Relational Ministry

Waiting for the next mission team to come in right now.

We spend a lot of time between teams relaxing, coordinating with different team leaders from future teams, stocking up on supplies we need for the next teams, enjoying fellowship with each other, cleaning and doing relational ministry in Rio Frio.

What does relational ministry look like?
It's different than a lot of other ministries. It's not "let's go build these people a house". It's not "we need to feed these people for x amount of time". It's not "a huge week production then nothing". This is getting to know people, getting to know their life stories, meeting them right where they are and encouraging them to grow, taking them to the Bible and disciple-ing them.

So what do these teams that come in do if they aren't doing physical labor?
They build relationships. Ted and Gracie's ministry in Rio Frio is about building people, not buildings. They do this through couple's meeting women's meetings and youth meetings that the people asked to set up, not something Ted and Gracie decided to do. They will be starting a men's group soon as some men asked Ted if they could start one a few weeks ago. The teams participate in these meetings as well as teaching values lessons in the local schools. We can't outright preach the gospel, but caring for your neighbor is great coupled with the good Samaritan story just like the prodigal son teaches the value of unconditional love. We're in a different school every week with the teams teaching different lessons. These may be the only values lessons these students get though. Costa Rica has seen a need for good values to be instilled in their people and are doing that with mandating values lessons be taught in schools. This is where Ted, Gracie, their ministry, and the teams that support them step in.

Aren't the people hungry? What about housing for them? What about programs?
Sometimes, often, possibly always giving begins a cycle of co-dependency. If someone always came in and gave you what you needed, do you really think you'd be able to survive if that someone stopped giving? Giving things is great, but when people start to rely on them is where trouble begins to set in. The cycle of co-dependency starts and can really mess things up.

Thoughts to think about today...
We're off to wait at the airport for the team now.