Dear Friends,

We are so absolutely overwhelmed and honoured by people’s support, both financial & prayerful, over these last months. With the decision having been made to come home from Zanethemba, we honestly weren’t sure if people were still going to stand with us during this season of rest & re-envisioning. Thankyou, each and every one of you, for doing so. We do not take this lightly and are so, so grateful that you each trust us to move forward with a vision, entrusted to us by our heavenly Father who longs to place every prince and princess into a loving forever family.

“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families..” (Psalm 68)

How we have seen this to be true in the last year! And how we long for more. We were remembering recently how the doctors of one little girl we had the privilege of looking after, wanted the name of our place of safety because they wanted to send more of their HIV+ children to us. We long for the day when this will be possible.

At present, we are in the process of finalizing our decision of who we are going to work alongside, on returning to S.Africa. We are also in the process of gathering info to get volunteer visas re-issued, and reading through material that will help us plan the next steps, the S.African Children’s Act etc.

This has also been a season of deep rest & healing for us, and we have enjoyed time in Co.Clare as a family, and also time with family and friends in Dublin & Belfast which has been invaluable. God has been setting us free from fearing what others think of us when we go after Him with our whole hearts. He has been reminding us that He is a river of life which has to flow out, and so with the healing and freedom He has been bringing to our hearts, we have been enjoying getting to minister that same freedom and healing to others here in Ireland. We are both in better shape spiritually than we have ever been, simply because without “jobs”, living with Kate’s amazing mum, and life with our 2 boys, Jesus really is the only one we can trust and who brings real peace & purpose in this season. Dependency+desperation=intimacy with the Father+a whole lot of joy. We really have felt His smile & his approval in these last months. He is with us. We are hungry for more of Him, for us, our kids & family, and these treasures He has called us to. Our “job” is to show the world, how beautiful they already are.

We read Nehemiah whilst on holiday & I was so struck by his boldness when he was questioned about the rebuilding of the wall of Jerusalem. “The God of Heaven will give us success, & we His servants will start rebuilding..” Despite the opposition and the rejection, they overcame. And so we know the God of heaven will give us success..

Please can you pray in this season for:

• That we would get to meet with the right people at the right time
• God’s guidance, wisdom, protection as we step out again into this calling, understanding & knowledge of all we need to know to embark on establishing new child havens in S.Africa.
• That God would give us opportunities to cast vision, and that he would highlight the right people to stand with us as we pursue Him in this calling.
• For our boys, that God would be their security & that we would know how to answer Joseph’s questions about the future. Praise God he got into a great nursery which he is loving!
• That God would continue to give us His blueprint for the ways in which He wants these children cared for.
• Praise God we have enough finance coming in each month for our current financial needs.. please pray that this would increase as we look at moving back to S.A & having to rent a home.

Thank you for enabling us to live this dream. Our prayer for each one of you is that this would be a season of “more” for both you & your families. More of the Kingdom forcefully advancing.. & more forcefulness in our laying hold of it! Thankyou Lord that the Kingdom is close at hand.

Love,

The Cathcarts.

This was taken the evening we signed the contract (owners are on the right).

Click here to see the full, printable prayer letter (with pictures).

September/October 2012

Dear Praying Friends,

Deputation & Family Update

I am happy to announce that, as of October, we’re at over 53% of our support! After just over a year on deputation, we’re thrilled about getting closer to reaching Colombia with the Gospel. If you haven’t jumped on board as a partner yet, we’d love to extend your ministry to Colombia. Most of all, thanks for your prayers. It’s obvious somebody is holding the ropes for us.

The past couple months have been amazing. We’ve been in some wonderful churches, met people who instantly became great friends, been able to witness to several individuals and seen God provide for great needs. The Hell’s Gates program I mentioned in our last letter was a success with 5,000 attenders and at least 530 that made professions of faith. Amen!

