Hey friends, sorry I have taken so long to get a blog out since leaving. These first couple weeks here in Jaco, Costa Rica have been a very busy adjustment. My team and I, along with another team from my squad arrived safely to our ministry host in the late afternoon on October 5th and were greeted and welcomed with open arms along with some fresh coconut water (which was a first for me).
The next day we started off our ministry here in Jaco by going out and learning about the community while prayer walking. It was honestly one of the coolest things ever as my group got to pray over the side of town that the main casino is in as we felt a heaviness and darkness there, and as we prayed we all felt that seeds are being planted and God is about to do big things here. It was then, that we got crazy super excited about our time that was about to be spent here.
Before I left the US, we got information about where my team would be doing ministry at in Costa Rica and about the organization we would be working with. While that information included things like some construction work, it also said a lot of things about partnering with other organizations and churches in the community. I also did some more research about Jaco, Costa Rica and realized it is a very dark city come night time. It is a surf town and tourist area so a lot of people come to Jaco to party in which a lot of alcohol, drugs and sex are involved as prostitution is legal here. It is often said that Jaco, Costa Rica is even sometimes referred to as modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.
And so to my understanding and mindset, while we would be doing a little bit of construction work, for the majority, we were going to be doing a lot of ministry within the community with the kids and the people in the community. I imagined a lot of opportunities just to be the light of Jesus and share/show His love with the people here in Jaco. People usually give me energy and I love community and so I was super excited about all of the possibilities that the month was about to hold. And even after the first day of ministry here in Jaco with the prayer walking, I was super excited and told myself that this was going to be a great month.
However, shortly after that first day of ministry of prayer walking in the community is when reality set in. That most of my expectations were about to be shattered. Day after day went by and all it seemed like we did was construction projects all day within the compound we are staying in. While yes, there have been times here and there that we have been able to be in the community for things like kids club and homeless ministry once a week, which have most definitely been my highlights and have brought so much joy to my life, most of what were were doing was all these different construction projects. Now obviously there is nothing wrong with doing a bunch of construction projects all the time. But when your expectation is to be doing a lot of stuff with the people in the community, it can get kind of discouraging really fast. And even though I tried to not let it, it negatively affected my attitude and words the first couple weeks. It wasn’t right of me but it happened.
Then the middle of last week during team time, my team leader was noticing that a few of us was down about everything and pointed out that it is hard to see Jesus when our heads our down. Because of my attitude the previous weeks and knowing I was in the wrong for having that kind of attitude, what she said stuck with me and I began processing it. My head was definitely down and not trying to see Jesus in what we were doing. But once I started keeping my head up and constantly reminding myself that it’s all for Jesus, while sometimes things were still very frustrating, my attitude has changed towards it all. And when your attitude changes for the better towards something, while it still may be hard, it’s a lot easier to see Jesus in and through it.
So I still hold true to my statement in the beginning that this was going to be a great month because it has been, just not in the way I expected it to be and that’s okay. God’s creation is so beautiful and I am so blown away by it. My team and I are very blessed where we are and our host is wonderful and also a former World Racer who has a love and passion for this city. She has taken wonderful care of us. There have been trials in lots of different areas, but the Lord has taught us a lot in those and grown us individually and together. And I believe He still has things and surprises in store for us these next two weeks we are here in Jaco.
Expectations can be a dangerous thing when it comes to missions as I quickly realized. Most of the times, things aren’t necessarily going to be or turn out as you thought, which can easily destroy your attitude and joy if you aren’t careful. The important things is to catch it as soon as you can and stop it and put your head up and look for Jesus. And allow Him to teach you and grow you through whatever it may be.
A few prayer requests:
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For an abundance of energy for us as we have a lot of construction projects that need to be finished in the next couple weeks before we leave.
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For this Saturday the 29th as we are putting on an all day kids camp through the church here. Pray for us as we continue to plan it and for the kids that come, that their lives be impacted for His glory.
- For the city of Jaco. There is darkness all over this city with all the drugs and prostitution. But there is revival coming. Pray that seeds would be continued to be planted and lives changed.
(KIDS CLUB)
