Dear Costa Rica,
My time with you has come to an end. You’ve been full of laughter and adventure. You’ve taught me lesson after lesson. You’ve brought me tears and you’ve brought me smiles. Out of all the things you’ve done for me, I’d like to thank you most for all the love you’ve shown me.
First, you forced me to love 53 strangers as we learned to live in community. Here, under your skies, these strangers quickly became family. We had no other choice but to grow close and comfortable as we shared one kitchen and three bathrooms. We laughed as we got way too competitive in all the card games we played. We cried as we became homesick, missing our families and the lives we left behind. We learned that community isn’t always easy, but it’s definitely worth it. We’ve built bonds that can’t be broken through early morning devotions and late night worship sessions. Your mountains towered over us and you poured down rain on us, almost daily, and we soaked it all up. Costa Rica, you became our home.
Next, you allowed me to love on a ministry full of underprivileged kids. You placed me at Lifting Hands where I learned the important lesson that this isn’t about me, but it’s so much bigger than my desires and my emotions. I loved on kids and felt like I was making no impact, but I learned to trust that, even if I can’t see it, I’m serving God’s purpose. I struggled with comparing my ministry to that of other teams, but learned to trust in where God is putting me and that that is exactly where I need and want to be. I laughed and laughed playing board game after board game with kids who think I didn’t know they were cheating. I cried as after Month 1 we had to say goodbye to Lifting Hands and all the kids we had grown to love and worked so hard to make connections with. The love that flowed out of such a broken community that is Lifting Hands, amazed me. Costa Rica, you are a home to love.
You also brought me so much adventure. From volcanos to beaches, from monkeys and sloths to crazy bugs, from waterfalls to mud pits, and from mountains and jungles to busy cities, your sights never failed to amaze me. I hiked your volcano and wondered where in the world lava would come from. I jumped ocean waves in your Pacific beaches and and relaxed on your Caribbean beaches. I searched for sloths and was followed by monkeys in your many jungles. I screamed at the feel of the frigid waters at the bottom of pounding waterfalls. I came across bugs bigger than my head and wondered what they could possibly be. I dove into a stinking mud pit all for fun. I wandered around your many cities seeing your works of art and meeting your loving people. Costa Rica, you are full of life.
Then, you made me feel a new sense of love at our second ministry, Tronos de Dios. Hearing kids scream my name each day as our bus pulled up and run to hug me, filled my heart to the brim. I laughed as I tried to say the kid’s Spanish names and as they listed off all the English words they knew. I smiled as I watched these rambunctious kids fall asleep as I rubbed their heads and patted their backs each day at nap time. I learned that little things go a long way: playing endless hand games put content smiles on kid’s faces, simply hugging them let you see their hearts glow, and any little help earned great appreciation from the teachers. The amount of love I was surrounded with each day at Tronos de Dios constantly comforted me. I cried and cried as I pried myself out of the hugs of these kids on my last day at ministry. I will forever miss their smiling faces, screaming voices, and sticky hands. Costa Rica, you breed joy.
You’ve shown me people with beautiful hearts. Thank you for Xinia who cooks full plates of delicious food each and every night for 53 hungry people. Thank you for Jose, our first fearless bus driver who spent hours on hours driving us all around. Thank you for Alfredo, our second bus driver and handyman whose energy is contagious and heart is so open as he gets us where we need to go each and every day. Thank you for Carlos, our next door neighbor who spends his free time with us, helps us with all the local things, and let’s us have impromptu parties at his mansion. Thank you for Emily, our fearless base leader who always kept us in line and made sure we always felt loved. Thank you for every store owner that endured an entourage of gringos almost daily. Thank you for strangers who hug us at church and make us feel welcomed. Thank you for passerby’s who smile at us on the street. Thank you for each and every person living here. Costa Rica, you are kind and caring.
Finally, and most importantly, I have seen God in you. Through all my laughter, all my adventures, all my lessons, all my tears, all the people I’ve met, and all the places I’ve been, I have seen the undeniable presence of God in every aspect of you. Costa Rica you welcome love and therefore you welcome God, and for that, I thank you.
Thank you for the love you’ve shown me, thank you for the lessons you’ve taught me, and thank you for the memories you’ve given me.
Much Love
Natalie Edwards ??