From The Mouth Of Babes

Recently, Amira, our 2 ½ year old daughter, had disobeyed us, so I sat down to talk to her. She was in tears, knowing she had done wrong. Seeing a teaching opportunity, I said, “Amira, we all mess up and disobey sometimes, but there’s one person that is perfect and has never done wrong. Do you know who that is?” She instantly replied, “MAMAW!” (That’s my mother-in-law!). Oh boy, we’ve got some work to do…

Colombian Culture Corner

When in Colombia, you NEVER slam any type of door, especially doors on a taxi. It’s frowned upon in the USA, but it might get you thrown out of the taxi in Colombia. (We learned this the hard way last year on our survey trip!)

An Event To Consider

The Our Generation Summit (December 31st – January 2nd) is an incredibly exciting missions centered retreat set in beautiful Pigeon Forge, TN. It is a meeting that the whole church and the whole family will enjoy! Each teen, single, couple and church leader will find something that will help them in their walk with the Lord and in the task of world evangelism. This years theme is WITNESS. We are looking at the challenge laid out to us in God’s Word to be a witness to all nations. For info, visit: visionbaptistmissions.com or call: 770-456-5881.

Prayer Points

1. Travels while on deputation

2. Salvation of lost friends

3. Financial support (now over 53%)

4. 46 million Colombians still need the Gospel!

Serving The King of Kings,

Aaron, Aubrie, Amira & Anabel Vance

1.Monthly  Update:

Since our last letter, there has been a lot going on. For the month of October we had a total of 74 salvations! Also, for the past 4 weeks there has been at least one baptized at Gospel Light Baptist Church as a direct result of the Bible studies conducted through our ministry in the local jail! The total number of people baptized this month was 7. Glory to God!

A man named Steve, attended my Bible study and received Christ as his savior. Once out of the facility he contacted me about church. I picked his family up the next Sunday and they all came (his wife and 3 children.) He was baptized, his wife and one daughter trusted Christ, and we found afterwards that one of our bus captains had just happened to visit their house the weekend before as a new stop! Arrangements were made for the entire family to ride the bus! Also, the wife and daughter were baptized the next weekend!

My wife met 2 ladies in her Bible study, Crystal and Kristine. They both got out of the facility at the same time and came to church together on a Wednesday evening. Crystal brought her husband, John, as well. Kristine trusted Christ in the church service. She was baptized the following Sunday, as well as John (who trusted Christ at an earlier time). All 3 have been faithfully attending all church services as well as the RU program. Please pray for Crystal as she is seeking truth. Pray that God will knit her heart to my wives so that she can receive help from God’s word.

Robert was saved in a Bible study and brought his wife, 3 children, brother-in-law along with his 2 children to church the Sunday after being released! He was baptized and his wife was awestruck with our services. She said she had never heard things preached the same way at the church she has been attending for a while. This is such a sweet family and they truly have a desire to know truth. Pray for Rose Mary, Robert’s wife, as she has A LOT of questions. Praise God she is willing to allow the Bible to answer those questions for her!

David was saved in a Bible study and God has been working in this young man’s life. He has been faithfully attending all services (including fall revival services!) only missing once due to our family being ill and not having a ride. He has been faithfully attending RU services and is trying so hard to allow God to change His life. He was also baptized and has been attempting to change his outward appearance. (without being asked, he has been dressing in a shirt and tie to all services!) He joined the church choir this past Sunday evening, and he recently told us he never wants to leave this church. He has enrolled in personal discipleship and has a desire to grow. Thank God for another life changed!

Finally, we praise God for a church member who has shown a desire in helping the ministry and was approved this past week to attend services in the youth detention center. Please be in prayer for Tony Lopez as he and his family make sacrifices to be involved in sharing the gospel with the incarcerated. I am thankful to God for a co-laborer in the ministry!

2. Prayer Requests:

-please pray for Crystal as we are unsure whether she is saved. Also for Rose Mary and the questions she has. My wife will be meeting with each of them soon to talk, pray, and have a Bible study.

-pray for David’s girlfriend to attend church. They have a daughter together and David desires greatly to get his life straightened up in that area. She is resisting; please pray the Holy Spirit to open her eyes to a need for salvation and get behind David 100%.

-pray for continued protection within the facility. My safety has been threatened on more than one occasion these past couple of weeks.

-continued prayer for meetings to be booked. Praise God for the meetings booked for the beginning of the year! We can see and appreciate your prayers in this area.

