Life lessons learned in Costa Rica

We started our time in Costa Rica in Jaco, a fun little beach town with a big side of spiritual darkness. The sunsets taught me more about the kindness in the Lord’s eyes than I had ever known, and the crashing of the ocean symbolized the power and depth of the father’s love in the most beautiful, poetic way. I learned the ins and outs of community living (some bad, a lot good, and all challenging), the heart posture of servitude, the simplicity of contentment. For the first time, it occurred to me that maybe happiness has nothing to do with circumstances and everything to do with the fact that God is great and that will never change. Here are some photos to give you a glimpse into our time in Jaco with Ocean’s Edge ministries:

Painting ministry!

See what I mean about the sunsets?

Surf ministry every Friday (life here was a dream)

As I got on the bus to leave sweet, sweet, Jaco for 10 days in Nicoya, I wrote these parting words in my oh so sacred notes app: 

Dear Jaco, 

For Gap I, you were our first taste of life overseas, but you are (and have been) home to so many. You provided a month overflowing with goodness and beauty. With hungry hearts, we entered, and with teary eyes, we left. You captured us with your sunsets and ice cream sundaes, with your kind eyes and sweet sights and sounds. Falling in love with you made me fall deeper in love with your creator, the source of all things beautiful and sweet. Eyes once again opened to more of His favor through the vessel that is Jaco, Costa Rica. It was an honor to call you home for a month. 

Next came Nicoya:

For ten days, the squad split up all over Costa Rica to do ministry as teams. Team rooted had the absolute honor to serve Pastor Basilio, the kindest soul I’ve met (maybe ever). Those 10 days were challenging, filled with days of homesickness not only for home but for the squad, spiritual warfare, and silence on silence. I learned the value of simplicity and kindness and spontaneity, with little in our hands but lots in our hearts we learned all of these things. A lot of you supported me financially, and for those that did, here’s some information about where your donation money is going. The money we pay ministry hosts comes out of the money we raised, and in this case as well as many, is what these hosts live off of. Our money for Basilio is helping him build a house (right now he lives with his 2 sons in Sunday school classrooms in the back of the church). That is where a lot of the money you have donated is going, so thank you for helping such deserving hands and feet! 

Sweet Pastor Basilio

Fiesta!

Puerto Viejo:

And now we are in Puerto Viejo, the final segment of our time in Costa Rica. We are about a week into our 3-week stretch here and it’s been so growing already. Ministry looks a little different every day, but so far has been physical labor (I realized early on this week that I am no longer in shape actually). Christmas in the jungle looked and felt different, but was also incredibly sweet. Homesickness hasn’t hit that hard until yesterday, but there was also this overarching theme of gratefulness that what I consider ‘family’ has only multiplied, and that the arms of the Father are home. So in that sense, I had quite the warm and cozy Christmas at home with my family, and for that, I’m very blessed.

Christmas eve party! 

Monkey spotting!

Big jungle frat house for gap I!

Also forgot to tell you guys our next country got switched to Guatemala so I’m pumped for that at the beginning of January:) Adios for now!