June 2022 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that you are doing well! Last month went by very quickly. We’ve continued working on many different things as we continue to settle into the new church location. It seems that the heat has really picked up. We purchased some fans to help keep things cool during the service. We’ve also had a contractor come and make plans for some minor modifications to the building. We are looking at changing one bathroom to an office and the old office space to a small kitchen. He has also drew up plans for a new pulpit. We are also working on getting new signs and materials as we prepare for a new phase in the new location. Jeremy has been preaching a series on the Will of God and teaching a Tuesday night series on “Spiritual Stability.” Thankfully, we have seen an improvement in attendance. Jeremy has continued visitation evangelism and continues to meet new people and encourage them in the Lord. Of the Christians that we meet, there are so many who stopped attending church during the pandemic and have not yet returned. Many have said that their churches have been closed. We know that the Lord has a plan for us as we press forward preaching the gospel. We are currently making plans to do a Vacation Bible School in July, so please pray for that!

As for our family, we stay very busy. The kids are doing great in school and have made a lot of friends. Michelle stays very busy teaching the Bible, preparing for Sunday school, and planning ladies meetings… not to mention taking care of the family. Unfortunately, the last “fix” for the washing machine did not really fix it as we had hoped. We eventually had to get a new washer, but thankfully it is running smoothly and we will not lose any more time trying to fix it! We are all looking forward to the end of the school year at the end of June. We hope to be able to get a little rest, but also be freed up to do more outreach at the church plant.

We are so thankful for those who pray for us and support our ministry. We would not be able to do what we do were it not for those who give sacrificially and hold us up in prayer. This month, please pray for the following:

1. That God will help us to see more souls saved and more follow the Lord in faithful obedience.

2. That God will raise up laborers in the church to help us grow in our ministry capacity.

3. That God will lead us and guide us as we move forward to the next phase in the church plant.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

May 2022 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that you had a wonderful time celebrating Resurrection Sunday last month! We had a special early morning service and several people brought in food to have a special breakfast together. As we have been settling into the new church location, we have purchased some new chairs and a couple of new tables. In order to better utilize the space, we also purchased a screen which we are now using instead of the projector. We have also moved our Tuesday night Bible studies out of our house and into the new building as well. Unfortunately, we have seen a small drop in attendance, but we hope to bounce back very soon. Last Sunday, we had a shorter service and held a planning meeting afterwards. Not that we have cleared out many of the obstacles, we are now moving the church plant into the next phase. We will be deciding upon a formal name for the church and will be producing new signs and materials for the new address. We are also hoping to get more people involved in serving and be able to have a greater outreach in the San Pablo area.

Not only have we recently changed meeting locations for the church, but we also moved to a “new” house. We are about the same distance to the church, but from the other direction. We hope that the Lord will open many doors and opportunities to share the Gospel in the new neighborhood. Since arriving, we have had a lot of setbacks… roof problems, electrical problems, washing machine problems, computer problems… Thankfully, we have gotten most of those resolved. As for our family, the kids have loved adjusting to their new rooms. The kids are doing well in school and Elijah has made significant progress in his Spanish. The other day, while playing at the park with his friends, he was using new words and even conjugating them correctly! Near the end of the month, we were able to take a short trip to do some hiking and enjoy the natural scenery here in Costa Rica. It was nice to refresh and get ready to push forward again in the ministry.

We have faced a lot of ups, downs, trials, and difficulties… but God has been faithful! We are thankful to be able to serve the Lord here in Costa Rica. We are thankful for all of your prayers and financial support. This month, please pray...

1. That God will use us to lead many people to Christ.

2. That God will build up His church and send forth laborers into the harvest!

3. That God will guide us and lead us as we move forward with the next phase of the church plant.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

April 2022 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family,

We hope that this letter finds each of you doing well. Last month was an exciting month for us. We asked you to pray about the permits needed to hold services in a building we wanted to rent. Shortly after sending that letter, we received news that the first permit was approved. We then begun the work to obtain the second one. About a week and a half later, we obtained the second permit… but there was a problem – It had the wrong address! We then resubmitted it with the note explaining the change that was needed and were able to receive it again a week later. Thankfully, we were able to proceed with beginning a contract and getting the church building ready for our first meeting. On Sunday, March 27^th, we held our first service in the new building! We have continued to run the van to pick up families for church. On one Sunday, we saw 5 first time visitors! We have also seen some new regular attenders. We still have a lot to do to adjust to the new location such as building modifications, changing the address on the gospel tracts, and other things. This month, we are planning to do a family activity as well as a special early morning service for Resurrection Sunday.