-Praise God for providing us a truck! We were looking into purchasing a truck from my Uncle to use for deputation. After praying long and hard about what God would have us to do, my Uncle called back and said he decided to GIVE us the truck free of charge! We serve a Big God!

Thank you for laboring with us!

God Bless,

Progress is being made; souls are being saved; there is a church building and Sunday services are conducted. Lazaro has a group of disciples who are learning the Bible and living for Christ.

The people of this village serve “Nucho”, a little wooden god, which they place under their hammocks at night to frighten away the evil spirits. In the morning, the father will say to his children, “Go, and bring Nucho. We must give him breakfast and bathe him. We must care for Nucho so that he will care for us!

By God’s wonderful grace, we have heard the gospel message of salvation in Jesus Christ. God has called us to be His ambassadors to those who haven’t heard. There are few places that are “non-evangelized”, but there are thousands of villages and towns that are “under-evangelized”. Through your prayers and financial support, we will continue to reach these areas for Christ!

We are “on furlough” for the next few months and are living in the States. However, we continue to do overseas trips almost monthly. Recently we have been in Panama and the Dominican Republic. I will be traveling to Amazonia in a few days for a two-week seminar with national pastors. These men are reaching their people in the jungles where the American missionary can no longer go due to government restrictions.

Between these overseas trips, we are visiting and reporting to our supporting churches. I can be reached at 859.351.7078 or russandlynnturner@yahoo.com. Thank you for standing with us as we share the good news with those who haven’t heard.

Working together for Christ,

Russ and Lynn Turner

As I was teaching a morning session, two men walked by the church with a bamboo pole on their shoulders. Hanging between them in a hammock was a 16 year old girl who was about to give birth to her baby. They asked me to take her to the hospital in my truck. We suspended the meeting for about an hour while I served as an ambulance driver!

During Easter week I was in the Darien jungle teaching the Embera people. At least 300 people from 11 villages attended this meeting. A great number of people were saved during the preaching services there. Some of these people and their pastors walked and traveled by canoe for two days to arrive at the village of Laja Blanca where we held the meeting.

I have taken on the project of getting a good study Bible into the hands of these indigenous pastors. These Bibles in Spanish usually cost me about $50 each. We have been able to purchase at least 22 Bibles and will buy more as God provides. The Indian pastors greatly appreciate this valuable tool to help them study their Bibles and prepare messages from God’s Word for their people.

We continue to plant churches in Costa Rica as well. We are working in the village of Bolivar, visiting, preaching, and winning souls to Christ. Several of the students in the Bible Institute are helping me in tract distribution and visitation as well.

Thank you for your faithful support for our ministry. Please continue to pray for us that God will bless and use us for His glory.

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

So much has happened since our last letter in October 2011! I’ll try to give you a brief and concise report!
We recorded and produced our first DVD for distribution among Latin American pastors and churches. This production of 100 DVDs has already been distributed and we are planning to record a second DVD in February. Thanks to Mile Straight Baptist Church in Soddy-Daisy, TN for the use of their recording equipment.
We made another trip to Panama during the first two weeks of January. I was able to minister in several new villages among the Guaymi, Kuna, and Embera nations. At each village or church, we were well received and asked to return as soon as possible. We are planning our next trip during the month of March.
During the month of December 2011, we hosted a number of vistors as well as family members. Rachel, our daughter, was married to Trevor Conklin, a captain in the US Army, at Calvary Baptist Church in San Ramon, Costa Rica. The ceremony and reception were very joyful and Spanish-flavored!
Due to the rough roads and high mountains that we travel in Panama and Costa Rica, we are planning to ship our 1999 Toyota Tacoma pickup to Costa Rica next month. This represents a cost of $1000 in shipping and $3500 in customs. We would greatly appreciate any help that you may give toward this expense. You may send it to BIMI, designated as “vehicle shipping.“ Thank you to those who gave for Alex Taylor’s eye operation. The need has been met, the operation was successful, and he is back in Panama ministering to the Guaymi nation and building a new church in San Felix.
Also, a very special thanks to those who gave extra Christmas offerings. We used these funds to purchase an electronic keyboard for the new church that we started on January 15 in the town of Bolivar. The people of this village are very thankful for the opportunity to hear Bible preaching each Sunday.

