this is the common response that is given as i walk the streets of Puerto Viejo and ask what people are doing here – “i came to find myself.” the beauty of this place with palm trees, mountains, sloths, wildlife, crashing waves, and creation, if you will, is the source these people use to find themselves. people are searching for more within themselves to find wholeness and connect with their own body, mind and spirit. there are also posters advertising yoga sessions to “find yourself” and ways to revive your soul with energies around you. these ads flood cork boards at every bus stop, every cafe, and every corner. this town is an extremely touristy town, i’ve met people who come from all over and have traveled miles, from the states, Europe, South America and many more places just to find more. more beauty and more of themselves.
one interesting encounter i had was in a coffee shop having a conversation with a couple of locals. they had expressed they came here to just be a free spirit within themselves and to find beauty of the jungle and ocean here. one thing this local had said was “the creation is beautiful and all but once you’ve been here long enough it gets old.” my heart was struck and many thoughts flooded my mind.
i wonder how many people come here for the beauty of this place to just find themselves and revive their spirit but later become disappointed in the creation and it no longer is anything special or what they turn to for wholeness. how long do people search and search within themselves for wholeness? how often do people get disappointed?
i do know one thing. creation could never get old for me because i know my creator. the ocean, stars, jungle, sun set, it’s all so beautiful and am continually amazed and sit in wonder because the same God who created all the things we see as beautiful is the same God who cares more about me and you and all of the people here in Puerto Viejo. there’s wholeness and peace in knowing the God of the universe took time in creating me and lives in my heart and my desire of wanting more of anything is always satisfied by the Great I Am. not only that! but even if i didn’t know these things, He still chose to love me from the start and is never disappointed by His creation and if that isn’t enough, He even gave His perfect son so that I could continue to be loved by Him forever..
“God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed.” Genesis 1:31
“He counts the number of the stars; he gives names to all of them. Our Lord is great, vast in power; his understanding is infinite.” Psalm 147:4-5
“Look up and see! Who created these? He brings out the starts by number; he calls all of them by name. Because of his great power and strength, not one of them is missing.” Isaiah 40:26
“For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” Colossians 2:9-10
my prayer for this beautiful place is that these people would continue to search for more and more beautiful and end up in the presence of our God. that their hearts would be filled by the only one who can satisfy. and not only be filled up but would have an overflow of the Lord’s love and want to share that. I pray that all those who have traveled to find more, find Jesus and would return to their homes to declare of the good news and goodness they have received. Puerto Viejo, I pray you become holy ground, untouched by darkness and have an atmosphere that is so evidently filled by the Lord.
