A Rocky Little Road
I want to paint a picture of my life in Costa Rica. I apologize for not doing this sooner, but, as you can tell, I often find spiritual lessons more exciting and important to write about!
Everyday is filled with fellowship and community. Jason, Sarah, Saralyn, Luka, Nika, and I (+ others who stick around for short-term missions) have been a team for the past 2 1/2 months. We all truly love being together, so there are many nights of late FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out!) and many silly pranks, along with good conversation and worship times. God has blessed me so much with such solid, beautiful people to walk alongside in Costa Rica.
During the week, I spend 3 days down in my little coastal town of Uvita, serving Jason and Sarah at their house: laundry, household projects, food-prep, etc. On Thursday and Friday, I go up the mountain to Refugio Solte. There are always many random projects to do up there: yard work, painting, cleaning, etc. Life is constantly changing and we all run on "jungle time" (often crazy things just happen and we all end up working together to "tame the elements"!).
When teams come in, everything changes! Last month, we had 4 teams come and go from the mountain. It was a busy time, but I enjoyed serving in the kitchen and getting to know people from all over the world! At times, it's hard to maintain perspective: how can washing dishes impact the Kingdom of God? How can scrubbing floors make a difference? One day, Jason was helping me to understand that God's Kingdom doesn't have hierarchy. He created a theocracy; therefore, no one's work is more or less important. Scrubbing toilets is as important as teaching a group of students!
Everyday, I walk or bike a rocky little road from the Cafe to Jason and Sarah's. There are trees with clumps of yellow flowers, hybiscus bushes, mango trees, coconuts, and many wonderful smells and sounds of the rainforest. It's incredible here. Everyday I encounter the beauty of God's heart; Uvita is truly a little paradise. In all this wonder, it's hard to justify difficulty; as the Lord desires my sanctification and holiness, He will refine me wherever I am, in whatever circumstance. The beauty doesn't counteract the difficulty, though it does help some days!
A highlight has been teaching Luka (7) and Niko (4) music lessons. As I teach, and as I spend time with the people around me, I realize the most important aspect of ministry is relationship. With every new day, I get to choose to make the most of the relationships around me; I get to choose to be content; I get to choose to engage and seek God's heart in the people around me! God is so faithful, and my heart is so full of gratitude for the marvelous works that He IS fulfilling!
Continue to pray for contentment, joy, satisfaction in Jesus, and clear vision for the remaining time. Thank you for your encouragement and for interceding on my behalf! Be blessed.
Everyday is filled with fellowship and community. Jason, Sarah, Saralyn, Luka, Nika, and I (+ others who stick around for short-term missions) have been a team for the past 2 1/2 months. We all truly love being together, so there are many nights of late FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out!) and many silly pranks, along with good conversation and worship times. God has blessed me so much with such solid, beautiful people to walk alongside in Costa Rica.
During the week, I spend 3 days down in my little coastal town of Uvita, serving Jason and Sarah at their house: laundry, household projects, food-prep, etc. On Thursday and Friday, I go up the mountain to Refugio Solte. There are always many random projects to do up there: yard work, painting, cleaning, etc. Life is constantly changing and we all run on "jungle time" (often crazy things just happen and we all end up working together to "tame the elements"!).
When teams come in, everything changes! Last month, we had 4 teams come and go from the mountain. It was a busy time, but I enjoyed serving in the kitchen and getting to know people from all over the world! At times, it's hard to maintain perspective: how can washing dishes impact the Kingdom of God? How can scrubbing floors make a difference? One day, Jason was helping me to understand that God's Kingdom doesn't have hierarchy. He created a theocracy; therefore, no one's work is more or less important. Scrubbing toilets is as important as teaching a group of students!
Everyday, I walk or bike a rocky little road from the Cafe to Jason and Sarah's. There are trees with clumps of yellow flowers, hybiscus bushes, mango trees, coconuts, and many wonderful smells and sounds of the rainforest. It's incredible here. Everyday I encounter the beauty of God's heart; Uvita is truly a little paradise. In all this wonder, it's hard to justify difficulty; as the Lord desires my sanctification and holiness, He will refine me wherever I am, in whatever circumstance. The beauty doesn't counteract the difficulty, though it does help some days!
A highlight has been teaching Luka (7) and Niko (4) music lessons. As I teach, and as I spend time with the people around me, I realize the most important aspect of ministry is relationship. With every new day, I get to choose to make the most of the relationships around me; I get to choose to be content; I get to choose to engage and seek God's heart in the people around me! God is so faithful, and my heart is so full of gratitude for the marvelous works that He IS fulfilling!
Continue to pray for contentment, joy, satisfaction in Jesus, and clear vision for the remaining time. Thank you for your encouragement and for interceding on my behalf! Be blessed.
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