Hello everyone,

We hope this letter finds you all doing well. Most of you on this mailing list are living in the U.S. and are probably experiencing the crisp cool season of Fall. Well…down here, we are in the heart of what we call “rainy-season” or “low-season”. Last month we endured about 10 consecutive days of heavy rains, of which you might have heard about in the news… major flooding in Costa Rica and Nicaragua. On the other hand beauty of this time of year, in addition to lush greenery, is that it gives locals some time to slow down and enjoy things like a good read, lingering conversations with friends/strangers, and time to visit with family. And for me… it makes for good time to write an update letter. So here we go….

Family-
For those of you who didn’t know already, the Watson family has just had a new addition… a new baby boy in the family. His name is Wolfgang Thomas Watson, and he was born on August 29^th/5:45AM/3.5 kilos/20.25 inches. Stacey, Wolfie, Olivia and I are all doing well…. enjoying the “diaper years” together. After Wolfie’s birth, my (Lyle) parents came down for two weeks to help with the adjustment to two babies, and Stacey’s parents will be visiting in November.

Café Café -
The café continues to be a great place of outreach…. Especially in the rainy season. Slower business has made for more meaningful interactions with locals as they aren’t’ in such a hurry to get back to work. Thank you for your prayers in regard to this ministry as we sense and see God moving as salt and light through the Café.

New news with volunteers at the Café is that two new youth ministry interns at our church (Brandon and Leanne)… have been volunteering at the café on Mondays. This is a Godsend as it allows me a day to take care of responsibilities at the church, errands, and other behind the scenes sort of stuff. In addition, since they’ve come, the Café has become a fairly regular gathering place for youth events such as movie nights, scavenger hunts, etc.

(PICTURE)Just last weekend, the Café served as a roadside site for our “reflector program” outreach that Stacey began a few years back. Unfortunately Costa Rica has one of the highest incidences of roadside fatalities in the world. This is partially because many Costa Ricans use bicycles for transportation back and forth to work each day. In fact, just last week a man was struck and seriously injured by a car right in front of the Café. With this in mind, every so often Stacey rallies the youth group to set up roadside sites to stop cyclists and place reflector tape on their bikes. In addition to the reflector tape, they give out booklets in Spanish containing a short message of God’s love for them and the Gospel of John.

Other ways that we have been able to interact with the community through the café are:

• People meeting with clients for business meetings
• Meeting for Women’s ministry event
• Local womens book reading group
• People meeting here for Spanish lessons/tutoring
• The café is a drop-off point for items being collected in a relief-effort for flood victims.

Just last week, a couple came into the café and asked about the church… then confessed that they were really “scouting out” the type of church we are, then I saw them at church the following Sunday. More than anything, it is exciting for Stacey and I to see the Café coming to maturity as a place of ministry and connecting with non-believers.

Beach Community Church (BCC)
My role at Beach Community church continues to be primarily in worship leading, but lately I’ve found myself in the realm of publicity and web design (www.costaricachurch.com). In addition, I will be leading my first ever Adult Christian Ed class at BCC on the core values of our church. Please pray God’s guidance for me as I prepare and lead these lessons.

Stacey has continued to co-lead a womens bible study in Playa Avellanas (15 minutes south of us) and the women’s “mommy group”. The bible study continues to grow in depth of relationship and in numbers. And Mommy Group continues to be a success in providing a place of community and encouragement for women in the area. If you could be a fly on the wall when Stacey comes home from these gatherings…. It’s exciting for me to hear each week what a blessing these groups are for the women who come.

Thank you again for all of your prayers and support. Please see the prayer requests below to know how to support and pray for us.

Grace and Peace,

Lyle & Stacey

Prayer requests-

• Adult Christian Education Class- that people would be encouraged in their identity as Christians and strengthened in their faith.
• God would meet our financial needs…. Blessing the Café, providing alternative means and opportunities for Stacey and I to earn additional income, and increased financial contributions to our ministry.
• Blessing of our outreach efforts through the Café, through the Church Christmas caroling events, and through the daily witness of our church community.

How to Get Involved

You can contribute financially through our non-profit sponsors at ACI. There are instructions on making contributions and a link to ACI on our website at www.tamarindochurch.com.

• Please donate used books to Café Café.
• Donate second hand clothes or children school supplies for local poor families.
• Contact Lyle to make donations of books or clothes. (tamarindochurch@aol.com)