Overcoming fears of Sharing the Gospel - Costa Rica Mission Trip

This past Spring break, a group of students and post grads from the Seattle church flew to Costa Rica to share the gospel using water filters. For many students in Seattle, this was their first ever foreign mission trip, and it became a defining and transformative experience for them. Here are some of their sharings and takeaways. 

What was one way you’ve grown from the Filter of Hope mission trip?

My prayer request before going on this trip is to have more courage in sharing the gospel with others. I learned the importance of having a supportive spiritual community that encourages us when we’re feeling down or troubled. I recalled that there were plenty of times when I stumbled and forgot what to say, yet my distributor was willing to help me with constructive feedback on my gospel sharing session. 

As Romans 1:16 states, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” 

-Max (UW international student) 

Max (on the far left)

During FOH there were lots of moments where I was scared and not confident: I was scared of sharing the gospel for the first time in English and Spanish. I was afraid that I might mess up my speech. I got even more afraid when I was asked to translate prayers for my teammates. Despite my fears, I took every challenge I faced and was encouraged by the people in Costa Rica who taught me to completely rely on God. They shared their life experiences, and I was so inspired to see how God has worked in their lives and to see that no matter how small or big their challenges were, or how afraid they felt, God helped them out in incredible ways. I'm hoping to keep learning how to completely rely on God in the future; and trust that the outcomes will be good with God by my side.

-Ivan (UW international student) 

Ivan (far left)

If I could list just one thing, it would be the  recognition and realization that this world is broken and in need of a true savior. As we walked in the communities and talked to families, I listened to stories of how many loved ones have passed away or struggled from kidney issues. Also, a common misconception that families had was that they might not go to heaven because they don’t go to church, and they need to do good deeds to have a relationship with Jesus. 

I’ve grown in confidence through the sharing of the gospel with the water filters, reminding myself that no amount of work or good deeds will directly get me to heaven. It is only through a genuine relationship with Jesus that we can have eternity with God. Although I grew up going to church and hearing the Gospel, giving the filters to families and using it to explain the story reiterated the truth in myself and allowed me to clearly understand what it means for my life. 

Moreover, I thought that I was imperfect, inadequate, and had a lot of things to sort out before I could go on a mission trip. But through talking with the community and even my own teammates, I realized that as imperfect as I am, the gospel truth tells me that Jesus loved me so much that he was put on a cross to overcome all the shame, guilt, and sin that comes from being human. While I am a sinner, God does still want a relationship with me and wants me to be secure in knowing where my eternity lies.  

 -Mailani (Seattle University student) 

Mailani (bottom right)

What was the most memorable event/moment for you?

Before coming on this trip, I was overwhelmed by fear about sharing the gospel and also living out my faith courageously. However, I came to the realization that God does not want us to be perfect, and there will definitely be times when we stumble in life, despite all the troubles we’re going through going through, Jesus is still willing to die for our sins. I was able to see the great faith of some families that we’ve shared the gospel with, and how they really lived out their lives for Christ. Not only did God remind me of his love for us in the brokenness of this world, but he also strengthened my faith so that I can share the gospel with others more boldly. 

-Max

One of the many memories I have from FOH was definitely praying for the people at the homes that we visited in Costa Rica. At the end of our presentation, we asked people if there was anything we could pray about, whether it's just health or peace for their families. Me and my team were so amazed to see how many people opened their hearts for this question, since many people shared painful stories about their family members going through illnesses, health concerns and family problems. I was so touched and grateful that these families were able to share these concerns with us, and that we were able to pray for them, that God will watch over them and that He will help them out no matter how big their problems are.

 -Ivan

One of the first houses we went to was right next to the local church. It was the home of a mom and her two young children. She had a very stoic expression and gave minimal  responses to our questions. Even when one of my teammates shared his testimony, the  lady held a blank stare, so we were unsure if she was interested at all or even listening to  us. However, as he prayed for her, she started tearing up and cried. We were very shocked, because through the entire gospel sharing, she seemed so unresponsive. It was a good  reminder that we never know what other people are going through, and how what seemed to me as the simple truth of the gospel can really change lives. She expressed that she was so happy that she could receive this good news, and that she resonated with the message. 

As the only Seattle U student, I remember feeling worried that I might not get as close to the others, but everyone was so nice. I got to hear their testimonies and even got to play fun games with them during team time. As I reflected on the trip, I am so grateful for the opportunity to have gone with this group, since I learned so much about other people, but also more about myself. 

-Mailani