Jacó, known as the Las Vegas of Costa Rica and has been our home for the past 3 1/2 weeks. Our departure is approaching this Sunday and honestly I don’t want to leave. This city is full of sunshine, family, incredible food, endless beach, and endless opportunity to spread the gospel. This city also holds a tremendous amount of darkness, but the presence of the Lord is undeniable and He has placed us in situations to grow and push us out of our comfort zones. Like, way out.
Our host for this month is Ocean’s Edge ministries; we have partnered with them on several current projects happening throughout Jaco. I have been assisting Hannah Fletcher, founder of Ocean’s Edge, with the #WeAre611 #Somos611 positive movement she’s started within this community. Local businesses are coming together with the mission to bring light to their city by mobilizing events such as beach cleanup, business workshops, free marketing on their website, surf camps, constructing and building new parks.
“Every day there are groups and individuals having a positive impact in our community. These individuals are boldly stepping out to face the challenging social environments and because of their efforts our city is a brighter place to live.”
-WeAre611 Jaco Website
My role specifically has been creating and managing the social media accounts for #WeAre611. So ironic. Before arriving to our host for this month I decided to fast from social media, with the intention of being fully present to what the Lord is doing in my own life, while also being aware of all the lives he’s changing around me. The Lord is funny. Social media ministry might seem like something small, but don’t ever doubt Jesus can move, even in the small things. Through my quiet time sitting and processing my own fires, and through this ministry He’s been teaching and growing me in discipline and obedience; two concepts I have long struggled with in my faith walk. It’s been a difficult few weeks working through some of my own brokenness. I’ve learned that obedience is one of the most beautiful gifts, and once we walk in that the Lord will show up with his unconditional love and grace time and time again.
Since it’s All Squad Month, all 32 of us are living together, working ministry together, and having the most fun. Everyday we’re split up into different ministries based on our own giftings and the overall need. Some of us have been working on one of the #WeAre611 projects; building a new park in a nearby community, painting murals at the new church, others are making connections with businesses across town investing in their stories and assisting in marketing. Every week we have night ministry where we ask the Lord to lead us; my team has been visiting the local hotel/casino sharing their faith and building relationships with the prostitutes. For the past week we have been discipled in evangelizing, and asking the Lord to prompt us in where to go, and who needs to hear the gospel.
Yesterday, we went out into the town in groups of 2 and asked the Lord to guide us. Taylor and I prayed, and I shared with her a dream I had the night before. Not knowing exactly what in the dream was significant but I felt the push to share with her. We walked towards the beach and the Lord brought us a man named Michael. Michael told us how much he loves Costa Rica, expressed his struggles with alcohol and drugs, and because of this struggle has a strained relationship with wife and son. We asked if he believed in Jesus and if we could pray for him, he told us no thank you and ushered us away. We decided to walk a few steps away and pray for him anyway, and once we were done I looked up and saw him looking at us with intense wonder in his eyes; Jesus is working in this sweet Costa Rican. We continued our walk and ended up passing a beauty salon, as we passed I sensed the prompt to go in and the moment I looked at Taylor she knew it too, and we fully interrupted a Saturday morning at the little pink salon. We met a woman named Oseannie. We told her we were here for a few weeks staying at Christian Surfers (most of the locals know the ministry as this), and talked with her for a while about her life in Jaco, her family, then asked if we could pray for her. Taylor prayed over Oseannie, and then her boss, Julie, walked in. They asked us to sit down, and graciously turned their fan on, probably because they could see the sweat dripping off of our bright red faces. Jaco is hot, y’all. So we sat and talked with both of the ladies, and found out Julie attends the same church as us, but she attends the Spanish service on Friday’s. We asked if we could meet them both there next week, Julie said of course and even Oseannie, who usually does not attend, agreed to be there. We laughed over my attempt to understand Spanish, and they praised Taylor, telling her she understands and speaks it very well. We hugged each other, and left. As we were walking back home, I reminded Taylor of the beauty salon in my dream from the night before and she proceeds to tell me she also received a vision from the Lord of a pink building. Both of us had stepped out that morning a little unsure of what to expect, and nervous because of this uncertainty. We asked the Lord to guide us, to give us courage and boldness, and take away any fear or insecurity. In John 15 verse 16 Jesus tells us,
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”
Learning to walk in obedience. Discovering the freedom that comes from walking in obedience. The Lord has moved greatly this month in beautiful Costa Rica, and everyday I wake up in awe, wonder, and a heart completely grateful for the opportunities He provides to glorify the Kingdom.
I would love to hear from you! Please comment and share what the Holy Spirit has been teaching you. Thanks friends and fam, miss y’all like crazy!