Our family has stayed very busy throughout the month of March. Michelle and I (Jeremy) celebrated our 13 year anniversary! I am so thankful that the Lord has given me a godly wife. Proverbs 18:22 says, “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” God sure has been good to me! As for our children, they have been keeping busy with school. We also had a church “clean up” day in which we all worked together to get things ready for our first service in the new building. Not only have we recently changed buildings, but we are also preparing to change houses! This month, if the Lord wills, we will be moving to a new house. We hope that it will give us new opportunities to be a witness to the people around us in the new location.

As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, we are thankful that God loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son. We are thankful that the Lord has allowed us to serve Him and we are thankful for all who support us and pray for our ministry. This month, please pray:

1. That God will raise up laborers in the church to expand our ministry potential.

2. That God will allow us to see more souls saved, more baptisms, and more members added to His church.

3. That God will lead us and guide us as we take the next few steps in the church plant.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

March 2022 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends and Family, March 2022

Last month was an exciting month. It has been a little unusual as we are still waiting to hear back on the permits for the new building that where we would like to hold services. In the middle of the month, our pastor, Rodney Kelley, came to visit us. It was a blessing to spend some time together and for him to see firsthand the blessings and challenges of ministry here. It has been nearly three years since Jeremy has been to Nicaragua, so it was a good opportunity for him to see the churches and spend a little time with the pastors. The trip started well until they were held up at the border. Their covid tests were not accepted, so we had to get new ones. After getting through, Jeremy then had some stomach issues. Thankfully, he recovered quickly after. He was able to teach a boys class at a church that was planted a few years ago. He was also able to preach at the church that we started in San Marcos. It was good for him to see pastor Berner and the church members. There are now 11 students preparing for the ministry at the Bible Institute. Praise God! It was a good reminder that a fruitful harvest in ministry usually only comes after many years of laying a strong foundation. We must sow the Word, but God gives the increase in His time!

Before our trip, Elijah walked into a moving swing and cut his head. We had to take him to the E.R. Thankfully, he only needed one stitch. He is now better. During the Nicaragua trip, Michelle stayed home and took care of the kids. She stays very busy caring for the kids and serving in many ways. In Jeremy's absence, it was good to see several people get more engaged. Several came early to help set up and others helped in other capacities. As mentioned last month, we were able to purchase a used 12 seat van/microbus. We did not know this, but one family that attends with us used to run a bus route in another church. They were very excited. The wife helped to coordinate with families, and the husband helped to drive. We did not expect to have to run two trips on our first Sunday! Even though several were absent, we had about 28 in attendance. It is encouraging to see how Jesus builds his church! The girls have continued studying very hard. Ellowyn has had to study extra hard as she is currently one grade ahead of where she would be in the United States. All of the children continue to make progress in their Spanish.

Last month, the Lord also provided by way of another church taking us on for support and also committing to send the first month's rent payment for the new building! What a blessing! This month, please pray:

1. That God will clear any obstacles to the approval of the permits for our new meeting location.

2. That God will continue to raise up more laborers to help us with the work of the ministry.

3. That God will lead as we push forward to see more souls saved and more spiritual growth in the church.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

February 2022

 Dear Friends and Family,

We trust that this letter finds each of you doing well. Last month, we continued to push forward. Throughout January, Jeremy preached a series on Biblical Priorities. This applies to us both on an individual level and also on a church level. One woman came on a Sunday morning and prayed to receive Christ after the service. As church planting missionaries, we have continued to prioritize evangelism and discipleship. We have continued meeting with the families that attend with us for counseling and discipleship as well as host weekly in-home meetings. Unfortunately, our attendance has been a little lower after the loss of a very faithful family that moved away. However, one couple who has not attended in a while has begun to attend again! Praise God! Another praise is that we have found a great location for our church plant. Not only that, but the owner is a Christian and also desires to help us any way that he can. We are currently applying for permits. If everything goes according to plan, we should have our own location soon! We are also moving forward with the religious association that we have established and now have an accountant who is helping us with the legal/financial side.

As for our family, we have stayed incredibly busy between school and ministry. Our girls have been studying very hard to master their spelling words. Elijah has been making progress in learning Spanish. We will be speaking more Spanish at home to help him to understand it better. Costa Rica is a challenging country for missionaries for many reasons. Unfortunately, we have heard of other missionaries that have recently left or are leaving the country, including 2 families that are friends of ours. It has been sad to see them go, but we trust that the Lord will guide them as they move into the next steps of their ministry. One of them will be selling us a used 12-seater van/microbus that we will be able to use in our ministry. This will be a blessing to our ministry as we will be able to help bring people to and from church. It will also be a blessing for church trips.

