From Doctors Alekcey Murillo-Alfaro and Judith Dunteman May 2011
...Now about Marcelo, the 21 year old young man who became a Christian while your husband (Paul Abbott) and Michael Stephens were here:
Marcelo belongs to a family in our community that is known for being difficult and troublesome. The Lord has laid them on our hearts to pray for them for a few years now. He grew up without his father (an alcoholic who lives about an hour's drive away), and his mother has had a series of men in her life, resulting in several children with different fathers. He has a 6th grade education, and has had to work very hard from early on to help support his mother and younger brothers and sisters. About 6 weeks ago, the Lord laid it on our hearts to ask him to work full-time in maintenance at the Centro Emanuel (where we live and our "base camp of operations" is located). We knew that this was going to be an opportunity for us to speak truth into his life, and to demonstrate the love of God to him through our words and actions. We had been waiting for the Lord's timing and the right opportunity in presenting the gospel to him.
Clinic and living quarters at Centro Emanuel.
When we showed up at the Centro Emanuel with Paul and Michael, we felt that it was another opportunity to speak God's truth into his life. God used Paul and Michael's testimonies to reveal His truth to Marcelo when he asked them why they would leave their home, country, and stability to come down to Costa Rica and serve others. The conversation continued in the kitchen with Michael and Alekcey, who presented the gospel to him. Right there by the stove (they were frying plantains) they prayed with Marcelo to receive Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
Lori, Paul, Judith, and Alekcey in the kitchen.
The following morning, before we left for San Jose, Paul sat with him and drew out the diagram of our flesh, mind, and spirit, and the Trinity. It has been pretty much like starting from scratch. Marcelo's spiritual background has been limited (He had heard of Jesus - that he had healed people and loved people, and that people prayed to him for healing - but that was about it). We continue to pray for him and speak truth into his life, and Dan Friedly (part of the missionary family living full-time at the Center) has begun to disciple him starting with the book of John. We have seen God's peace evident in his life; recently he has had to face rejection from other members of the community. Praise the Lord he is rejecting the former ways of his life, and is now embracing his new life in Christ. Please pray that the Holy Spirit would continue to teach him and open up his understanding, as well as strengthen him for the battle with his flesh.
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