She gave her life to Christ—because a teenager prayed

October 21, 2025October 21, 2025

Lindsay Blake

It all started with a prayer.

Students in House Church’s youth ministry began asking if they could go on a mission trip. Together with their leaders, they prayed specifically for God to open the door to a Spanish-speaking country. The Dominican Republic, Cuba, El Salvador, Costa Rica—all were on the list.

Then came confirmation. A new friend—unaware of their prayers—began talking about his partnership with Christ For the City in Costa Rica. The church was barely two and a half years old, but they knew God was leading. They said yes.

That’s how four adults and twelve high school students, ages 13–18, found themselves serving with CFCI in San José. Their days were full—VBS, sports ministry, crafts, worship, street walks, food distribution, prayer, testimonies, and worship gatherings. Their evenings were filled with stories of how God was moving.

One unforgettable moment happened in Tirrases. While the team walked the streets, one student felt the Spirit urging him to stop and pray with a young mom caring for three children. She gave her life to Christ on the spot. Days later, her mother passed away. The team attended the wake, where Enrique, a CFCI leader, shared the news of her decision to follow Jesus. Because one student obeyed, the gospel was proclaimed to an entire family in the middle of their grief.

For Pastor Jordan Fuller, the trip was not only life-giving for his students but deeply transformational for him as a leader.

“I realized that trying to ‘do it all’ can actually rob others of the chance to be used by God,” Jordan said. “Watching Him work through our students grew my faith tremendously.”

The impact of the trip went far beyond Costa Rica. Just weeks later, tragedy struck when a student in their youth ministry passed away unexpectedly.

“The grief was devastating,” Jordan said. “But because of what we had just experienced in Costa Rica, our faith was stronger, our unity was deeper, and our hope in Christ was unshaken. God poured into us there so we could pour His love out here, even in the midst of grief.”