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

Thank you for praying for us as we ministered in Panama among four different indigenous groups. God has opened the door for us to expand our ministry to these needy villages. In every place, we received an open invitation to return and teach more of God’s Word! We are developing and printing more studies for the pastors and workers among the Embera, Kuna, Guaymi, y Wounan peoples. We are planning several trips to Panama right after the New Year.

One of our national missionaries in Panama, Alex Taylor, has had to undergo eye surgery for glaucoma. The doctors told him to have the surgery now or he would soon be blind. This operation represents a cost of $4,800. Our church in San Ramon received an offering last Sunday in the amount of $800 and sent it for this need. We would greatly appreciate any help that you may give toward this need and will make sure that it is applied to these medical costs. If God directs you to help us in this, please send it to our account at BIMI (for eye operation).

The Bible Institute classes in Aguas Zarcas and Sarchi, Costa Rica were well attended this past semester. Pastors and workers continue to further their preparation in order to be better servants of God. We have presented several seminars in the last few weeks as well, covering themes such as Homiletics, Finances, and Youth Ministries.

The “regions beyond” are still waiting to be reached with the gospel! Thank you for making it possible for us to minister in Latin America and take the “water of life” to thirsty souls! We express our thanks to God for those of you who have responded in recent days, giving extra offerings toward special needs. I assure you that these funds are properly used and channeled into the ministry of the gospel!

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

We initiate classes in two different Bible Institutes this week. We will be teaching Hermeneutics (Interpretation of the Bible) in the churches of Sarchi and Aguas Zarcas. Those who attend these classes will include pastors, teachers, and workers from several churches. Because of distance and lack of transportation, many of these servants of God cannot go to a distant city and attend a Bible college. So we will take it to them!

Please include in your prayers a special trip that we are planning in the next few weeks. There is a desperate need for missionary-pastors to go and teach the pastors of the indigenous tribes in the jungles of Panama. These dedicated men will walk two or three days from their villages to a central location to receive Biblical instruction. We are excited about expanding our ministry to further develop these men in the truth and church leadership!

Our hearts are ever challenged to go to the “regions beyond.” Yes, God calls some of us to city ministries and the development of large churches, schools, and other organizations. But He also calls some of us to those out-of-the-way places, where few have gone. This is where my heart finds satisfaction! Jesus Christ died to save people from every tribe, language, and nation! Thankfully, you are making it possible for us to be in Latin America through your prayers and financial support. I pray that God may supply your needs so that you can supply ours! Keep praying for the harvest!

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

New challenges abound! After having served for 25 years in San Ramon and building five churches in that area, we are now focusing on the northern region of Costa Rica, known as San Carlos. We have had the privilege of leading thirteen people to the Lord in recent days and have shared the gospel with many others! Allow me to share with you some recent opportunities in this new area:

We are witnessing and distributing literature in the town of Fortuna. There is no Baptist church in this town. We partner with a sister church and have a Bible club every other Saturday. Last week we had 39 children in attendance. We were also able to minister to the homeless children in the local orphanage, providing them with toys, cookies and candy, and gospel booklets.

We travel to Rio Cuarto on Sunday afternoons and have a church service at a dairy farm. After the men finish milking the cows and washing down the barn, we set up chairs and pass out songbooks and Bibles. Lynn plays the accordion and I preach a Bible message. One of our national missionaries takes the children to another area for a Sunday School class.

We travel to Venecia on Friday afternoons and have service at a store owner’s house. He had been praying for six years that someone would come and start a church in his area. Last Friday was a very rainy day, but we visited homes on the muddy roads and distributed gospels of John and invitations to the meeting. We had a great service after the rain stopped!

Last week we spent several days welding, painting, and roofing an extension on the church in Aguas Zarcas, allowing us to double our seating capacity. We had a great service there this past Sunday morning. One of our national missionaries lives there with his family. God is using them in a marvelous way to reach souls for Christ!

A husband and wife team from Hixson, Tennessee spent a week with us and helped in literature distribution and building maintenance. I am thankful for all of you who have a heart for missions and help us through prayer, financial support, and trips to the mission field. Keep praying for the harvest!

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

What satisfaction we felt as we returned to our field of labor in Costa Rica! After spending a three-month furlough in the States, driving several thousand miles, and dealing with the most severe winter the South has experienced in several years, we are enjoying the warmth of Costa Rica´s climate and her people!

This past Sunday, we celebrated the 26th anniversary of Calvary Baptist Church in San Ramon. After preaching the morning message, we saw one young man saved and five new believers baptized!

Our thirty-two years of ministry in Costa Rica can be divided into four sections:

1978-1980 — learning Spanish at the language institute and working with veteran missionary Freddie Crowe as he established the New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Heredia.
1981-1985 — moving to Limon on the Caribbean coast and founding Los Corales Baptist Church; this church is now pastored by Juan Jose Vargas and has begun a new church in Girasoles, a village south of Limon.
1985-2010 — moving to San Ramon and founding Calvary Baptist Church; this church has four daughter churches in Bolivar, Concepcion, Atenas, and Tejares; they also support thirteen missionary families who have started sixteen more churches; this church continues to abound in the work of the Lord with a new pastor, Jonathan White, and a great team of workers.
2011 – ? — Lynn and I are evangelizing a new area two hours north of San Ramon; this area includes a number of towns and villages such as La Fortuna, El Tanque, Guatuso, Florencia, and Monterrey. Our desire is to see churches established in all of these population centers.

Thank you for helping us in the ministry through your prayers and financial support! We want to reach many souls for Christ before He returns! We have the message that can satisfy the spiritual need in the hearts of men! Thank God for the opportunity!

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

Christmas greetings to all our friends and loved ones!

Lynn and I decided to come to the States for Christmas due to the difficult school and work schedules of our three children. Lathan is in the Air National Guard, works for adefense contractor in D.C., and is finishing his Masters at Johns Hopkins University. Richard is in further training in the USMC and will deploy to Afghanistan. Rachel is very busy as a journalist/photographer and a team member of SCORE International.We are looking forward to spending several days together with them during the Christmas holidays.

After the first of the New Year, we will be visiting supporting churches in order to report on the ministry in Costa Rica as well as present new opportunities for the future. We will return to Costa Rica on March 17, 2011.

If it would be convenient in your church calendar for us to be with you in a service or Sunday School class, please feel free to email us at russandlynnturner@yahoo.com  or call us at our USA phone number – 859-351-7078. We would consider it a privilege to come to your church!

Several churches and individuals have sent special Christmas offerings during the month of December. Thank you for this special token of your love toward us! We have been able to channel several hundred dollars to other servants of the Lord through your generosity. Philippians 4:15-19 is still being practiced today even though it was written nearly 2000 years ago!

I must say with the Apostle Paul, “Though I am the least deserving of all God’s people, he graciously gave me the privilege of telling the Gentiles (the unreached) about the endless treasures available to them in Christ.” There is no greater thrill than winning another person to Jesus Christ!

May each of you enjoy this special season when we celebrate our Lord’s coming to this earth! He became poor so that we might become rich!

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

After the Apostle Paul had finished three missionary journeys in Asia Minor, Galatia, Macedonia, and Achaia, using Antioch as his sending church—he wrote to the Roman church and told them of his plans to go to Spain with the gospel (Romans 15:24). He also stated that he hoped the church in Rome would serve as his sending church for this new endeavor to carry the gospel to the westernmost reaches of the Roman empire.

Why the history lesson? God is opening a new chapter in our lives as well. We have spent 32 years in Costa Rica, first in the Caribbean coastal area of Limon, and then in the mountain highlands of San Ramon. God has allowed us to build two well-grounded, self-supporting churches in large cities, and five mission churches in outlying villages.

Lynn and I are now planning to direct our efforts toward a new area in northern Costa Rica with soulwinning, discipling, and church planting. We will also be more involved in conference speaking among Latin American churches. We are excited to see national leadership step up and take responsibility for existing ministries, thus allowing us to begin new ministries. All of this is with the ever-important aim of bringing the news of salvation to the unreached, and growing new believers in the faith.

You, as a prayer partner or financial supporter, have played an important part in our ministry to the Hispanic world. God, our Father, has used you to help us in getting the gospel to thousands of people in need of spiritual help.

Thank you for your sincere prayers, your financial support, and your friendship and love toward us. You have granted us the privilege to be your missionaries in Central America!
Every sacrifice that you or we may make will be greatly rewarded when we stand before our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Let us be faithful in our tasks until Jesus comes!

Again, let me encourage you to send us an email address if you are receiving a hard copy of this letter. Snail mail from Costa Rica to the USA still takes about 15 days!

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

Rainy season is definitely here with all its peripheral damage, such as flooded rivers, washed out bridges and highways, and stranded people in towns and villages. Many Costa Ricans voice their opinion in the news saying that it’s the same old promises made by the government every four years, but no improvements are ever made.

In spite of political and social unrest in the world, our God is still working in lives. We had youth camp last week with 64 teenagers in attendance. Many good decisions were made by these youth and one young man was saved.

The main churches in San Ramon and Limon are doing well as they face spiritual battles and enjoy spiritual victories. Some of the mission churches are struggling, but others are growing and having vibrant services. The Sunday School teachers and workers are excited to be in service to the Lord. They are a great help in the ministry. We constantly see people coming to the Lord in personal witness and church services. That is what we are here for!

More than ever, we are experiencing an onslaught of satanic attack in families, ministries, and individual lives. This causes us to depend more and more upon prayer, the power of God’s Word, and the presence of God’s Spirit within us. On this spiritual beachhead, the devil throws his forces at us. But we are confident in the fact that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ and His power within us is greater than he who is in the world!

Thank you for your prayers, financial support, and occasional notes and letters. Email is a wonderful tool! Podcasts are a wonderful blessing! I listen to messages almost daily from a number of pastors and friends. Again, let me encourage you to send us an email address if you are receiving a hard copy of this letter. Snail mail from Costa Rica to the USA is still about 15 days!

Perhaps Jesus will come this year! Until then, let us all be faithful!

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

As we rapidly advance through this year of 2010, I am keenly aware of the great part you play in our ministry. With the Apostle Paul in Colossians 4:2, I ask that you…

“continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving, withal praying also for us,
that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ…
that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”

Opportunities abound as God places people in our path that need Christ in their lives. Only He can give hope, forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life! His mercy and grace are abundant to all of us.

During the past 12 months, we have received notification from several churches that they were dropping our support. The two reasons given have been: (1) the financial recession has affected the church’s finances and they are no longer able to support their missionaries; (2) the church has decided to support “less for more”—they will support a lesser number of missionaries for a larger amount of monthly support. None have dropped us because of doctrinal or philosophical disagreements.

We have started seven churches in our 31 years in Costa Rica. These churches support a total of 18 missionary families or national pastors. We emphasize faithfulness in tithes and offerings in order that our missionary families may stay “on the field” and continue to do the ministry that God has called them to do. Lynn and I do not spend a lot of time in the States on deputation or visiting churches. Our trips to the States are for the purpose of seeing our boys before they deploy to a war zone, attend a wedding or funeral, or to take care of a medical need.

I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to you for standing with us. Many of you make great sacrifices in order that God’s message of salvation may go out to other parts of the world. These sacrifices will be rewarded one day at the judgment seat of Christ! Let us all be faithful in doing our part so that others may hear the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ our Lord!

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

Thank you for praying for Rachel, our daughter, during these past two months. She has been in Haiti since the earthquake, and has seen the protective hand of God in her life numerous times in the very cradle of voodoo. May we never forget that the angel of the Lord encamps round about them that fear Him and delivers them!

Recently I was preaching in the south zone of Costa Rica. As I traveled a dirt road through the jungle, a man flagged me down and asked me to carry him to the next village. His wife had gone into labor and he wanted to take her to the hospital. (Even in the jungle, we find cell phones!) As we hurried toward his village, I began to witness to him. I told him that it was no coincidence that his wife had gone into labor at this time, that he had come out to the road at that moment, and that I happened to be driving by—this was ordained by God so that he could be saved. A few minutes later I pulled off the road and Joel bowed his head and received Christ as Savior!

