Ministering the Gospel of Jesus Christ in Costa Rica with Praying Pelican Missions, networking with local churches,  serving in our community,  and connecting mission teams to  life- changing ministry opportunities.
First Annual Pastor's Conference

It was an honor to be able to host our First Annual PPM Pastor's Conference last month.  Sixty pastors and their spouses gathered for our one day conference in Liberia, Costa Rica!

We spent the morning celebrating what God had done over 2016 as our Pastors shared testimonies about partnering with teams from the U.S.  It was such an encouragement to hear how churches are growing and continuing on in the ministries that were started or supported by the visiting teams.  There is still lasting fruit from trips from almost a year ago!


It was amazing to see the Holy Spirit work among the hearts of our pastors in our morning sessions. We heard testimonies of pastors that were ready to quit, but God stepped in at just the right time with this conference to heal their hearts and encourage their souls.

Our afternoon sessions were used to help train our pastors on how to practically host teams from the U.S.  We had three different sessions:  Feeding Gringos, Connecting the Local Church to the Team, and Optimizing the Team for Ministry.  One pastor said, "I wish we would have had this training years ago!"  The pastors walked away fired up and ready to welcome in new partnerships, build new relationships, and watch their communities be transformed through the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Delaware Housing Needed!  We will be back in the U.S.A for a few weeks in December and January.  We are looking for housing options in Delaware for our time in January.  If you are heading south or know of an empty house/timeshare/anything that would accommodate our large family, we are interested!  Send us an email if you know of any possibilities.  Thank you!
Training Leaders:  2nd Annual Staff Retreat
With the addition of 11 new staff members to our team, we hosted our 2nd Annual Staff Retreat.  We spent time getting to know all of the new staff, worshipping together, reading the Word, and playing as well.  We also had additional training times for the first year staff and also the ones who will become Trip Leaders, leading trips on their own this year.

We are preparing for a year of large growth in the number of participants coming to serve alongside of local churches.  This means more staff, more churches, and more impact all over Costa Rica!  God is up to something good in Costa Rica and we are thrilled to be a small part of it!
Scouting...and Ministering!
This past week I was able to serve alongside of two men from Radiant Church in Jackson, Michigan.  Pastor Mike and Lyle were here to see what God is up to in Costa Rica.  We were able to visit with 8 different pastors and see their churches.  This "scouting trip" turned into more than I could have imagined.  Instead of just taking a few pictures and collecting information, it turned into an immense time of pastoral encouragement and ministry times for all involved. 

After hearing the pastor's hearts for their community and vision for their churches, Pastor Mike took time to pray fervently for each person that we met with.  God's presence was with us to give encouraging words and love on these precious pastors.  It was incredible to see the Holy Spirit working during our times in each location.  Ministry can be very lonely, but God wanted these pastors to know that He was proud of them and that they are not alone!

Thank you so much Radiant Church for your faithful partnership in the Gospel!
Love,
Nathan, Laura, Darrell, Reagan, Abigail,  Malachi,  & Isaiah Norman