Spirit-Filled

My second to last week. Up to this point, I'd been learning a lot and feeling like I'd grown so much more in faith and prayer and even coming to know the Holy Spirit more. This was, ironically (or maybe not so ironically), the other week I felt extremely spiritually attacked. Week 7 of the summer. ATLs: Shelby, Luis, Mark, Kristy. This was Kristy's only week as an ATL, and yet, she was absolutely meant to be with us. I picked her up at the end of my descansa and we got to spend a couple of days together before the team arrived. She is Spirit-filled. Immediately when I met her, we started talking about real things and how the summer was going and who I am, really. I shared with her what I was learning, and she told me point blank that this week I would be attacked, that the enemy was going to try and make me doubt all that I was learning about the Spirit. (Of course I didn't remember this until mid-week.. when I was under attack..)

But this time, unlike the first week, I knew I couldn't fight it alone. I sought out the support of my ATLs, and they prayed for me. They encouraged me. They spoke truths into my life that would combat the lies satan was feeding me. Ephesians 6 was becoming real. 

This week was also at two of my favorite churches with two of my favorite pastors, Pastor Jose and Pastor Adolfo. Pastor Jose is the one who hosted us and introduced us to Pastor Adolfo. He did so much to help set up the trip and members of his church cooked us many meals. He is absolutely a blessing and man who wants his church to be a blessing to others. (And at the end of the week, he told me I'm tica!) Pastor Adolfo is such a loving man. He has such great vision for his church, and when you catch that vision, you can't help but be excited for what God is going to do. He is 65 years old and jumped into the big pit and worked hard with some of the men from the team. He joked and played and encouraged. And he told me mid-week that he loved me! Such a precious, precious man! While serving with these churches, it is clear that the Spirit bonded us despite language differences. We worshiped in Spanish and English; we prayed together; we played together. 

Highlights from Liberia/San Rafael de Buena Vista (July 26- Aug 2): 

• Soccer against the youth from Pastor Jose's church
• Madness and gelato during a horse exhibition parade
• Connecting with the group and group leader
• Catching Pastor Adolfo's vision
• Pastor Adolfo saying he loved me/Pastor Jose calling me Tica.

Praise God:

• For the connections made between gringos and ticos
• For giving me the courage to be vulnerable with my ATLS
• That I began to lead well/with confidence
• For a great group leader
• A RENEWAL!!!! THEY SIGNED UP TO GO AGAIN NEXT YEAR!!

Pray for:

• The members of Centro Evangelistico Zuriel, that they would be a lighthouse in their community
• The feeding program that they will be starting in November for the poor and abandoned children of the area (and the group from Delaware that is taking up an offering to help support them!)
• My relationships there to continue, especially since we are returning!
• Kristy and her family and her marriage. She was a blessing to me, so I want her family to be a blessing to her!

I forgot. Here's the trip journal link: http://www.prayingpelicanmissions.org/journals?tripid=2005

Descansa

During my group-free rest time, I had definitely planned to blog more, but somehow I totally missed it. I think I just needed the break of obligations. So I'll let you know about it now! (Way, way late. I apologize.)

It was so good to visit my family in Manuel Antonio (you remember, from the first week of the summer?). I'll just tell you their names so that I can not explain it each time. Marlon was our chofer and worship leader at Iglesia Hosanna and his son Jhonner hung out with us all week. They are my brothers. I never lost contact with them all summer, and I went to visit them twice during my two week gap. 