Last week, Lynn and I were in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica. I had previously given literature to the manager of the small hotel in that area. On this trip, I had the opportunity to sit down with him and explain the plan of salvation. Luis readily accepted Christ as Savior! What a joy to see a person pass from death unto life and become a child of God!

During the month of March, the Los Corales Baptist Church in Limon, which we founded in 1981, celebrated their 29th anniversary. Calvary Baptist Church in San Ramon, which we founded in 1985, celebrated their 25th anniversary. What an encouragement to see these churches thrive and work for God! The mission churches and preaching points which have sprung out of these churches are growing as well! Just two weeks ago, I baptized eleven new believers!

Lynn and I are so thankful for your prayers and support for us. You make it possible for us to serve the Lord in Costa Rica. Thank you for extra offerings that are sent from time to time. These funds are properly directed to further the ministry of Christ—building churches, buying literature, helping national pastors, and providing instruction in Bible Institutes to new workers.

We are praying for you (churches, pastors, and individuals) as difficult financial times have come to all. Our Heavenly Father loves His children and will provide for our needs!

Look around the rest of this site to read more information about our ministry in Costa Rica.

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

For the first time in eight years, we had all three of our children at home for Christmas. God has graciously spared our boys’ lives during their tours in Iraq and the Middle East as well as protecting Rachel in her many travels with SCORE International. (She will be going to Haiti with a relief team very soon.)

The months of December, January, and February are school vacation in Costa Rica; thus there are many activities around the year’s end and the beginning of the New Year. Our church dedicated much effort to the presentation of a Christmas cantata. We later enjoyed a great service and fellowship supper to end the year on December 31.

The first week of January was youth camp. Time was spent in counselor training and the preparation of heart-searching messages. Food had to be bought and prepared for 156 hungry young people. Activities, games, and competitions had to be organized. Youth camp is the highlight of the year for our young people!

As Randall Carrillo, the bus driver, and I returned from camp, I began witnessing to him. Before we arrived home, he expressed the desire to accept Christ as his Savior. We pulled off the road and bowed our heads in prayer as he asked the Lord Jesus to come into his heart! There were three professions of faith in Christ at youth camp, including one young man who was a Satanist!

Several of our supporting churches and individuals have sent Christmas offerings above the regular support. Thank you so much for this generous gift! We have been able to cover several year-end expenses as well as give to other missionaries and workers who also had needs. It is a joy to be a channel of blessing to others—you give to us, and we give to others!

Lynn had to have surgery at the hospital in San Jose last week. Please pray for her recuperation. She is a great help in the work! God gave me a wonderful wife! This past November marked the completion of 31 years of service in Costa Rica. God has been so good to us!

Please continue to pray for the national pastors and young men who are preparing for the ministry. We must prepare others to take our place in the future. Pray that lost souls will be receptive to the gospel and be saved.

Thank you for your faithful financial support. We are privileged to have the best supporters in the world! God bless you all during this New Year of 2010!

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

We returned to Costa Rica three weeks ago after completing a trip to the States to take care of several important needs. What a blessing to see how the churches continue to move forward with the ministry of the gospel! As a result of the Sunday School seminar (mentioned in our last letter), we have seen the formation of a new believer’s class. This has raised interest and excitement in the lives of new believers who want to be grounded in the Word of God and live a life of faith and commitment to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Recently we participated in a pastors’ conference and received encouragement and teaching from the Word through the messages of several invited pastors. It was a great blessing to see many national pastors with whom we have partnered in the ministry. We are now seeing “spiritual grandchildren” in their ministries—those who have answered the call of God through the preaching of men that we have helped to train. This confirms that never-ending cycle which Paul mentions in II Timothy 2:2 -“And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

As I look over our financial statement at the end of the month and see your name listed and the mission support that you send, I pray for you and God’s blessing upon your life. It also reminds me of pleasant times that we have spent together in fellowship at some point in the past thirty-two years of mission service. Thank you for being an important part of the gospel outreach in Costa Rica and other countries where we have an influence.

