The Dahlagers in Costa Rica Newsletter
Earthquake and PK Camp Update
January 2009
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in this issue
Earthquake update
Pastor's kids camp 2009
TIME: what your support gives us
Dear Tony,
Greetings from Costa Rica, where we began the New Year with a terrific pastor's kids camp and a major shakedown with the most devastating earthquake in 18 years. Thank you for your faithful prayers and monthly support. We could not do what we do without all of you behind us.
Earthquake Update
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On January 8 Costa Rica suffered its most devastating earthquake since 1991. The epicenter was on the Atlantic slope of the Poas volcano, just a few miles from where we were starting our national PK camp. It registered 6.3 on the Richter scale, and most of the devastation was produced by hundreds of landslides in the vertical mountain region where it struck.
Jon was up in the affected area yesterday with a couple of the national leaders bringing food and clothing donations. The AG World Missions emergency fund sent in $3,000 for relief, with more on the way. Our AG church in Cariblanco is serving as a shelter for families who are without homes or in the high risk zone. All but two of the working-age people in the church worked at the now-destroyed El Angel jam/sweets factory, so they are all without income, including the pastor, for at least a few months. Today's paper said that in the area 423 homes have been damaged beyond repair. 22 are confirmed dead in the mudslides, with a number still missing. Strong aftershocks keep everyone on their toes, and new landslides happen every day.
The church in Rio Cuarto, led by Pastor Marcos Barrantes, is sending people every day to the emergency shelter to cook, care for the children, and help out wherever needed. We had a good trip and were able to encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ who are living through this tragedy. See more photos on our Facebook page, and feel free to sign up as our friends.
NOTE: Any special donations you would like to make can go through our missions account through this secure giving link.
PK Camp 2009
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Jafet, 19, came to PK camp this year pumped: in 2008 three of his best friends came to the Lord through a Bible study.
Nacira, on the other hand, told the story of escape from a violent marriage and reconnecting with the family she had run away from three years ago. She came to PK camp as a single-again mom at age 22.
This year's national Pastor's Kids camp, our 9th in Costa Rica, was a fantastic time of God's healing and grace, and was a blast besides! Read more stories and see pictures here, and see their faces up close in their cabin groups here. Thank you to those who gave for scholarships, who keep us in your prayers.
This year we will be putting together a manual on PK ministry to publish, which will also serve as my doctor of ministry dissertation. Please pray for us as we take on this huge project, and please email me if you are a PK and would like to participate in our survey.
What your support gives us: TIME
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How do we have time to work with Pastors' kids, or to train youth pastors to transform their communities, or to build a multipurpose gymnasium at the Bible school? Where do we find the time to reach our friends for Christ, to host teams from the USA, to help in times of crisis? The answer: YOU give us the time.
Our mission agency approved our coming to Costa Rica, but YOUR support and prayers release us to do what God has called us to do.
In the last weeks of 2008 we received several extra-special game-changing offerings that kept the lights on at the end of the tunnel. In times of great pressure we receive calls and letters assuring us of your prayers. What we do is directly linked to what you do. Thank you for being on our team.
Some of you have asked about giving links. Here they are.
- One time gifts through AGWM
- Setting up a recurring commitment (faith promise) through AGWM
- Setting up recurring credit card giving
Contact Information
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Jon and Jennifer Dahlager
Jon.Dahlager@agmd.org
US phone: 218-325-4178
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Sunday, January 18, 2009
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
November 4, 2008
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