la cometa y Jehova shama
The other week my team and I officially started ministry at two different ministry sights in Costa Rica.
Monday’s are for “activation” led by the elders of the base. This sometimes looks like teaching or lessons or going out to love on people.
Every Tuesday we get to go to a human resource center and teach English, art, play with kids, or hangout with some really cool woman from the area.
The other dat my teammate Presley and I got to teach two woman English and then later in the afternoon I got to teach an art class.(!!)
Wednesdays through Fridays are full of playing with kids, teaching English, & more with kids in a community about an hour away from our base.
La Cometa, our ministry sight we go to every Tuesday, has already had such an impact on how I view ministry. Something I’ve learned fairly recently is that ministry is life, life is ministry. At first I just saw it as okay in the morning we’re going to teach English and then in the afternoon im going to teach an art class. Which is obviously what we are doing but there’s much more to it that I didn’t leave enough room for in my mind. Jimada, (I totally butchered her name) one of the woman that works at la cometa, told us more about the people that come to learn and spend time with us. Some of them come from brokenness or things that have pushed them to further seek community. People come here because they WANT to learn. Woman come here to find out their hobbies, to talk to those around them. People of all ages come here for many different reasons. Being in many different ministries at this point, I’ve learned and seen differences in each one. Ministry never really looks the same. Sometimes it looks like evangelism, pouring into someone, teaching, drawing, etc. There’s really no limit to it. But sometimes I find myself limiting what I’m doing, and seeing it as something that it’s not. I was really nervous to teach the first day but it ended up being fun and something I actually enjoy. So ministry doesn’t just start and end with a class, it can be before during and after. The two woman Presley and I taught, Cindy and Daysi, are so cool. Cindy is a mom while Daysi is only 19 but they have such a huge desire to learn. The diversity of the classrooms we were in have shown me that these are people, not projects. Limiting myself to what I can teach, what they can teach me, is something I hope I never let happen. So standing up and talking in front of people isn’t really my thing but come to find out I’ve actually been enjoying it because I get to see life & beauty come out of it, even if it’s a little uncomfortable.
The rest of our days at Jehova Shama have been a little difficult but nothing short of sweetness. The kids there are sometimes rowdy but really love us well. The first day I met three sisters, Samantha Esther & Sugeyling. And good news, they also have buzzed hair like me & Sophi !!! They were SO excited meeting us for the first time. They kept rubbing our heads and looking at each other in amazement. Apparently they had shaved their heads because of lice a while ago but the fact that they got to see other girls that looked like them too, it was so cool. I’ve really connected with them and have felt so loved by each of them. Sometimes I have no idea what they’re saying (bc Spanish-English) but it hasn’t gotten in the way of us loving each other. The community were in is considered a slum and sometimes isn’t the best environment but the kids there really just need people to show them love and attention-something they lack of.
So our schedule for the week is busy but full of opportunities to love people well, teach them, and just be in their presence-making them feel seen and known.
I mentioned fundraising in one of my blogs a few weeks ago and “coming to the end of myself”. My deadline for $15,800 was on January 15th and I’m currently at $12,080! By the grace of my squad leaders, I’m able to stay on the race while working towards being fully funded-all in God’s timing of course. With that being said I am humbly asking anyone that can support me whether that’s financially, spiritually, or just spreading the word! Any amount of support helps and I deeply appreciate all the people that already have. Seriously, I’m feeling Incredibly thankful that I’m still here and those that made it happen. It means more than you know. God’s been growing and stretching me during this time but it’s been worth it.
If you have any questions about donating, ministry, or just want to talk contact me!!
Phone number: 972-741-7077
Email: [email protected]
Blog: amandacasillas.theworldrace.org
Facebook: Amanda Casillas
