My week on the mission field

A WEEK IN MY LIFE ON THE MISSION FIELD

I know some of you have been so curious as to what we’re doing in ministry in Costa Rica! I’m so excited to share what life on the mission field has been for me

Monday 2/14

Valentine’s Day

Monday morning we all woke up to a very sweet surprise. The guys on our squad woke up early in the morning to go get flowers for each young lady on the squad, our team leaders, as well as the pastors wife. It was such a kind gesture and totally a suprise. Usually mondays are the day we go on a new and exciting adventure somewhere in this beautiful country, but today we had to say goodbye to one of our squad mates (she went home for preexisting medical reasons) which was sad for all of us. Once our leader took her off to the airport we began our first day of community outreach ministry! We were able to go around La Viga picking up trash, cleaning the leaves out of peoples yards and burning them, and praying over families. We met a sweet young girl named April who’s having a rough home life and she hung out with us all day. And this was all before lunch! (Lol) when we came in for lunch and then split in two teams. One to continue picking up trash for a few hours and the other to rake and burn leaves. So I went with the trash team and we were able to clean up the community soccer field and other places around here. We met a very sweet woman who we were able to pray over before we came in for coffee time which means it’s time to end ministry for the day! When we came back Victoria had set up a sweet valentines suprise with candy and balloons that was very fun. I was able to hang out with kids in the church for a little while and then we had dinner and team time! Miss Dailey girl shared her testimony and it was such a blessing to hear her story. We got to share things we admire about eachother and then I was able to call some family and friends. Had a few hard conversations that I wasn’t expecting. So honestly I laid down to try and sleep and cried on my sleeping mat for a while. My team leader, victoria, has her mat beside mine and she comforted me, which ment more than I can explain. 

Tuesday 2/15

Adventure day

TUESDAY WAS AWESOME! We woke up had breakfast and ran out the door to catch a bus before 7AM. Drove an hour and a half to a tour of La Leona! We got in the bed of trucks and went up to the mountain and then hiked a kilometer or two to a beautiful swimming area, jumping off rocks into the water(image 1), and resting with the team. Then we continued our hike in the rainforest and swimming through beautiful caves(2) to get to the INCREDIBLE waterfall(3) it was so awesome to see so much of what the Lord can do in nature. On our hike back we stopped at a second waterfall that was in a cave and I went under the waterfall (4) and sat for a moment. Which was beyond cool! Then we got back in the trucks and rode back to the bus, ate lunch, rested, while we decided what to do next. We ended up going to another area with caves, rivers, and jumping rocks. But I got a really bad rash that was hurting a lot and so I rested in my hammock. It couldn’t have been better. I was able to read my Bible and take a nap after such a long and exciting day! When my team came back and woke me up (haha) we got back on the bus and had a 2 hour bus ride home. But along the way we stopped at MCDONALDS. It was so tasty. After eating beans and rice with every meal, anything that I ate at home like the burger I had was just so much better than in the states. Anyways we hopped on the bus and I got a call from mom saying I got into two of my colleges, but that I have to decide about one in the next two weeks. So that’s been stressful! I got to talk it out on the bus ride and think about it most of the night. When we got back to the church there was dinner and Jessica and I did the dishes before bed. 

Wednesday 2/16

Fasting 

After a long and emotional two days I was left with a lot of questions for college, my relationship, and where God was taking me in life. So I decided to fast the day with only water to drink. I woke up at 5:45 to make breakfast this morning with Dailey (we have a rotation as to who helps pastor cook in the morning and do dishes) so cooking food I wasn’t going to eat was challenging, but I got to serve my team so that’s all I needed to be happy about it! Durring breakfast I sat and read the Bible, listened to worship music, and just talked to the Lord. Then we went to begin ministry for the day. We went into a different community to visit a sweet old woman named Wanita and we began to build a fence for her. We only had a few of the tools called macanas and empty cans to scoop out the dirt to create holes an arms length deep for the fence posts. It was pretty physically tasking and we spent 5 or 6 hours doing it, so with no food or snacks I was feeling a bit wiry, but the Lord was with me through it all. We finished and came home. I was a bit frustrated at first because I was trying to show the Lord that I’m disciplined and ready to follow his path, but I wanted to know the direction right in that moment. I learned that Gods timing isn’t our own and it can’t be persuaded. I know Heis faithful and I knew He would answer my prayers. Later in this week He did. 

Thursday 2/17

Sick day

I woke up just after midnight feeling very sick. Since I didn’t have any food in my stomach I couldn’t take medicine. So I tried to eat a granola bar and take NyQuil for my pain in my throat and headache. But it ended up hurting my stomach and spend 15 minutes in the restroom trying not to throw up lol. So bad start to the day. Finally fell back asleep but still had a headache and my stomach was not happy. So as it turned out two other people from my squad weren’t feeling well and we all stayed at the church while the rest of our team went to continue the fence we started. Catherine, Levi, and I spent the day resting and avoiding the bats that love to come visit here. After lunch I wasn’t feeling well at all and so I went to take a shower. But it was infested with mosquitoes since there was sitting water on the ground. I think it’s the fastest shower I’ve ever taken and yet I still ended up with tons of bites ??. That wasn’t really the relaxing moment I had hoped for. Rested some more and attempted a few chores, but it’s in the 90s everyday so I ran out of breath quickly. I was able to FaceTime and text some loved ones which did make me feel much better. When my team returned from putting the finishing touches on the barbed wire fence I shared my full testimony. It was scary but was received well and I was shown so much love and support. We ate dinner and watched the second movie of Hunger Games: Catching fire because we are watching one a week on “family movie night” <3

Friday 2/18

Facing challenges 

I was feeling much better when I woke up this morning. Our two leaders Raquel and Victoria were told to spend a night recharging in an Airbnb so we were on our own. It was awesome because we were able to do ATL which is Ask The Lord for what ministry He wanted us to do that day. We ended up designing cards and letters for people in the community as well as other team mates with drawings and verses we thought would be helpful to them! But half way through ministry I had to return to the church to have conversations about things that were changing at home and it affected a lot of my hearts posture towards being here that night. I felt confused about my future for which path the Lord is leading me down. I really had to rely on my squad as a whole as well as the 4 girls on my team. I spent some time alone just listening to the Lord and came back inside to a crazy dance party that lifted my spirits a lot. We all hung out as a squad and watched Tangled. I stepped away to talk more about the confusion of the day. I wrote in my journal that this day felt like a duck floating on water. Seemingly fine and gliding around, but underneath they’re kickin their little feet so fast just to stay up. But I really learned the value of Gods peace even through the storms of life, relying on Him, and finding ways to be joyful in sorrows. 

Saturday 2/19

Half Sabbath 

Usually saturdays are the days that our team is off in the morning to go into the city for anything we need, come back for children’s church and youth group, and rest for the night. But today we had to pack up all of our stuff to put it in the boys room so we could clean up for a conference they had that night. So after breakfast we packed up before we headed to the city. We take public buses in and out of Nicoya which is about 30 minutes from here. Once we got there we were able to walk around, go to a bakery, get subway!, go to the market, and get grocery snacks for the week. Going to subway was so nice! I got to have food I’m used too and FaceTime people I miss

Sunday 2/20

Closure in questions 

Generally Sundays look like packing our stuff in the morning, having breakfast, church service, and then having the afternoon to spend with the Lord. This week has been crazy though so that wasn’t how it went. Dailey and I woke up around 6:30 to cook breakfast with pastor, cleaned and set up the church for service, and got ready. We had 3 girls give pieces of their testimony for the church, then Jessica and Hope sang with the band which was awesome! During the sermon I was able to go to my hammock hideaway and process the week. It was so peaceful and helpful. Then we got ready to leave for a birthday party. Spent most of the day there playing games, eating treats, and celebrating Shelia turning 1 with her family! We played with baby chickens and puppies they had before returning to the church and eating dinner. Then after our beans, rice with lentals, and plantains. Each Sunday night we have squad church and worship which I have been blessed to be a part of. Today was special. We watched a video piece of a sermon, took the guitar and lyric stand to the soccer field, and look at the incredible night sky. This night God answered the questions I had been praying over and fasting about earlier in the week and it was so incredible to feel the relief of knowing everything is okay and he is faithful no matter what<3