1. Who is your hardest goodbye and why?
Definitely Alfredo! He said so many encouraging things to me that were most definitely from the Lord. He truly invested in all of our lives and showed me what it looks like to love like Jesus. I will miss his joyful laugh and singing. I will forever look up to his servant heart and boldness to love. I also treasured the relationship we had; how the language barrier had nothing on us! The goodbye was hard but the relationship was so worth it.
- Have you given that person/ relationship to the Lord?
Yes. I am just truly so thankful for the presence he has had in my life and the things he has taught me. Now we both have new adventures ahead! So excited for him as he gets to meet the next squad and change their lives too.
- What is something the Lord has grown you in or taught you during Costa Rica?
How to fully surrender to His will and love the people He places in my life. I have learned to live with patience as He leads me into his timing and His will for my life, not my own.
- How are you carrying that fruit to South Africa?
By allowing Him to be the Lord of my life. To surrender my emotions to Him and grab tight onto trusting Him and the amazing things He is calling me into. The song “I lean not on my own understanding. My life is in the hands of the maker of heaven. I give it all to you God, trusting that you’ll make something beautiful out me” was the song I was randomly singing yesterday as I packed up and got ready to leave the base. I will take this song with me to South Africa and hold tight to those truths.
- What expectations did you have coming into Costa Rica? How did they change? What expectations are you leaving behind/ laying down before leaving here?
I had expectations that the Lord was going to do big things! That I would grow tremendously and I would abandon all I know to follow Him. He showed me that following him is truly stepping fully out of the boat like Peter did but that doesn’t mean it’ll be an easy walk across the water. He showed me I will get the opportunity to surf many little waves and it’s ok that I don’t always have those big ones. Although, I heard Jeffery’s bay is known for the biggest wave, so maybe I will get some big waves! But therefore, I am leaving behind expectations of it being easy. I know that this transition will be hard but that’s good because that means He’s working!!
- What is the Lord calling you into or asking you to step into before South Africa?
He is asking me to continue to pray for the amazing people I’ve established relationships with already but to give them up to my Papa to love them and pour into them. Being the first squad ever at the base we literally laid a foundation for the next squad that comes to Costa and He’s asking me to not straddle the line between Costa Rica and South Africa. He’s asking me to choose into the things he lays before me in this next country and allow the new squad in Costa to pour in there. He is asking me to be walking into this new place and adventure with my arms open and ready to love these new people well and build even stronger relationships with my team and squad. He is showing me to have faith that God is doing things. Even if ministry is hard at first, God always works things out. Even if it’s hard to see the fruit at first it won’t be for long. God showed me so much fruit from Costa Rica; I’m positive He will do it again. Things always always always work out. He is faithful. And lastly He is asking me to step into joy in him. To smile at him and walk with Him in excitement because He can’t wait to go into this next chapter with me.