Before concluding with prayer requests, we want to thank those who have sent special Christmas offerings. What a blessing! May the Lord bless you above and beyond. This month, there is much to pray for. Please pray:

1. That God will allow for us to obtain the proper permits for the building we seek to rent.

2. That God will bring forth the increase as we continue to sow God's word in the community.

3. That God will strengthen each missionary family and clear any obstacles to ministry here in Costa Rica.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

January 2022 Prayer Letter

 Dear Friends and Family

We hope that each of you had a wonderful Christmas and a great start to the new year! We celebrated Christmas throughout the month of December. Jeremy preached several Christmas themed messages from Matthew 1 and Luke 1-2. We also enjoyed singing our favorite Christmas hymns and even introducing some new ones to the church here in Costa Rica. As we knocked on doors sharing the Gospel throughout the community, it became apparent that there was a special love for the holiday of Christmas... but sadly, most do not trust in Christ alone for salvation by grace through faith. Our in home meetings have been going well with a good core group. One night, we had a special Christmas dinner for the church family with ham and all of the classic sides. I believe this was our first year on the mission field when we had a "real" ham! We also had a special Christmas activity for the kids at an artificial ice-skating rink. The idea was great... but the artificial ice was not so great. We were sliding around everywhere... but it was a good time with many laughs. We have also continued to make progress with our religious association. Many do not know this, but Costa Rica does not allow missionaries to legally come here without being sponsored by an existing ministry with a high level of credentials. Although these processes are very slow and time consuming, we are laying the groundwork not only for our own ministry, but also for other missionaries who seek to serve in Costa Rica.

As for our family, we had a special time this Christmas. Between school, church, and family activities, we stayed very busy! The kids had a nice break from school for a few weeks. We all had more than our share of hot chocolate and Christmas goodies! Although we love the Christmas season, we always remember the true meaning of Christmas and why Christ came to live among us and save us from our sins. As we start the new year, we are seeking the Lord for His direction and guidance as for 2022.

Last month, we requested prayer for the permits we were seeking for a building we were seeking to rent for our church. Unfortunately, the permits were declined. Here in Costa Rica, it is much harder for churches to obtain permits than it is for businesses, making it very difficult for new churches. However, we know that the Lord is in control. We will keep seeking a way to move forward. Also, we send special thanks to those who sent special Christmas offerings. This month, please pray...

1. That God will continue to use us to witness to the lost and see more souls saved.

2. That Christ will continue to build His Church in San Pablo.

3. That God will lead us and guide us as we seek a way forward for the church plant.

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz

December 2021 Prayer Letter

 

Dear Friends and Family,

It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of another year. As expected, this year was full of challenges... but in many ways we are now "seeing the light" of the end of the pandemic. We continue to focus on evangelism and bringing the Gospel to the lost. We have met many who have stopped attending church or their churches have closed completely. We know that God has kept us here to keep pushing forward in these difficult times. Jeremy was invited to preach in a missions conference here in Costa Rica, which was a first. It was exciting to encourage the Costa Ricans to carry the Gospel unto the uttermost parts of the earth! We are also doing discipleship with a family from our church plant. We have found a new lawyer to help us navigate the remaining legal hurdles that we are dealing with. We are also working with the owner of a new meeting location to obtain the permits that are needed to hold services. Another big change was that we replaced our online meetings with in-person gatherings in our home. We have seen an increase in attendance as well as much more meaningful time spent together.

As for our family, we have been adjusting to the changes of hosting others in our home every week. We have been super busy between school, ministry, and planning for the holidays. This last month, it seems like Elijah has really begun to speak a lot of Spanish. It's not always correct, but it is encouraging to see how far he has come. For Thanksgiving, we had one dinner at the school on Monday, another one with our church plant family on a Tuesday, and another one with some other friends on Thursday. I think this was the first year in Central America when we have made a Turkey! It was a blessing to share with the church people the story of the origin of Thanksgiving. We all took time to thank God for his numerous blessings in our lives. We are now working on our plans for Christmas.

We are thankful for all who have faithfully prayed for us and supported our ministry. Thank you to those who sent special Christmas offerings. We pray that God will bless you above and beyond. This month, please pray...

1. That God will help us to obtain all of the permits necessary for the new meeting location.

2. That God will open hearts for others to hear the Gospel, believe upon Christ, and be saved!

3. That God will continue to grow His church here in San Pablo, Heredia, Costa Rica!

In Christ,

Jeremy, Michelle, Lila, Ellowyn, and Elijah Blanz