Part two is here!
Now for the really fun part: partnering with the Muni. (“Muni” is our nickname for the Municipalidad de Garabito.) This partnering has taken two forms thus far: beach clean-up and recycling organization.
While we were only assigned beach clean up once, it still made quite the impression. Basically, the Muni bus picked us up and brought us near an area on the shoreline where debris tends to wash up. All we had to do to reach this particular section of the beach was to ford a little rivulet. Then, we set to work, trash bags in hand. Even though we were working during the heat of the day, I really appreciated this job since we were able to see a less populated side of the beach. Costa Rica is so pretty. Even when you are laboring under the sun, all you have to do is look up at the shoreline on one side and the mountains on the other, and you instantly feel like you are on a fancy vacation. As an added bonus, the Muni provided snacks for us! (Coconut water just hits different y’all.) Also, this particular job made an especially big impact on me personally since I kinda forgot tides were a thing and ended up getting wet up to my waist when re-crossing the river area. Oops.
Next came the recycling center (woot woot!). Finding this place is easy: just take the highway north, and then take a right turn at the vultures. Located in the shade of a landfill, the recycling center taught us that not all breezes bring refreshing air. But I digress. Basically, our job here has consisted of attacking the severely backed up recycling mound, one trash bag at a time. We open each bag, sort the bottles, cartons, cans, etc., into the correct sacks, and move on. (This would probably be really simple if all the instructions for why this bottle is not the same as that bottle were given in your native language. Hopefully any mistakes we made will not hinder the recycling process, right? *cue nervous laughter*) It quickly became clear that our real work here was to show the other workers the joy of Christ while we labored together. Honestly, the grime of soda and sour milk fades from thought when you and your squad mates are all loudly jamming to some tunes while tossing bottles at each other. It was so amazing to watch as the workers at the center noticed our loving teamwork under these less than savory conditions, all in the name of Christ. It’s crazy how ministry opportunities arise even out of sorting plastic.
All in all, these past few weeks have really taught me how to be content with being a smaller part of the bigger picture. Picking up trash from the shoreline and painting walls might not immediately seem to make a large impact as far as spreading the Gospel is concerned, but I think it would be a mistake to underestimate the impact of these acts of service. Everything my squad and I have done here in Jaco has been done representing Ocean’s Edge, and therefore, by extension, representing Christ Himself. Even as we walk down the street with our long shorts and loose t-shirts, packs on our backs, we can hear people calling out to us in recognition. We are something different, and Jaco recognizes it. My point is this: while we definitely are telling people our stories of how Christ has changed us and continues to change us, the last few weeks have taught me the importance and the immense impact to be found in living in light of the gospel as fully as possible, even in the seemingly small things. It is important to represent Christ in action as well as in word.
