New Moves

About a year and a half ago, I had no idea what God had in store for the ministry of El Nido, the prenatal center. I just knew I wanted to start one. I had a passion for it. And I went for it. A year and half later, El Nido has grown and continues to grow. Word has gotten out that El Nido is a good place to go among the community of La Cuenca. The ladies have grown spiritually. They have found friends that are willing to listen and love them no matter what. Some of them are close to graduating from the program. It’s exciting to experience growth.

 

Children in La Cuenca

But along with this growth, I’ve realized several things. The biggest one is that in reality I have a “little church.” As they are being disciples by the counselors week to week they have established relationships that are meaningful to them. They beg to continue coming even after they graduate. They don’t want to leave! Praise the Lord!

One of our youngest clients


 

So what comes next? I’ve realized they need a community to be involved with. They need to meet more brothers and sisters that will nurture them and take them further in their journey of discipleship. So for that reason I’ve decided to move El Nido from Vida Net and give it to a church. Rey de Reyes Mennonite Church, in Heredia, has opened up it’s doors to welcome all 50 plus ladies! This is thrilling for me to pass on this ministry to national leaders. It was my goal in the first place!

Two weeks ago PVM received a couple of families that concentrated their outreach with El Nido. We packed, moved, painted, cleaned and sewed in order for El Nido to find its new home. After we were all done, it was beautiful!

 

Last week, the ladies came back! They love that it’s in a more central place. They like that it’s at a church. They feel at home. Now the prayer is that this will help them integrate with the local church. Just an interesting fact, some of them used to attend this particular church when they were children. It’s rewarding to know El Nido is bringing them back to God.

Me with Director for El Nido Guadalupe

So what am I going to do now? Don’t worry, I still have plenty to do! Vida Net is forming an association of El Nido’s. I am currently helping another El Nido get started at the Casa de Oracion Mennonite Church in Guadalupe. And I am also going to be helping El Carbon, Talamanca Mennonite Church get an El Nido started in their community! I am so excited to be planting more prenatal centers in Costa Rica. It is fulfilling to come alongside the church and give them tools on reaching out to their communities.

 I will also remain counseling the clients I have. I certainly don’t want to abandon them. This gives me a chance to gain more experience in counseling and to hold and love babies! I will begin as a facilitator for El Nido’s training and supporting them in ways I can. I am thrilled about this new roll.

Prayer Requests:

1.       New director of El Nido Heredia, Esmeralda

2.       Director of El Nido Guadalupe, Jessica

3.       Me, as I take on my new role.

4.       All the ladies involved in this ministry
 

5.    Finances would come in for the growth of this ministry 
 
 

Fiesta

As the day of our fiesta arrived I sensed my enthusiasm and joy became greater. I was amazed how God put all the details together. One of the Costa Rican schools, Issac Martin, located in Moravia offered to help by providing gifts for the children and babies, even the babies not even born yet. The students were assigned a child or baby. I felt such an overwhelming heart of gratitude as I picked up the gifts for our fiesta.

Another very special school Communidad Educativa Crecer offered to provide the fiesta. They provided the food, location and games. The director of the school has a special place in her heart for El Nido. There was a special play area for the babies. A beautiful place to eat under the trees. A cute play house equipped with play kitchen supplies. There were swings, slides and a trampoline.


There were 45 women invited along with their children. Almost all of them came. I was so happy to see everyone together along with our volunteers.

 

 

 

 

 

Soon after arriving at the party, the teachers of the school along with my staff, provided pancakes for a snack. The pancakes were eaten up in no time!

The children enjoyed and loved every minute! There was so much to do! I spent as much time as I could interacting with the children having tea parties and playing with the cute babies and sitting with my dear friends talking and listening. I was on a high! As I went through the morning my heart was full of joy experiencing God’s goodness. I didn’t want it to end.

 

 

 

Almost, a year ago, God allowed me to start El Nido and allowed it to grow much faster than I anticipated. He provided amazing volunteers to help me. My volunteers have put in countless hours listening to the women of El Nido and praying and believing in them. He provided women that truly want to learn how to be godly mothers. He has provided financially through special people that believe what God wants to do through El Nido. He provided materially for the mothers and children items they would need. Churches and individuals have given diapers, formula, clothing, shoes, games, toys, shampoo, baby powder, thermometers, and on and on. He provided my beautiful friend, Laura to walk along side of me give me a hand with organization and creativity. He gave me a husband that has believed and walked with me 100%. I couldn’t have done it without his love and support. Thank you honey!

