Lost.. in Wonder

I really need to learn how to get from the airport to the 27 freeway in Costa Rica. I've failed twice now. This time I guessed which way to go. I was going the wrong way, but I saw a sign for the town I wanted on a pass above me, so I made a few loops and headed that direction. That road took me around and down... and then up.. and I saw a sign for a town that I'd heard of, so I figured I was safe. And let me tell you, Atenas is REALLY pretty. I would totally live there. Then I passed through a few other towns.. I didn't know the names.. I didn't know which road I was on, but I knew that at some point, it would take me where I wanted to go. Then the houses thinned.. and I started to climb a mountain. Then I realized I was in the clouds/fog. And I wanted to stop and take a picture, but there was no where to pull over! For the next 40 minutes, I was in awe of the wonder around me. God made ALL of that! At first I was little sad that I couldn't really share it with anyone, but then I realized I had the BEST person to share it with! I didn't care that I had no idea where I was. I knew I would get where I was going eventually. It was also nice to not be in a hurry or have any schedule at all. I kept trying to relate to faith, but I didn't want to get distracted while driving those tight mountain curves. The best I could come up with is that I'm headed in the right direction. I trust I'll get to where I'm supposed to be eventually, but I don't want to miss everything that's around me right now. God has crafted everything (and everyone!) perfectly. I want to see the beauty in it all. I don't want to take a moment for granted. I've been praying that I would learn to enjoy the Lord, and I'm getting there. Little glimpses like getting lost today help remind me to get lost in my Savior every now and then. It's totally worth it.

(PS. I'm writing this from my intended location. No worries!)

This doesn't even capture any of it...

I seriously wish you could have been there. 

"I want to take them deeper."

That's what I heard during my quiet time on the Sunday morning of this trip. 

I learned from the Group Leader that only about half of this group regularly attended the high school ministry meetings, so they didn't really know each other. And after waiting a full minute for a volunteer to pray for our first meal (and our second.. and our third..) I realized that they didn't really know their Creator either. That sounds kinda harsh, but I realized that prayer was this big thing for them when it's really only talking to God. It's hard to explain, okay? But really God said he wanted to take them deeper.

So each night, we had a devotional about prayer. We talked about the authority we have in Christ and the fact that we should be praying about everything, and with each other. That there is power in prayer. And the cool thing is that they got a chance to see prayer in action. Coincidentally (or God-cidentally), a team from the World Race was sharing the church with us. Together, our staff and their team prayed over many things and invited the students to join us. We prayed healing over the pastor of a church we visited, healing over a boy from the church who has the ebola virus and is confined to his bed with limited brain function. Then before the team left, the World Race group prayed over them. I'm truly praying that God continues to teach them how to really live their faith.

In other news, our schedule TOTALLY flipped on us the day we arrived. It was not what we had planned at all, but fortunately, God put in place a group leader who was totally chill about everything and really supportive/encouraging to us as staff.

Highlights from Paso Canoas (July 6- 13): 

• Meeting and getting to know the World Race team
• Teaching the group about prayer and learning/practicing it more myself.
• Rec day. It was just fun and relaxing.

Praise God:

• For the ways he worked in the lives of the students, even though we may never know
• For giving me cooler weather so that I could wear pants and keep the bugs away
• For healing my bites quickly
• For an easy-going group leader
• For a staff that worked together

Pray for:

• My trip set up time. That it will be productive, but also relaxing/rejuvenating
• The other PPM trips going on currently. That God will be revealing himself to the participants, staff, and the communities.

Trip Journal

Profundo

The word profundo in Spanish means deep. Interesting, right? Cuz it sounds like profound? I love language. It's so cool like that.

But anyways, week 3 was deep. And profound. Again, with a lot of bumps, but as always, God's grace and goodness wins out.

This week was just COATED in prayer. This team came in and they just got it. So we were able to spend a significant amount of time in prayer. In fact, on our first day in Nicoya, I felt like we needed to push back our orientation meeting and just spend some time covering the week and each other in prayer. It was awesome and Spirit-filled and cool.

I actually got to play translator a lot this week, which was cool. And intense. And strange for me. I mean, I got to be a part of really cool conversations about the Gospel and was a part of leading people to Christ. That was the cool part. The intense part was the fact that I had to make sure I was conveying correct information! That's such important stuff that I didn't want to be wrong! And the strange part was that even though I was involved in these conversations, I wasn't really part of these conversations. They weren't really my words or ideas; nor were they really my relationships. Hence the odd part. But it was cool nonetheless.

Highlights from Caimital (June 29- July 6): 

• Chile pepper eating/everyone's differing reactions
• Getting to translate
• GOD MOVED

Praise God:

• For the handful of people who came to know Christ as a result of intentional conversations
• For the relationships formed between the group and community members
• For giving me the ears to listen to the Spirit's leading
• For prayer and the power that it has
• For the possibility of a return trip from Bethel Baptist Church to Caimital, Costa Rica, to focus on women's ministry

Pray for:

• The relationships formed to continue
• The community of Caimital to really come to know Jesus and his saving power
• The Iglesia Rosa de Saron to be a light to those who are seeking in that community.

Trippity Journal Link

Worst Blogger Ever.

So I was a LOT busier than I anticipated these last few weeks. It was CRAZY. So I'm just now getting to each of the trips I led. And other thoughts. So you may have like 4 blogs coming at you this week. Or today. Ouch.

But ok. Here we go. My second week was SO healing and encouraging. I actually was placed with two ATLs who were not around the first week. So they had no idea of the stresses and overall blegh-ness that was experienced then. I had to fresh ATLs who were an absolute God send in the ways they encouraged and supported me that week. I was so blessed and was able to just let the previous week melt away. God is good.

Highlights from San Fernando (June 22-29): 

• The group was a bunch of hardcore workers who laid the floor of an entire church, as well as started a sidewalk on one side. ALSO, at the school site, they extended the cement for the soccer field, painted a classroom, and took down the roof of an eating area that was being changed.
• My BIRTHDAY. Well, kind of. I went ziplining, but then came back to a stressful situation.
• Even though there were lots of bumps on the road, my ATLs and I figured everything out and worked together to make everything work. 
• Getting to know the host pastor and his family, who are WONDERFUL.

Praise God:

• For the amount of work that was accomplished!
• For the roof that is going to be donated to the school because of the extension of cement that was laid.
• For the youth that showed up to help work, even though they weren't members of the church.
• Gaining confidence in my position as trip leader.

Pray for:

• The relationships formed in San Fernando to continue
• That Ministerio Casa del Nuevo Pacto continues to be a beacon of light in their community
• The bus drivers to come to know Christ's saving power

Also, Trip Journal.