jeremy’s sister Mary and help her in her recovery.

2. That God will lead more of the church people to serve in the ministries of the church.

3. That God will help us to prepare our family and the church for our upcoming furlough.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

October 2025 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

September was another busy month. We continue to teach and preach the Gospel throughout San Pablo. Every Saturday we preach the Gospel in parks and neighborhoods. We see new visitors on a regular basis. On September 7^th, we had an activity after the service to celebrate Children’s Day. We are also working on plans for our second missions emphasis month in October. Last year, our church embraced faith promise missions giving and took on two missionaries for support. The church has not only kept its commitment, but exceeded it! We have also had the opportunity to send a group of about 18 people or so to help one of the missionaries with an evangelistic children’s day activity in the town where he is planting a church. It was great to encourage him and help the church to see how we are sowing the Gospel in other communities. In preparation for missions month, I have contacted several Costa Rican pastors and missionaries to inquire about others who are being sent out to start new churches. If the Lord allows, we hope to do even more this year – not only financially, but also through prayer and sending groups to help with evangelism training and support. Near the end of the month, we also had a teen activity and ladies ministry activity.

At the beginning of the month, Jeremy received news that his sister, Mary, was in a head-on collision. She had severe injuries and her life was at great risk. He then took a short trip to support her and the family. By God’s grace and many surgeries, she has stabilized and has improved in many ways. Her recovery has been nothing short of miraculous, but she still has a long way to go. She lost much of her small intestine, and we are praying that her body will be able to receive nutrition. Please pray for her and her family.

Near the end of August, we celebrated Elijah’s birthday. In September, we celebrated Jeremy and Lila’s birthday. We also had several activities for Costa Rican independence day. Besides that, we have continued to prepare for our next furlough. Jeremy has attempted to contact with all of our supporting churches and has tried to schedule as many visits as possible. We now have 32 out of 39 possible services scheduled. We have a few available services that we hope to schedule soon. It has been good to speak with many pastors and we look forward to seeing our family, friends, and supporting churches again.

As we prepare for October, please pray:

1. For my sister Mary and that the Lord will heal her in a miraculous way.

2. That the Lord will bless our missions month and allow our church to do more this year.

3. That the Lord will provide land and a building for our church in His timing.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz