by Melanny Prado

I am fourteen years old. And for today, I am a tour guide– but not just any tour guide. I’m a missionary kid translating for SCORE groups in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Jumping off the bus today, I met the group with two SCORE missionaries, and we began walking downtown, surrounded by people hurrying by. The sun was hot and made us sweat. I smelled McDonalds mixed with the body odor from people walking by. Some Ticos (the nickname for Costa Ricans) sat talking about politics, the world cup, and life’s problems. When I walked by them with the group, the Ticos stopped talking and stared at the tall, blond Americans.

I stayed with Dana, a young woman traveling with Go Tell Ministries. She began talking with two young girls sitting on a bench. She gave them a bracelet of many colors and explained what each color meant while I translated.

Soon after, I met a woman with three children named Victoria. While talking she told me she could get to Heaven by being a good person. I explained that the only way was by believing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Viviana understood the Gospel and prayed for Jesus to save her. She began a relationship with God!

Being a missionary kid has been great because I meet a lot of different people like the Americans and Viviana. I’ve learned that we kids have to support our parents. Sometimes it’s hard, but in the end, I see how much my work is appreciated. I thank God for the opportunity of having parents that serve the Lord!

Melanny Prado lives in San Jose, Costa Rica, with missionary parents Jose and Gaby Prado. She attends Sojourn Academy, and enjoys meeting new people.

by Ron Bishop

From our basement, it all began! What was actually born in my heart has become a miracle. It is truly a work of God. I really wish I could take some credit. Today, Pat and I are just honored to be a small part of what God has done and is doing. It is His ministry!

As a pastor, coach, teacher…..I always added to a foundation laid by others. When I became interim pastor of Calvary Baptist Church, there were already close to 600 people coming on campus every week! When I resigned there were still around 550 faithful attendees. Many pastors inherit and build upon the work of others!

However, when you are the church planter or the founder of an organization, you view everything differently. You were there when it was born. You, and you alone, changed the diapers, arose in the middle of the night to attend the problems, and guided and nurtured it through difficulties. You navigated it through the changes, the storms, and the growth.

The miracle of SCORE International is a tribute to the sovereignty of God. Today, as I sit in my office alone, I recall what God has done. We have a multi-million dollar budget, over 100 staff members, physical assets, no debt, missions training centers, and over 30,000 alumni who have traveled the world on short term missions trips. No doubt hundreds of thousands of people will gather around the throne to praise the ONE who cast the vision, initiated the work, and engaged us in His plan.

Few people have the privilege to sit at the founder’s desk. The danger is to grab some glory! Nonsense….when you realize where you were, how you got here, and where your journey ends. Looking at the land, the buildings, the facilities, and all the world-class assets we have, I cannot imagine HOW it happened. Beyond all of that, I can see people, faces, hearts, lives changed and churches planted. I can see a multitude of disciples who will carry the cross to the next generation. I can see people we have poured our lives into, carry the ministry that will not BEAR MY NAME. I want NO building named after me. I desire not one credit or mention. I cringe today when I am introduced to speak.

My greatest satisfaction is knowing that God would use a person with gross disadvantages, dysfunctional heritage, sinful, proud and arrogant, truly a worm such as I am……equip with gifts that He gave, edify, and engage in His work. All along the way, I have watched the good hand of God as He guided me to be the earthly guardian of His Heavenly work on earth. It’s different when you claim to be the Founder! This was not a work that I inherited. But in reality, “I am not even the Founder!!” Surprise, surprise!

’til the nets are full,
Ron Bishop
Founder/Co-Director
ron@scoreinternational.org

http://www.scoreinternational.org

This morning we went to a school and did a program for kids ranging in ages of two to twelve years old. The kids thoroughly enjoyed watching the puppets singing the Spanish songs. They also loved coloring ball caps with gospel messages on them and playing with the parachute. Then in the afternoon, we spent time on the SCORE property painting the fence.

We ended our day by making sandwiches for homeless people in downtown San Jose. This was not a soup kitchen…we made sandwiches and bags of personal hygiene items with tracts that we handed on the street to homeless people. Talk about an eye opening experience! We learned that most of these people used to be professors, teachers, lawyers, and they allowed themselves to get involved in some sort of sin which eventually destroyed their lives. This was an experience that none of us will ever forget!

Yesterday was a great day for our group of athletes. We won both of our games. The girls dominated with a 40 point win and the guys put together their best game so far. After the games, Kori shared her testimony and then Coach Champion shared the gospel. 29 Costa Ricans responded. It was a long ride, three hours, but worth it to have an influence for Christ.

