Driving

Yesterday I officially drove for my first time, in Costa Rica. And let me tell you it was no small drive around the block. It was the 30 minute drive to the airport, through 3 rotundas, and to the complete opposite side of the valley. Granted it was Sunday, so there was less traffic, but still it was a great feat. Now that it's behind me, I really want to have my own mode of transportation. I realized, while driving, how much easier many facets of my life would be if we had a car. Going to the grocery store and not having to take buses and taxis. Being able to run more than one errand a day. Not having to spend almost 2 hours on the bus, for an hour long Spanish class. Being free to leave my own house after 6pm. I think this is the biggest factor, feeling free to live my life a little more like how I would if I were at home in the States. While a car certainly is not a necessity for life here, it would simplify a lot of daily task, especially once we have teams coming.

It just so happens, that one of my teammates, has a friend who is selling an old car for $1,000. Split between Cailah and I, that's not too bad. We're hoping to check it out this week. Used cars always make me a little nervous since I don't really know the first things about cars. But you can't beat the price, and my teammates know a few things about automobiles. I'm praying if it's not a good car for us, that it will be gone by the time we are able to check it out.

Our First Group

This last week Cailah, Aiyla and I hosted our first group here in Costa Rica! We led 22 college students from James Madison University on a week long outreach in the jungle region of Talamanca, Costa Rica. We were working alongside the full-time missionaries down there, Curtis and Kathy Sharp. This is the same town and ministry that I have been a part of over the last several summers, so it was quite a treat for me to get to go back there. Also, the group of students we had were amazing! Each one came down with a heart to serve, looking for God to work in and through them during the week. It was a joy to watch them serve the community, the Sharps, and each other as serving unto the Lord (Ephesians 6:5-7)


A few of the highlights:

Watching the students love on the community. Even though we weren't doing a VBS after the days' manuel labor, the students still really wanted to hangout with the kids from the community. They would tirelessly play with them till we had to call them back for dinner.





Great times of worship and sharing. We all blessed by how amazing God is and the work he is doing in each one of us.


Being able to bless the Sharps and the community through the many projects we were able to complete




Seeing friendship developed and strengthened among the team members and knowing that each one is going home with a great support system.

Guatemala!!!

This last week I had the pleasure of being part of a 35+ Women's Outreach at the Student's International (SI) base in Guatemala. We were women from all over the globe, but we came together to learn from each other and be apart of the work God is doing in Guatemala.

The SI Costa Rica Ladies


We spent the first part of the week living with host family in the community where we were working. This is our host family.
They were amazing!!! The dad, Anecleto, probably told us over a dozen times that we weren't guest, we were family. They were so kind and truly opened up their home and their hearts to us.


I was blessed to be able to work alongside my good friend, Rachel, at her school. She teaches English classes there for all the grades. But since I am a Spanish-speaker we decided my help could best be used in the overcrowded kindergarten class. I loved getting to hangout with those kids all day. I have really miss working with kids on a regular basis, so this week was such a treat for me.





On Mardi Gras, all the schools celebrate with a carnival. The kids come dressed in costumes and much of the day is dedicated to getting as much Pica Pica into your classmates hair! (Pica Pica, is a painted eggshell that has been stuffed with confetti) It was absolutely hilarious!



Even Debbie and I got our share of Pica Pica!


But after it was all over, all the kids helped clean up the school.


Outside of the time at the school, I really enjoyed getting to spend time with old friends, as well as make new ones, especially among the Guatemala staff. It was so great to be able to share with each other and encourage one another as many of us are going through the challenging time of transition.


Over 13 years ago, on outreach with SI in Guatemala, I felt called to God's work in Latin America. It was so exciting to be there again and now that I am now fulling that call. There is so much more I could share. If you want to hear more, email. You also can check out the rest of the pictures from the trip below

Guatemala

In and Out

We officially moved into our new apartment in Desamparados! Jeff Dixon was a huge help in getting all our stuff moved over and picking up our new appliances. They have also graciously invited us to share many meals at their house over these last few weeks. We are slowly beginning to set up our permanent home. We have an oven with no racks, a refrig that isn't cold, and no couch. But we do have an amazing view, a beautiful kitchen table, and super comfortable beds. We still have a ton to do, but all in all, it's been a good week.
Tomorrow we leave for the SI base in Guatemala. SI is having their first ever Women's Outreach. Guatemala shares many of the characteristic we would like to build in SI Costa Rica, such as home stays and many of their ministry sites. This is a great opportunity for the women of SI Costa Rica to learn from a more mature base. Please be praying for our time there. Amidst everything that has been going on, I don't feel completely prepared to go, but I know that God has a lot planned. Please pray that my heart and my eyes would be open to where He is moving and what He wants to show me. Also pray for the women from the States who will be joining us, for some of them, this is their first mission trip. As well as for the people of Magdelena where we will be staying and serving. I will be working alongside my friend Rachel at the school where she teaches English and helps oversee several of the other programs. I am excited to see everything she does there and encourage her in the work she is doing with the children of the community. If you want to hear more about the school, you can check out her blog http://kellysinguatemala.blogspot.com/

I look forward to sharing more with you when we get back in a week. Thank you for all your prayers, and I love getting to hear from you.

