May. Half-way point.

Day 111...  74 days to go!

First, I want to apologize for putting my blog on the back burner these this last two months.  I have had to cope with my Mac laptop recently being put to rest.  The last few months I have been so overwhelmed with having new experiences every day that I sometimes forget to set aside time to share these experiences with everyone back home.

I want to be honest with you.  I have found that many people back home hear "six months in Costa Rica" and automatically think that everything is fun, wonderful, a nice vacation, and that I'm having a blast... but I'd like to share with you that my life here about a month ago wasn't that easy.  I know I have been called here for one specific purpose and that is to serve God by serving the poor in these areas in Latin America.  I want to share my love for Jesus with those who don't know Him.  But its not that easy.  Being on the mission field, Satan will try his hardest to attack in many ways.  But during this morning's devotional, I was reminded with Nehemiah 6:3: And I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down".  Even when I didn't understand, I know that God certainly wanted me to trust him through those difficult times.  Today, I am refreshed in Jesus, reminded of my salvation and His promises.  Please continue to pray for all of us here.  

Sunday afternoon after church with my Tica family


 My Papá, Mamá, my two sisters and I pack in my family's tiny car and head to our church, Iglesia Biblica, at about 8:30am every Sunday.  Sometimes when we feel energetic, we may walk the few blocks to the church.  Completely opposite of a calm Baptist church that I was raised in, I now attend a pretty lively evangelistic church with loud, hand-clapping music with lots of jumping and dancing in the aisles.  

Iglesia Biblica

There are many gringos that go to this church so the first Sunday of the month, the message is usually translated to English.  EMI is known throughout the church.  Each staff member and their family attends a different church in Atenas.  Tim (my project leader in the office) sings at Iglesia Biblica while his wife Cindy (my spiritual mentor) helps with the children.   

Surprisingly enough, word got around the church quite quickly that I know how to play clarinet.  My Tico friend, Alvaro, also plays saxophone.  Just a few Sundays ago, Alvaro and I were asked to play a clarinet and soprano saxophone duet to Sublime Gracia (Amazing Grace).   Because I hadn't played clarinet since my sophomore year in college (4 years ago, wow), my band "nerdiness" quickly came back and soon enough I found myself walking down the streets of Atenas proud to be holding a clarinet case. 

I loved being able to use my talents in my church to serve God and feel the Holy Spirit move in the congregation. "...for the Lord God is my strength is my song..." Isaiah 12:2

My Pastor, Oldemar, and his wife Tita wanted to thank me for some design work I did for their newly built house.  They came to the EMI office and presented me with a Bible in Spanish and English. 

Praises:

-Amos came to visit in March and we had a wonderful weekend vacation to Manuel Antonio with the other interns.

-My family came to visit in April and it felt incredible to spend a weekend together as a family.  This was a much needed weekend for me. 

-Projects in the office are progressing as we are rapidly approaching deadlines from our volunteers.




Another blog coming soon!