Update

 We have decided to stay on Kauai to have the baby, and then return to Costa Rica in Early January, 2013. However, Ben will be returning to CR for the month of June to host teams and wrap up many things, as well as renew his visa.

Exciting News!

Dear friends and family,

Greetings from sunny Kauai! After Ben finished the Environment and Resource Stewardship school (EARS) at YWAM Heredia, Costa Rica we began on our journey for the States, starting with a week in LA, CA with friends and then on to Kauai to visit Taja's family and home church until the end of May.

Rewinding a bit and looking back on Ben's time as an EARS student we are so grateful for the opportunity he has had to grow and learn in the areas of resource stewardship and creation care. Ben and his group were able to create many working models on the base at YWAM Heredia, including a solar clothes dryer and solar water heater. As well as caring for our animals (goats, chickens, rabbits and horses) and expanding the organic gardens. Now he is excited to put into practice what he has learned and teach others the importance of organic farming and sustainability in our world today.

While Ben was studying in EARS Taja continued to serve in many areas on the base including administration, hospitality and kitchen coordination. We were blessed with several volunteers in the months of January and February as well as a team from the School of Biblical Studies (SBS) at YWAM Kona, HI. This was very exciting for Taja, in that, since she participated in the SBS in Alberta, Canada in 2004 she has had the desire to bring that type of Bible training to Costa Rica. The SBS team taught Bible study seminars at local churches, began a local study at our base, and also participated in our Bible distribution program. We also were able to keep up with a weekly outreach to the homeless in the city of Heredia as well as a discipleship program at a local rehab center.

In other news, we are excited to share with you that we are expecting a baby! Taja is three months pregnant and the projected due date in October 25! We are very grateful to God for the incredible blessing and would appreciate your prayers for guidance and wisdom as we embark on the journey of parenthood. 

Love and blessings,
Ben and Taja

taja.clancy@gmail.com

teluris@gmail.com

To send donations

Please send checks to: 

Taja Clancy

C/O Sheila Clancy

PO Box 1621

Hanalei, HI 96714

If you would like to make a tax deduction donation send your check to:

YWAM Tyler, Accounting Dept.

PO Box 3000,Tyler TX 75771-3000. 

Please make the check out to Youth With A Mission and do not put our names anywhere on the check, but enclose a separate note stating that it is for Taja Clancy.

Or for tax deductible donations on line at: Mission Enablers International http://meigiving.com/mei Just enter our account number 9056.

(Costa Rican) Mexican Soup

For soup

1 large bone-in chicken breast (or 2-3 boneless filets)

10 cups of water

Chicken bullion for quantity of water (measurement depends on type of bullion)

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 bell pepper (red or green) chopped

4 cloves garlic minced

2 stalks of celery chopped (including tops if available)

1 carrot chopped

1 small bunch cilantro chopped (including stems)

3 green onions chopped (including bulb)

A dash of black pepper

Cooked long grain white rice (optional)

For topping

8 oz fresh white cheese cubed (if you use fresh mozzarella, add a bit of salt)

5 ripe small Hass avocados cubed

20 corn tortillas cut into squares and deep fried until golden and crispy

1 8 oz can jalapeño peppers chopped (optional)

Boil chicken breast in bullion and water until cooked through. While chicken is cooking chop vegetables and sautee until tender, being careful not to add green onion and cilantro until the other veggies are almost completely done. Remove breast from stock, separate meat from bone and shred or chop. Return meat to stock, discard bone. Add veggies to stock and a dash of pepper. Allow to simmer until heated through and flavors marry. (If you use boneless, skinless breasts you can skip sauteeing the veggies and just add them directly to the water, adding the green onions and cilantro a few minutes before turning soup off).

Serve soup with (a scoop of rice) cheese, avocado (jalapeño) and chips on top.

From Taja and Ben December 2011!

First of all we want to send out a big THANK YOU to everyone who supported us with prayer and finances this year! We could not do this without you!

The past few months have brought many changes in our lives. We moved a good distance away from the YWAM base here in Heredia (to the Alajuela province), the Lord provided us with a vehicle, and then we moved back. Even though our house was spacious and beautiful it was just too far away. And we realized that we could not afford both rent and transportation from such a distance. On the other hand our current Discipleship Training School left for outreach in Panama on December 6th, leaving the base without live-in care takers. So we decided the most logical thing all around would be to move back here for the month of December, and then look for a place closer by for January when the next school starts.

In October I (Taja) had the opportunity to teach in the Biblical Core Course (BCC) at YWAM San Jose, Costa Rica. Many of you might remember that I participated in a similar program, the School of Biblical Studies (SBS) in Canada in 2004. Well the BCC is like a condensed version of the SBS. Both schools team the inductive method of Bible study, read the whole Bible to get the big picture, as well as detailed study of each book (SBS) or a selection of books (BCC). I was asked to teach on the book of Titus to a group of young leaders, how fitting! The nine students were both challenged and encouraged by the themes of the importance of sound doctrine and good works. The inductive method leads the students to ask questions such as: who was Titus? What was life like on Crete? What was his biggest opposition? And of course, how can I apply these principals to my life personally? God has given me a love for teaching and I am looking forward to future opportunities to teach the Word of God.

Ben has been working hard promoting YWAM Heredia and GreenHands. He was supervisor for our first intern from Whitworth University from the beginning of September until the beginning of December and he continues to visit the drug rehab center every Monday to bring the hope of the gospel, as well as follow up and discipleship to new believers. This month we will also be taking the Good News to the streets of Heredia every Tuesday night, bringing food, hot coffee and the love of God to many who live there. This is also a continuation of one of YWAM Heredia's ongoing local outreaches. Ben also plans to join the student body of our upcoming Environment and Resource Stewardship School which begins in January.

This month we have several volunteers from the States and Canada which is a blessing during a time when most people would rather stay at home with family. We also have our annual nation YWAM staff retreat at YWAM Nicoya, Costa Rica from Dec 14-18. We are grateful to God to be busy doing what we love in such a peaceful and beautiful country!

We would love to receive your updates and Christmas letters and know how we can pray for you! Our contact info is:

Taja Clancy and Benjamin Jarquin

Apartado 2542-3000

Heredia, Costa Rica

Taja's cell: +506 8312 1218

Ben's cell: +506 8865 6488

Office: +506 2267 7063

Skype: taja.clancy

taja.clancy@gmail.com

teluris@gmail.com

To send donations:

Please send checks to:

Taja Clancy

C/O Sheila Clancy

PO Box 1621

Hanalei, HI 96714

PayPal: taja.clancy@gmail.com

If you would like to make a tax deduction donation send your check to:

YWAM Tyler, Accounting Dept.

PO Box 3000,Tyler TX 75771-3000.

Please make the check out to Youth With A Mission and do not put our names anywhere on the check, but enclose a separate note stating that it is for Taja Clancy.

Or for tax deductible donations on line at: Mission Enablers International http://meigiving.com/mei just enter our account number 9056.

Wishing you a joyous Savior’s birthday and blessed New Year!

Love,

Taja and Ben