I remember at the beginning of the month our squad came together to pray over the last month and seek out God’s direction. One evening we shared with each other what we heard in our prayer time and I really loved what my friend Ashlyn said. She felt Jesus putting on her heart the word celebrate. Celebrate the year, what we have accomplished, celebrate each other with laughter and sharing stories, and celebrate the last month on this amazing adventure.
I look back on this month and smile. We had so much fun with each other, so much fun with our new friends in San Jose, and great times reflecting with Jesus. Here are some pictures from this past month to give you a glimpse into what we have been up to:
This is my friend Gladys from Nicaragua and her family. We have loved spending time with them these last two months and learning from her amazing cooking skills. I am hoping to be able to make her famous fried chicken and churros when I go home!
Silvia and Larissa are friends we made at a young adults group at a church in San Jose. We loved spending time with them and so many others every Saturday and Sunday. Their church is so full of the spirit and more than once I was brought to tears by the way they worshiped and loved one another. I really hope to return and spend more time with them in the future.
Little Nicaragua! Another main reason why some of us stayed in San Jose for month 11 was so we could visit our friends in Little Nicaragua. It was a blessing to visit, bring the Word and encourage each other in our walk with Him. This picture was taken with Noellia who spent the afternoon with us learning the Shuffle from Jess (fun dance style).
Last month we were working on a project at a nearby coffee shop when we met our friend Jonathon. That morning Jesus told me there would be someone who needed encouragement at that coffee shop so I kept my eyes opened while we were there. My friend Ashlyn pointed at a guy sitting at a table by himself and said “I think it’s him.” I was hoping the person would be a woman so I reluctantly went over to ask him for help with some Spanish translation on our project. However, after a few minutes we found ourselves in a deep conversation where he was sharing a lot of hard things he was going through. In the end we left our encouragement and our new friend. We have stayed in touch and were even able to meet up with him a few days before he left for a study abroad in Spain.
The last three days of ministry I spent with the rest of my teammates in San Jose at the ministry called Conexion. They serve the community in a variety of ways including medical expeditions, kid programs and youth events. In the picture above I played optometrist and helped give out free reading glasses.
During some of our free days we took a bus to well known beaches to visit our friends, learn to surf and have a bonfire on the beach. These people have truly become family and it is so hard to believe I have to say bye to them in just three short days!
On the other hand, while processing my return home, I keep getting butterflies. I am so excited for what I am going to be doing next, so excited to spend time with friends and family, and so excited to have alone time with Jesus. The last time I felt this way was in the few weeks before I launched for the world race. I really feel like this is not the end of an adventure as much as it is the beginning of a new one.
With that said, some may be asking…what am I doing next???
Be on the look out for my next blog for the great reveal!
Much love!
Megan
