farewell costa - Explore Archived World Race Alumni Blogs

i’ve been in cambodia now for almost two weeks. at first, I was hesitant to post this blog about costa rica because it almost seems irrelevant now and quite honestly it’s been hard for me to look back on this season because I know it’s over. being on the other side of the world doesn’t mean costa didn’t happen. It doesn’t even mean it ended. it means it came to a completion so I wanted to reflect a little bit on just how wonderful of a season this has been for me.

coming into costa rica I was not expecting the amount of luxury we got. indoor showers and toilets, beds with sheets, a full kitchen with a cook, and the convenience of a Walmart as well as anything we needed just a 5 minute walk down the street. i almost felt shame when posting about the things the Lord blessed my squad with. I didn’t want my supporters to think they funded a vacation. I signed up for the world race thinking I was going to be living in a tent for 9 months, showering with buckets, eating bugs and no available clean water. sure, some of those things happen every now and then but the Lord has truly blessed my squad immensely with all of the things we have. in these three months, I’ve learned you don’t have to be across the world to live missional. you don’t have to be living in the slums with no connection to the outside world in order to tell others of the Father. i was always told you’re a missionary where you’re feet are but there’s something about being in a foreign country where you don’t know the language or the culture that makes it easier. newsflash, abba doesn’t call us into the easy. I still have 6 months left of the race but I’m learning that living missional is a lifestyle. It’s a choice.

I realized how much I put Jesus in a box. I limited what I thought He was capable of, but the Lord was faithful and showed me miracles on the daily. I was fully expectant to work with kids when coming on the race. that wasn’t what the Lord had for my team in costa rica though. we worked with victims of sex trafficking and transgenders on the streets. i realized how truly judgey we as christians can be. we avoid the one with problems because it’s messy. we think it’s better just not getting involved. the kingdom of God isn’t like that though. it’s a place where everyone is welcomed. its a place where you feel loved and chosen. you feel fought for and celebrated. you’re welcomed no matter what season you’re in. you belong. the costa ricans taught me way more than I think I taught them. they welcomed my squad and I into their country and into their community with warm hearts and big smiles. friendships were built that I know I’ll carry alongside me for years to come.

costa rica was a hard goodbye to say the least. it’s not easy flying to the other side of the world knowing our women are still on the streets every night, it’s not easy knowing our favorite little boy Alex is still going to school where he struggles getting along with the kids and we’re not there anymore and it’s not easy leaving behind translators who became family and a base staff who loved us unconditionally. I learned that planting seeds or watering the seeds that have already been planted is just as important even if you don’t see the fruit.

there’s a song we used to sing at our safe house in costa rica before we all went out to night ministry. it’s called ‘greater things are yet to come’. i hadn’t heard it in years. every friday voices would fill the room with praises to abba in our own language. the chorus goes

Greater things are yet to come

Greater things are still to be done in this city

There is no one like our God.

we prayed this over san jóse and I know this is a prayer that’ll continue to be prayed over every place we encounter. learning to be expectant that the Lord will do greater things than our minds could comprehend. i’ve seen abba do some cool things during these three months and I know He’ll keep on doing more.