This morning the teams went to the downtown San Jose area and passed out over 1000 gospel tracts and witnessed to English speaking people. In an hour we are leaving for our games at a local Seminary. This is a special group of young people. Several of our basketball and volleyball players played at the NACA, and nearly every coach here has played or coached there. That has made a special bond between us.

Bob White, our director for this trip, learned of SCORE at the NACA twenty years ago. This July he is celebrating twenty years of mission trips to this country. It has been great to fellowship with him and to see his burden for these people.
His volleyball team is doing well.

For our youth – Dave Sekura

This is our second day serving the people of Costa Rica. We spent our day at a Preschool/Kindergarten. During our time at the school, we did a VBS type program similar to what we did at the orphanage in both the morning and the afternoon. In addition, we used a parachute to play with the kids followed by making animal balloons that they could take home.
At this point in the week, we are constantly seeing the many things that God has to teach us. We are so excited to see what God is going to teach us the rest of the week.

David joined the SCORE staff after spending six years at the University of
Tennessee at Chattanooga working for four years as the Associate Head
Basketball Coach for the Mocs.

During his time at UTC, the program won three Southern Conference Divisional
Championships, two Southern Conference Tournament Championships, and
played twice in the NCAA Tournament.

David has been coaching at the collegiate level for more than twenty years. He is
a graduate of Furman University where he was a point guard and three year captain of the
Paladins.

David is joined in ministry by his wife Becky, a graduate of Mars Hill College.
Becky has spoken to women’s groups and led Bible studies throughout the southeast.

David and Becky have ministered to players, coaches, and coaches wives on
many different levels in the United States and Internationally. They have
been on mission trips to Brazil, Chile, and Peru. They recently spent time
in the Dominican Republic doing clinics and serving at local
orphanages.

“Becky and I are so excited to be involved with SCORE and the life
changing message they share. We look forward to the chance to introduce
young athletes and coaches to the blessings of short term mission trips,” said David.

David and Becky have two children: Andrew and FaithAnn.

While we have been in Costa Rica, we have been spending time with God in the morning by reading the book of John and the book of Ephesians. Then at night we do a group Bible study and worship time which allows us to think about all the things that we have seen and learned throughout the day. These times help to keep us focused on our mission here in Costa Rica which is to serve God and serve the Costa Rican people.

Today was our first day serving the people of Costa Rica. We have all been trying to learn as much Spanish as possible as well as learning about the culture here in Costa Rica, so today we started our day by taking a public bus to a walking mall in downtown San Jose. While we were there we spent our time handing out tracts and talking with as many people as we possibly could before lunchtime. This was a great experience for many of us to break out of our shells and try to minister to people that did not necessarily speak English. It was a great experience seeing how God can work through us even though there is a bit of a language barrier.

During the afternoon, we traveled to a public orphanage to do a VBS type program for the kids. While we were there, we played with the kids and used puppets, music, skits, crafts, and illusions to share the gospel. This experience has really given many of us a passion to work more with orphans all over the world to show the least of these that they are truly loved.

Everyone arrived Saturday safe and sound. Coach Eric Champion and his family joined us Sunday. We went to church Sunday morning at Iglesia Bautista El Camino (The Way Baptist Church.) During the afternoon all teams traveled to their first games. The basketball teams played in Barva against local club teams. Both teams were victorious. It was a good start for both teams as we get to know each other and start to blend.

I’ll include the box scores tomorrow. After the game our players sang and then I shared the gospel. There were several who responded to the invitation. El Camino will follow up on them. We left our game and travelled across town to watch our volleyball team play. We had a great worship time together with the volleyball teams later that evening. This is a special group. This morning a few of us ran up “Heartbreak Hill”

outside of our hotel. It has a beautiful view, but the thin air made it tough! We leave in a few hours for our games and ministry.

For our youth in Costa Rica – Dave Sekura

This week has been amazing, we have seen the lives are many change for God’s glory! Yesterday we had the opportunity to share the gospel with one of the poorest part of Costa Rica. We shared with them the good new of Christ, and we were able to provide seven families with a bag of food. It made all of us very grateful for the things God has blessed us with. Last night we went door to door inviting people to come see the Jesus movie; although, it started pouring down rain we still had many people come to see the movie, and we saw people come to Christ through that ministry. This morning we had the opportunity to share God’s love with some children at a government owned orphanage. We gave each child a gospel braclet, and Mr. Rick Gage shared with them what the braclet represented. This afternoon we had our last outting of street evangelism. A lot of the groups saw lives change right before their eyes. Tonight we will have a time of reflextion as well as a devotional. God has shown us many things that we should be thankful for in America. Continue to pray for us, and for the souls of the people here in Costa Rica!

Thank,

Go Tell Staff/ Corinth Church