The first weekend, I arrived and waited while they finished setting up the sound system at church. Then we went and watched the sunset at the beach and then I treated them to their first Thai meal ever! It was fun to just talk about life and ministry and food and simply hang out with no schedule. Sunday afternoon they invited me to come see their house and to meet Marlon's wife, Edith and puppy, Poocher! It was nice to welcomed in as truly part of the family. We didn't even do much; we played Uno all afternoon! Then at church that night, since both of them play in the worship band, I took a seat by myself. I'm feeling kind of weird sitting by myself, but in walks the guy who served me breakfast at the hotel that morning! We instantly recognized each other and he came to sit with me and we were friends, just like that! The next morning he was working again, so we sat and talked for like an hour about faith and relationships and healing and all that good stuff that you don't normally get to when you first meet people. It was nice. Then I went to the beach with Marlon and Jhonner and treated them to their first gelatto! I got to introduce them to wordly cuisine! :) After that I had to head north for meetings the next day. And I spent the week in Liberia with the other staff who were leading teams, all the while missing my family in MA. 

Luckily, I was assigned the perfectly horrible task of driving back to the airport (3 hours south) at 5am the next weekend. (I escorted our ATL who was going home and who had to turn in her rental car, which was under my name.) Since I had to drive 3 hours south, I figured that I'd drive a couple more hours and spend another weekend with my family! Then I got lost (see previous blog post!). In arranging my hotel stay this time, my friend who worked there told me not to get breakfast included so that it'd be cheaper. He would just treat me. So nice. That night contained pizza and UNO at Marlon's house. And rain. And loss of power. Good stuff! 

Sunday morning, I sat in the restaurant and had my quiet time and relaxed and watched/prayed for other guests as I ate. Then it started pouring rain again. And it never stopped. all. day. Rolvin (hotel worker) got my lunch, too, and then we watched Despicable Me 2 in Spanish  (mi villano favorito 2) on my computer. After our afternoon cafecito, I took Rolvin back to his house to change before church, and that was quite the experience. It's always interesting to see how people live and the choices/priorities that families have. Rolvin had previously told me that no one in his family was a believer, so I will a little afraid to answer the question when his brother asked me what I did. But when I told him, I got a reaction I wasn't expecting. He proceeded to tell me all the things wrong in his life, things he did, and situations he was in, and how God hadn't helped him at all. I spit out some words that I hoped would help and invited him to church with us that night. No go. Rolvin said that he always promised, but had never actually gone. Two of his other brothers chose to come with us. And for some reason, right before we left, I decided to open it up to anyone in the family, expecting to be shot down immediately. But strangely, Rolvin's mom volunteered his brother that had been completely open with me. He was trapped. So he decided to come. I was really excited for what the night would hold! We got to the church a little early and waited, and when it was about to start, I looked around for Rolvin's brother. He was no where in sight. Apparently, when he had excused himself to go to the bathroom, he really just ran away. I tried to go on with the music, but really felt like God was saying to go after him. In my head I saw it as a symbol of God never giving up on him and choosing to pursue him, even when he runs away. Rolvin volunteered to come with me, but I told him to stay with his other two brothers, then ran back out into the rain. I got in the car and prayed that God would help me find the lost brother. I had no idea where he would have gone. I just started in the direction of his house, and at my first turn, there he was. And he immediately knew it was me. I rolled down the window and simply said come. And he got in the car. And we drove back to the church. Before we went in, I told him I would be right there. And then I checked on him several times during the service.. Especially since God aimed the sermon right at him. It was intense. I think before this summer, I would have been worried about his reaction because it hit so close to home, but strangely enough, this time I was like, "Okay God, you speak to him!" No, he didn't come to Christ that night. But for me the celebration was that he came to church. For the first time ever. And the word of God never returns void. Amen.

Also, at the end of service, they always want to publicly welcome visitors. Rolvin pointed at me, and Pastor Gerardo declared from the front of the church that I was part of the "casa" now. Proud moment for me!


Be in prayer for him. And for all of Rolvin's family. And for Rolvin to be a light to them. 
Pray over Marlon and Jhonner. That God would bless their ministry and their sacrifice. (They moved to help the church out for a while.) That God would bless their family.
Lift up Iglesia Hosanna. Pastor Gerardo, Diego, Chris. Their ministry. The outreach. The discipleship. The worship. That God would move in mighty ways in Quepos, breaking the chains of addiction and drawing people to himself.

Amen.