Costa Rica (and most Latin American countries) are very free-flowing. There are no schedules. There are few deadlines. And people prioritize each other over tasks. This is completely opposite of the United States. My team is very task-oriented. We are often commended for doing ministry very well because we are very trustworthy in getting jobs done. We put our full hearts into whatever is asked of us – whether dusting windows, playing with kids, painting, cooking food for the squad – and we always do it in completion and to the best of our ability. Though this is an awesome trait to have, we have quickly realized in this culture that we’ve forgotten the most important thing: our ministry is PEOPLE. Though kingdom is being brought everywhere we go one paintbrush at a time, at the end of the day, we came onto the race to love PEOPLE. We’ve neglected the importance of relationship and prioritized the tasks at hand. We will work our tails off getting a room painted, but breeze past asking the nanny how her day is. I love my country so much, but the “American Dream” has culminated a culture of driven, passionate, yet relationally-shallow people. People strive for career advancements, but often at the expense of others. They put in hours and hours at the workplace, but sacrifice the quickly fading time with their children. The community I’m staying with here in Costa Rica is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. A few days before Christmas, the ENTIRE church community came for 8 hours of fellowship. Full families played and laughed and worshipped together. Everyone spent time around the table together in just sweet community.
It has been difficult for my team to lay down our tasks. We’ve learned the power of rest and play. We’ve grown in the way we intentionally love every person around us. We soak up the time we have to spend with each other and this community. They have completely adopted my team as a part of their family and I am going to miss them so much. My team departs this town today and we will head up to a church camp in the mountains for the weekend. Please pray a blessing over this place. They are so filled with love and zeal for the Lord and it is absolutely beautiful. Pray for continued transformation sparked from the younger generation. As young as 5 years old, these kids exemplify loving the Lord as a child.