The devil doesn’t give up easily as we snatch souls from his grasp through the gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ. Carlos, a 17 year-old boy, recently received Christ and wanted to be baptized. As he mounted the bus to come to church, his religious mother ran out to the bus screaming at him not to “convert to another religion.” Needless to say this created an embarrassing scene for the young man and we had to give some needed counsel about how to respect our parents and at the same time follow God’s commands. There are no easy answers to many of life’s problems, but God’s grace is sufficient and His power is exceedingly abundant to help us in a time of need.

May God bless you as we near the year’s end of 2009!

Working together for Christ,
Russ and Lynn Turner

According to Wikipedia, San Ramon, Costa Rica now has a population of 155,861 people. The town has doubled in size since we moved there and started Calvary Baptist Church, the only Baptist church in town. We are so thankful for the opportunity to witness and win souls for our Lord in that area.

Calvary Baptist Church has served as the catalyst for the formation of several mission churches. Recently we sent $800 to put the roof on a new jungle church in Girasoles. We sent $500 to finish the roof of another church in Betania. We sent $200 to build benches for the new church in Aguas Zarcas. These churches are pastored by Costa Rican men who have answered God’s call to preach the gospel.

Our church recently hosted a Sunday School Seminar with 23 excited workers in attendance. Most of these were new candidates for service in Sunday School and Bible clubs. Please pray for national pastors and workers. Pray for the conferences that we promote that they may be an encouragement and a source of learning for these eager servants of the Lord. Pray for our health and strength to continue in evangelistic outreach to those who haven’t heard the gospel. As God supplies, we continue to be a channel to help establish and build new churches and supply the needs for benches, songbooks, Bibles, Sunday School literature and tracts.

There are many homes, villages, and towns that need a gospel witness who can tell them that salvation is truly by the grace of God through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent?  Several supporters have sent special offerings, both large and small, to help in the ministry. Thank you for your sacrifice. We channel these funds directly into the formation and development of Bible-preaching, local churches.

Thank you for your prayers and faithful support to us and our ministry.

Working together for Christ,

Russ and Lynn Turner

Lynn and I are happy and thankful to the Lord that we can serve in Costa Rica. It is a great reward for our labors when we see national pastors taking the churches that we have established to new spiritual and numerical levels. Yes, there are battles; but the victory is ours through our Lord Jesus Christ. More stringent regulations are being placed upon the churches by the government which results in more costs to meet their demands. To date, we have not faced any visible persecution and strive to maintain a clean testimony before all men.

This past week I grabbed a taxi for a 20-minute drive. During our trip, I witnessed to the driver and gave him a tract. Later that evening, I called this same taxi driver and he shared with me that he had read the tract and received Christ as his Savior! Such are the blessings and encouragements that God gives us daily!

Youth camp was a great spiritual boost to the young people of our church. Several new youth were saved as well. These high school and college-age kids are busy in church activities such as evangelism, Sunday School classes, building maintenance, music, and tract distribution.

Richard, our younger son who is in the Marine Corps, was married on May 30. He will deploy for the second time to Iraq around August 1. Loralyn, his wife, will continue to live near his base in NC.

Rachel, our daughter, photo-journalist with SCORE International, is working with several missions teams in the Dominican Republic this summer. This organization is doing a great job in medical, sports, and evangelism missions in several Latin American countries.

Lathan, our older son in the USAF, has finished his tour at the Pentagon, and is considering several new options as he continues to live in the DC area. During Lathan’s visit for ten days, he and I climbed two volcanoes. As we trekked through the jungle, he commented, “When we get to heaven, I’m going to ask the Lord to give us a re-run of this trip, and show us all the snakes that didn’t bite us!” This was our first opportunity in twelve years to spend so much time together in outdoor activities, since he has been constantly deployed for the past several years in Iraq, Sudan, England, and several other countries.

Thank you for praying for us in our ministry. Your financial support is greatly appreciated as well. We are thankful for the opportunity to represent you, your church, and above all, our Lord Jesus Christ, in Costa Rica.

Working together for Christ,

Russ and Lynn Turner