Because of Jesus My Heart is Clean
Hola!! We just finished month one in Costa Rica!!! It’s been a wild first month full of life, ministry, living in community, & loving on the sweet town of Jacó. My team just got home from a four day debrief: a time to relax & reflect & it was so restful & good! We are back at Oceans Edge until March 4th! These past couple of weeks have been full of different projects, including sorting through trash at the local recycling center, beach clean ups, youth groups, & painting murals around town! Oceans Edge works closely with the government (we call them the Muni) & we say yes to whatever they have for us to do! Some days the Muni bus pulls up & we hop on having no idea where they’re taking us, but we always get something new to do.
Our squad often jokes about how it’s impossible to keep anything clean here. Our feet are always dirty, our clothes covered in dirt & paint, our hands covered in mysterious trash liquids. No matter what we’re doing, we’re always a little dirty & we always track a little mud back into the kitchen. The funny thing is that I’ve never felt more clean in my life. I’ve felt Jesus wash over me & I’ve seen burdens lifted, & beaches cleaned, & new life born. I saw dirty walls turn into vibrant murals & I watched hands of all age & color make it possible. I’ve seen hearts of stone soften, I’ve felt mine soften. This trip has taught me so much, but one thing I’ve learned everyday is the importance of seizing every opportunity. Our goal is for people to know we love God just by seeing us live our lives. By seeing how we treat others, seeing how we give grace & full forgiveness. I’ve learned that a smile can do a lot more than I think, & loving with open arms can lead to a lot more than a quick glance from a stranger.
I’ve been reminded everyday of Ezekiel 36:25 & 26: “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Pura vida,
Lou