Laura and I

 

And above all, I thank God for El Nido. I thank Him for entrusting me with this ministry. I LOVE what I do. I love that He put me in a ministry that I’m passionate about. I love seeing women draw themselves to Jesus. I love giving them wisdom on decisions in life. I have grown in my walk and trust in God. I have grown through the challenges along the way.

I look forward to what God has for El Nido in 2015.

Dina

Al principio confieso que tuve mucho temor, ya que no sabía que tenía que decir o el consejo que tenía que decir a mujeres con 10 o 20 años más que yo, pero hoy puedo decir que mi disposición y la gracia de Dios he aprendido, estos meses he apreciado historias de alegría, sufrimiento, rechazo, dolor y mucha culpabilidad.

Nunca voy a olvidar a una de mis clientas, en su primera cita me dijo “yo no te diré nada de mi vida porque nadie la va entender”… yo le respondí, no te preocupes; pero en su segunda cita llego dispuesta a decir parte de su vida:

Entre lagrimas dijo que fue abusada sexualmente toda su niñez y que muchas veces le dijo a su mama lo que pasaba pero su mama nunca le creyó, pasaron los años y ella creció llena de enojo contra su mama y a la edad de 17 años empezó a trabajar como prostituta, quedo embarazada de una niña que nace con problemas en las rodillas, en una operación su hija tiene complicaciones y muere a los 10 años, esta situación hizo que ella se sintiera culpable por la perdida, pasaron los años y vuelve a quedar a tener un embarazo no deseado, los primeros meses intento abortar a su bebe pero no funciono, entonces decidió darlo en adopción cuando naciera porque no lo quería… Cuando llego al Nido solamente fue por la ayuda y en su cita me dijo que nunca había hablado con su bebe porque no sabía que le diría; yo le dije que repitiera

“Mi bebe solo quiero que vengas sanito” ella no podía creerlo, lloraba y lloraba por que lo había logrado, desde ese día ella empezó a amar a su bebe, hoy todavía lucha con su pasado, pero cree que Cristo es su fortaleza y bueno su bebe tiene 2 meses y es el amor de su vida. 

Estas historias me enseñaron a escuchar la voz de Dios, amar muchísimo a estas mujeres sin importar su status, origen, creencias y con una vida muy diferente a la mía, estas mujeres me ayudaron a madurar en mi vida, decisiones y tener una mejor relación con Dios.

Posdata: Momentos como cuidar bebes que lloran y lloran y no sabes que hacer, otros como salir corriendo para el hospital por que un bebe esta por nacer, son inolvidables…

Le agradezco a Dios y a Gloria Hoover por haber confiado en mí y continuemos orando por El Centro Prenatal “El Nido” que está cambiando muchas vidas.

Escrito por Dina. Gracias Dina por todo lo que ha dado a El Nido. 

Shadow of Your Wing

Last night I had the most incredible experience, an experience I had never had. I was working at El Nido. Carmelinda, my daughter, came running to me and said, "There is a little bird outside that is having trouble flying." She said she tried to catch it but couldn't and it jumped outside. My rescue mode set in. I ran outside to look for it. As I approached the little bird, my heart broke. His eyes were closed and was sitting in the wet grass with the pouring rain hitting it. As I reached down to touch it he chirped angrily but he let me pick him up. We wrapped him up in a towel and started petting it. He was either shivering or trembling with freight or both. He was so little and cute! I had no idea what kind of bird it was or what to do with it. All I knew was that he needed help.

I took him home and with him I took a nest. When I got home I put him in the nest and in a bird cage. I called my friend, Ken, because I knew he and his wife had rescued birds, so I figured he could pass on some wisdom. First of all we discovered it was a Blue and White Swallow.

Ken told me most likely during the storm he ran into a window and got knocked out. That made sense since in front of El Nido there are some large windows. Ken told me he probably just needed some rest and since it was evening by now, he didn't have any place to go. The best thing for me to do was to get a box, put a towel in it and let him rest and that keeping him the cage was not a good idea because birds can get claustrophobic and can die. He then told me in the morning to take him back to where I found him and set it free. Ken also told me to enjoy the experience. That's exactly what I did!

He was so chill and tame, Carmelinda and I took time to interact with him. He let us pet him, look at his wings, and kiss him. He sat on our fingers and shoulder. It was incredible! I loved every minute!

Then God started speaking to me. I am like that bird. When the storms come my way, I often loose my way. I run into things trying to do things my way until finally I give up. It's then my loving Heavenly Father comes and rescues me with such tenderness. Once He has me "under the shadow of His wings," He takes care of me. He allows me to rest. He restores me. He feeds me. He instructs me. He sings over me. He loves me and so much more. It's through the storms we become stronger. Strong enough to fly again.

