The latest from Lajas...

This month we would like to focus on what God seems to be doing in our community of Lajas----in addition to the small discipleship groups that meet weekly---for men, women, teenage girls, and two groups for the "muchachos" (younger children), we now have a solid group that averages around 40 people that gather for praise and worship on Sunday mornings---we use our gazebo which makes for a gorgeous setting with God's majestic mountains in the background and beautiful vegetation surrounding us---here the leaders prepare for the service...

We start with praise and worship as everyone arrives--God had the talent prepared in advance as He always does--three talented singers lead worship

Others share in reading from Scripture and giving testimonies...

Rebekah takes a group of the little ones to our back kitchen to love on them and do a little activity during the message time...

During the week small groups meet in our home and homes around the community--to grow in their faith, pray for their families and the community and learn how to put their fath in action...here is the women's group...

The teenage girls group has grown to 12 young women--here they are having fun celebrating some of the girls birthdays...

Dave meets weekly with the key leaders here, Jose Miguel and Joel for discipleship and leadership training...

And we continue to baptize those who want to take this step of obedience to publicly proclaim their desire to seriously follow Christ and ask for the prayers and support of the other followers in the church... here Jose Miguel baptizes Angelo...

Jose Miguel baptizing Daniel...

Dave baptizing Ridi...

We have truly fallen in love with our community--here is just one of the reasons why...

Please continue to pray for our community and this body of believers--we now have Dominican leadership in place, we took our first offering last Sunday and will set up a savings account in a nearby community. We are going to help with medical expenses for a surgery for one of our member's sister-- The leadership has given us a name now---Iglesia Vida y Esperanza--which means Church of Life and Hope. May we be that to this community!!!! A hope and refuge for those who have felt left out and far from the light for a long time now. Please take a look at the right-hand panel for our latest prayer requests and some new words to encourage you. And have a very Happy Thanksgiving. We thank you for all of your support and encouragement to us. By God's grace and for His glory, The Dave Schwulst family