What’s the best food you’ve had?
I feel like this question would have been a hard one to answer until last month. Then Costa Rica happened. Caribbean food is delicious anyway, but then our host happened to be the best cook ever. Glenda made us many incredibly, delicious Caribbean dishes. She indulged us with coconut rice and beans, fry bread, tamales, and the most flavorful cooked chicken, pork and tilapia to ever hit my taste buds. Believe it or not eating these mouth watering dishes was not even the best part; the most enjoying component of this was that Glenda invited us to join her in the kitchen and teach us how to create these masterpieces that have been being cooked in her family since before she was born. I am certain this woman has changed the way I cook for the rest of my life.
During our time in Costa Rica we also ventured to check out some of the local restaurants and the food was fantastic. Each place we visited prided itself on their food being fresh and made in house. My favorite was the fresh bagels and homemade cream cheese; my mouth still waters when I think about it. Without a doubt everything I ate in Costa Rica was the best thing I have ever eaten in my whole life (hahaha).
What’ been your favorite country so far?
This is a difficult question, as I am writing this I am sitting here with two of my teammates and we decided to attempt process of elimination but for every place we have been I can tell you why I loved it. So instead of agonizing over which country to pick, I’ll let you in on a little about why I loved my experience in each country.
In Puerto Rico I loved the craziness of the small, unfurnished apartment that housed 21 of us. During our time in Dominican Republic, I saw the vision God gave a wonderful family for ministry begin to come to life. Bolivia was my hardest month yet but I would do it again no questions because of how it transformed my desire for intimacy with Jesus and the way it bonded the girls of Team Radical. Peru and Ecuador my heart was captured by crazy, sweet, precious children who I will forever adore. In Panama, I treasured the opportunity to work with missionaries from different countries and backgrounds to exemplify the body of Christ. In Costa Rica I saw the beauty of a community working together to restore their town back to Christ and I deepened a new friendship through adventures and praying through struggles together.
What is the most important lesson you have learned so far on this journey?
Over the last 8 months the most important lesson I have learned is to willingly hand myself and my life over to Him. I have learned to hand over my baggage, fears, hurts, pride and plans over to my sweet Father and let Him turn my mess into something beautiful and far better than anything I could do in my own strength. Learning to give up control has allowed Him to bring healing to wounds I thought were permanent scars and taken me on adventures greater than I could have imagined. I am thrilled to continue giving it all away daily to see all that He has.
What is the biggest difference you have seen in people’s faith in some of other countries compared to what you have experienced in the US?
The biggest difference would be the way I have seen the church body in other countries radically live out their faith. In many of the countries I have visited I meet many people who devote their lives to the church, and everything they do is to glorify our God. These church communities are devoted to attending services multiple times a week (including 5 o’clock in the morning services), giving even when they don’t have much, serving the church in any way they can offer, walking through the streets of their communities sharing the Gospel and visiting the homes of people to encourage and pray for them. Often the churches we visit are very small and it is beautiful the way they all know one another, know each other’s struggles, know when someone’s ill and care for one another. These communities are filled with hardship and poverty but through their faith they see how God has tremendously blessed their lives. It has been a beautiful, privilege to see a small glimpse of Christ’s body working for His kingdom.