Beach Pictures

Many of you have asked how we've been enjoying the beach. Well, we don't exactly live near the beach, and it can actually be quite cold here in the San Jose area. This last weekend we finally made the 4 hour public bus ride to Manuel Antonio. Cailah and I were joined by Aiyla (our new SI intern) and Pam (a missionary to Mexico studying at our language school). We found a great hostel/apartment complete with monkeys outside our window every morning.

We spent one day at the national park, where I experienced my first benefit of applying for residency: $3 admission, versus $10. Yeah! The park is beautiful and there is all kinds of wildlife as you hike around or sit on the beach.


This guy was a little to close for my comfort.


I'm really happy about my P n J on the beach!


Our special sunset dinner at the airplane restaurant.


Hiking down to the beach the hostel lady told us about. She said it only took her 30 minutes walking with kids to get there, but we think Costa Ricans are bad at estimating time. It took us almost an hour to get there.


Great sunset on our last night


We are so thankful to have had this time to go and relax at the beach. As we were riding the bus out there, I was reminded of why I love Costa Rica so much. The countryside is so beautiful! We only get tiny glimpses in the city, and it's easy to just focus on the dirty big city feeling. It was nice to get away from urban development for a few days, breath in the fresh air, and appreciate God's creation.

Where is my worth?

This past weekend, Cailah and I were blessed to spend our first weekend at the beach. I’ll write more about our time later, but first I want to share with you what God has been teaching me. One of the hardest things for me during these past few month in Costa Rica, has been the lack a clear role or job description. I knew there would be period of transition when I first arrived. I also knew we are starting up a new base, so we don’t have clearly defined positions of responsibilities. Coming into it, I thought I was totally prepared for this; it was going to be an adventure. Well, the adventure has turned out to be a little slower paced than I expected. I thought by now I would have kids who I am working with on a daily basis, friends in the community, a sense of purpose. I have found myself frequently frustrated and even sometimes questioning why God has called me here. But this weekend, God really showed me my heart, and how it wasn’t at all lining up with His. I am a “doer”, I like to have an impact, I want to see a job well done. This is all fine and good, until I start viewing my actions and my accomplishments as what define me, instead of allowing my relationship with Christ to be the most important defining aspect of my life. I want people to see the good things I am doing because it makes me feel valuable. If I don’t have anything tangible in terms of good works, to show for the several months I’ve been here, how am I to be validated? But I am looking to the wrong place for validation. Christ alone is the one who can determine my worth and affirm me, no matter what the circumstances are. I began reading a small book this weekend, Out of Solitude, by Henri Nouwen. He relates to our lives the passage in Mark 1:32-39, where Jesus gets up early, and goes to a lonely place to pray. He discussed the necessity for us to get away from all of the things we “need to do for Jesus”, in order to spend time with Him, and allow Him to affirm us. I know this is not a new concept. It is something I have struggled with these last few months, as I’ve been stripped of all the things that have previously defined me: family, friends, students, culture, and community.

"In solitude we become aware that our worth is not the same as our usefulness.... In solitude we can grow freely without being preoccupied with our usefulness and we can offer a service which we had not planned on. To the degree that we have lost our dependencies on this world, whatever world means-- father, mother, children, career, success or rewards-- we can form a community of faith in which there is little to defend but much to share" ~ Henri Nouwen

I know this weekend, was not a quick fix. I know I will continue to struggle as we keep praying about where it is God wants us to be. In those moments though, I hope I will quickly remember that I am child of God. He defines me, not my good deeds or usefulness.

Ministry Update

Please continue to be praying with us, that God would make it clear where He wants us to be serving. We have built relationships with several people who’s needs and vision match with Students International. We are in a bit of a unique situation in that we, as individuals, will be doing full-time ministry day in and day out, but we will also have groups of students and adults who will be joining us throughout the year. Therefore, the ministry needs to be viable and meaningful in both aspects. Also, we have discovered that many people here have been badly hurt by missionaries in the past. We want to be cautious in making commitments, in order to be sure they are commitments God has intended for us and that we can follow through on them. Please pray for wisdom, discernment, and patience as we meet with different people and wait on the Lord.