As I saw him fly away this morning, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the unique experience God gave me. Thank You God that under your wing I am safe.

Elyna

This is Elyna. She and her family came to live in Costa Rica in January. Her family spent four months helping with the renovation of El Nido and other work. Elyna has been a blessing to El Nido in the last few months. She picked flowers for the mothers. Her and her mother held the babies. She made sure the new children coming to El Nido had toys to play with. And even though she didn’t know the Spanish language, that didn’t stop her by making friends. She also helped organize the clothing in the boutique and by putting the toys away in the play area. So I wanted everyone to know what a gift she has been to me and to El Nido. 

We will miss you Elyna and Thank You for letting God use you!

Scarlet's Story

Hello! My name is Liz and I have been one of the counselors en El Nido since it opened in February. It has been amazing experience and I thank God often for the opportunity that He has given me to touch so many lives in such a beautiful way. We have seen so much evidence of God’s blessing on this ministry as it has grown so fast in the last few months. But not only has the ministry grown, the kingdom of God has grown through it. And that is the most important and exciting part of all.

I have truly grown to love each one of the women that God has allowed me to counsel. Although I will say that some of them have been more reserved and challenging to get to know than others. But God in His perfect timing has been softening their hearts and recently I have been blessed to hear things from them like, “The devotions and the weekly verse are my favorite part of El Nido,” or to see one brought to tears during a prayer asking God to please work a miracle in her family and their living situations as they were at the point of being thrown out of their homes. She had come to a realization that things were out of her control and had turned to God, knowing that only He can save her family.

With her permission, I want to share a little bit of one of my clients’ story. Her name is Scarleth. She came to us on one of the first days that we were open and has been coming consistently since then. Recently Scarleth shared with me that when she first heard about the El Nido she was extremely apprehensive about the whole thing. Her sister, one of our other clients, told Scarleth that some “gringos” (North Americans) had invited her to come to a place where pregnant women and mothers of small babies could receive material help and counseling, and it was free. Scarleth says that her first thought was that those gringos were just going to take her children away from her. Despite her fear she made an appointment and soon saw that she had nothing to worry about. She could feel the love that filled the center, see the sincerity in all of the volunteers, and she knew that this was a safe place.

Since that first day I have been blessed to be able to watch Scarleth change in so many ways. She is a Christian, but she came in feeling far from God and carrying a lot of guilt from her past. Through the time we have spent together God has revealed to Scarleth that He has forgiven her just as He promises to always do. He has helped her to really believe in that truth and she has realized the importance of forgiving herself as God has forgiven her. Today Scarleth is a completely different woman! Her sadness has been replaced with joy, her guilt with forgiveness, her pain with healing, her stains have been wiped clean! She is now free to allow herself to be used by God in her family, church and community. Scarleth often talks about how thankful she is to have found El Nido, or rather for us to have found her, because through it God has truly changed her life.

They are stories like Scarleth’s which show me how blessed I am to have been able to be a part of El Nido. And throughout the last few months God has been revealing to me the purposes of so many situations that have happened in my own life. The things that I have been through have given me a little bit of insight into my clients’ lives and situations, even though they are very different circumstances. God has allowed me to use parts of my past, the wounds that have been healed, my victories, and even my current struggles to be able to relate to these beautiful women on a level that wouldn’t be possible without having walked through it all.

Sadly, May will be my last month working in El Nido. Although leaving is hard I know that I have done my best in pouring truth and love into these women’s lives and I am grateful for the time that God has allowed me to be a part of something so beautiful. 

The Rest of the Story....

I wanted to follow up on the story of Agatha and her son.

She left El Nido happy but didn't know what she would expect upon her arrival at home.

Her son saw her first. He yelled at his sister, telling her his mother had a gift for her. Agatha said, "This gift is for you!" He reached for it and looked inside and smiled. He exclaimed, "This is to replace the other one!" She said, "Yes, honey. Will you forgive me for throwing away your other stuffed animal?" He said, "YES!"
They threw their arms around each other.

Agatha said her son has not let go of his new stuffed animal. And even though he's a little older, he still hasn't parted with it. He puts it in his back pack during school. He sleeps and plays with it.

Agatha told me that since we have met, she has also been practicing looking directing into her sons eyes while disciplining or just talking to him. At first, he would look away shyly. But has slowly started looking into her eyes. She said the transformation has been incredible. Not only has she seen the change happen at home but also at school! The teacher has been giving good reports on her son's behavior. Instead of sitting in a corner at school, he now participates along with his classmates.

I am reminded again of what God can do through us when we take a step of humility and ask for forgiveness. But it starts with us. God has our back and helps us in this process, a process that doesn't always come easy but is a commandment.