PRAISE BE TO GOD!!!!!

Us with our new 1997 4x4 Isuzu Trooper at Camp La Cumbre Costa Rica!!! Thank you to all who prayed and contibuted financially to this much needed purchase.

PRAYER NEEDED

THE LONG FAMILY

Please pray for our financial situation. This is probably one of the least favorite things that missionaries all around the world have to deal with, asking for money!! We are assured that this is the Biblical mandate not only for the missioanries on the field but for every believer. We are all called to go out and make discilpes. Some are called to go to a foreign field and some are called to support those who leave, but as one body we are all called to reach a lost and dying world.

Mark will be heading back to the states for the month of November. First please pray for our protection while he is gone. Second, please pray that there will be much fruit that comes out of this trip. It is very difficult to do what God has called us to do here effectivly when having to keep up financially by flying back to the states. We are confident that the Lord will provide. He always has, but we need to do are part and that is to ask. There has never been a time in our lives that He has not given us all we have need of. In light of this we are asking you to partner with us in prayer for the petitions Mark will be making. He is planning and sending letters now and will be asking many people for appointments for the month of Novemeber. If you know of anyone who may be interested in sewing into the lives of the people of Costa Rica please give Mark their names. If anyone has any connections with mission committes of other churches please send that our way as well. We are asking that every saint we know on earth and every saint in heaven would pray with us for this effort.

As we build the kingdom of Christ together, we offer you are thanks for your continued prayer and financial support.

With grateful and hopeful hearts,

Mark & Marge, Serena & Eden Kay Long

I.Y.G.'S FIRST OFFICIAL LOCK-IN!!!!

Mark and Marge Long, Directors of the I.Y.G.
Half the group watching a performance

Yellow team rocks the house??

Blue team rocks the house??

This was our first official quarterly youth group lock-in. 50 kids showed up to spend the ENTIRE night with us:) It was a blast. Crissy Ann, one of our adult helpers did an amazing job organizing the event. The youth had games, songs, skits, scavanger hunts, movies, lots of pizza and food and fun was had by all, yes even us old folk!! We are blessed to be leading such an amazing, on fire for the Lord group of youth.

LA PROGRAMA DE AVENTURA

MARK CAPTURED IN A TEACHING MOMENT ON TOP OF PICO BLANCO

MARK ,HIS PARTNER ORLANDO & THE 11 BOYS ENROLLED IN THE PROGRAM

La Programa de Adventura (The Adventure Program) that Mark is helping to develop and implement is being realized in the community of La Carpio. It is a 2 1/2 year program designed to revive a God given strength that men are born with. It's main objective is to develop an example - based discipleship and experiencial practice of Chritianity in a context of contact with nature and study of the Holy Scriptures. The secondary objectives of the program are to help these young men prioritize the main values of life. To rescue the social responsibility of loving your neighbor by living an other centered life. To be an example to others in the community by living a fruitful life. To bring out the manual skills and physical abilities that lay hidden in a sedintary lifestyle. There are Three levels of the program. Each level involves different life skills and build on the other. The program leads up to level Three where these young men will have the opportunity to live out all they have learned by an extreme camping experience. Please pray with us as Mark and his partner Orlando seek to love these young men in word and deed. If you are interested in being involved with this effort in any way please email us at, markandmarge@gmail.com.

HOPE TO THE FORGOTTEN OF LA CARPIO

HEADING DOWN TO THE RIVER
OUR HUMBLE CLINIC IN AN OLD CHURCH BY THE RIVER

THE HIKE BACK UP

The community we work in, La Carpio literaly goes down hill. The less you have, the further down by the river you live. There are appoximatley 40,000 living in this community. My Boss and I, Marge, have just started a nino sano (well-baby) clinic down by the river. It is an attempt to reach out to those who feel forgotten down by the river. They have no other medical help offered to them. It aslo gives us more opportunity to be seen, known and trusted in the community. We offer well baby appointments free of charge for the families close to the river. Parents can bring their infant to 4 year olds and we measure their weight & height vs. age, we test and chart their developmental stages, and we offer education on nutrition including the importance and bennefits of breast feeding, dental health, and child development stimulation. We are cable of following them from infantcy to 4 years old therfore allwoing us a unique opportunity to develop a lasting realtionship with these families. We aslo have a unique opportunity to speak with them about Jesus and pray with them. Currently I am developing a parenting class that we will offer in conjunction with this effort to encourage young parents to take the resposibility of parenting seriously. One main goal in offering these classes is to teach Christian priciples & Christian character that God lays out in His word to raise our children to be spiritually, emotionally, and educationally equipped for a bright future. These priciples are life changing and will enable these parents to have the self worth and dignity needed to change thier childrens lives and eventually their community. This program is visioned to begin January 1, 2010. Please partner with us in prayer as we step out. If you are interested in being involved in some way please email me, markandmarge@gmail.com, there will be many ways that you can contribute from where you are.

Summer fun & fellowship for our kids 2009

Going back to Costa Rica party with friends!!!

Serena & Eden with best friends in front of the missions house Birmingham, Al.

Serena & Eden had the opportunity to spend a month and a half in the states with the most incredible group of friends I think any kids have ever had. They were gifted with a trip to the beach with the college group at our home church... Shades Mountain Ind. Church in Birmingham Al. They were also taken on the Jr./Sr. High beach retreat with thier youth group. Serena had the opportunity to perform for another local missionary. Eden was able to work at Camp Staright Street with the famous Jawoo!!! as a camp counslor and received her first pay check. They were showered by the love of Christ through their B'ham family. They were also fed spiritually by the ministry of SMIC!!! Thanks to all who made this trip so special.