I am in Costa Rica! We’ve been here for about six days in the capital of San Jose, and it is everything I could have asked for in a first country. We’re staying at the Adventures base, which means clean water and an indoor shower (in case you were wondering, yes, you can finagle it and make the water warm) and Alfredo and clean toilets! My team’s room has its own private bathroom and closet, plus a balcony with a perfect view of a mountain. Oh, yeah, we are living absolutely large by World Race standards.
There are roughly thirty of us in the house, and it feels like a constant party. The guys are always jamming or doing pull-ups or, get ready for this, doing the dishes. (I know. Amazing.) The guys’ team leader, Jordan (or Sparky if you’re feeling particularly spicy), actually started teaching me how to play guitar last night. So far, I know three chords and the fingers on my left hand have never had to do so much work. Everyone spends most of their time doing whatever around the base—reading (I’m going through The Case for Christ right now), singing (Hannah Montana is a house favorite), drawing on the chalk wall, swinging on the back porch, or walking to Wal-Mart for much needed weekend groceries.
My team’s first days of ministry were spent at the food bank, performing tape-and-glue surgery on cut-open bags of sugar, flour, beans, and other food for needy families in Costa Rica. Alfredo (the base’s incredible bus driver and our friend) drove us, and we spent the day working alongside ex-convicts who were volunteering at the bank for the sake of rehabilitation. We didn’t talk too much because we were all working, but I tried to speak to a few of them in Spanish. Gabby, our translator, told us most of them know some English but are insecure about speaking it. I was like, uh, ME TOO! My Spanish is so shabby and understanding native speakers is so hard, especially when they talk fast. I’ve noticed, though, when speaking to ticos who speak English, it’s almost exactly the same. When I talk too fast, they have to ask me to repeat what I said and slow down. That’s when I’m especially grateful for the gift of grace.
Our consistent ministry starts next week, and I’m SO excited. My team has mostly kid ministry, which I was really hoping for, but we also get to spend time at a nursing home and in the slums. The Lord is really opening up opportunities here, and I really want to take advantage of what’s in front of me. I’m praying for the goodness of the Lord to overwhelm me, that I would get to know Him better and more intimately. During my quiet time yesterday, I was reading through the beginning of Matthew and imagined relating to Jesus as one of my friends, asking Him all the questions I’ve asked them.
“Where were you born?”
“Oh, it’s this tiny town called Bethlehem. I moved when I was young, though. My parents had me in a stable.”
“Seriously? I was almost born on the side of the road! What does your dad do?”
“He’s a carpenter. I go with him sometimes to work; I think I wanna be one, too.”
“I wanna be a rockstar. Or a writer. Or a vet.”
Now, obviously, I don’t know how a seven-year-old Jesus talked, if He was completely aware of His divine nature at that age. It’s a part of Jesus I wish I could really get to know, the way He was when He was my age. What He did and how He walked. What did He like to do? What was a part of His humanity He didn’t like, if anything? What were His relationships like? Ugh, I bet Jesus was so cool.
I’m praying for the Lord to reveal a little bit more of Himself to me each day of this journey, to help me get to know Him in new and awesome ways. And I pray that for my family at home, too. That the Spirit would disclose new parts of Himself and pull them in closer and closer to His heart.
Well, that’s just a little update on me and my first week on the Race! I know this reads a little different than my other blogs, but it’s what’s happening! Also, I don’t have the brain capacity right now to really write, but I’m sure it will come. Make sure you subscribe for more updates and stories and overall goodness!
Also, one last thing. My friends, the Boyette family, are expecting a new baby! Alex is currently 23 weeks along and was put on strict bed rest last week. I wanted to include her and the whole family in this blog simply to lift them to the Lord and ask for his protection over Alex and her son and for peace over their entire family. I pray for joy during this pregnancy, safety and love. I hope you guys will join me in praying for Jason, Alex, Zileak, Zakeeus, Jayce, and their growing baby boy.
Thanks for reading and I’ll update soon! Big, big love!
