Salutations!
Well, this week has been the halfway point of our trip. It is truly amazing how quickly times flies. For instance, it has been 10 days since I updated this blog...
We have had an eventful past week, but really nothing crazy and news-worthy. Maybe I need to take more pleasure in the small things of life. In reality, God has blessed us in many small ways, with often intangible results or subtle successes. Evangelism has been slow, but progresses each day as we get more accustomed to cultural differences and improve at relating His story to people here. There are still not many students actively involved in the ministry, but there are a few steadily being discipled.
In the spirit of the tourist industry that dominates most areas of Costa Rica, here is a bullet style fact sheet of what I've been up to:
-Jesse and I met a student named Mariano in the Letras campus that wants to learn more about sharing his faith, so he can reach his brother, and eventually take Bibles to Asia with the translation organization Wycliffe.
-I have been able to connect with many of my friends from last year, cool peeps like Jose Pablo, Andrey, Marco, Fede, Sergio, Valery, and Kim.
-We had a party at the Cru House to watch the Costa Rica vs. Honduras soccer game, and over 15 students came from campus to watch with us! Katherine got to share her testimony at halftime, and we made tons of new friends. It was cool to connect over something so full of camaraderie, and hopefully some lasting friendships were started or strengthened there. We get to go to game at the National Stadium next week, which should be intense!
-I got to explore Volcan Irazu with Hector and his Tico friend Sergio from American University, and Sergio's friend Sarah. It was breath-taking, in between stretches of dense, milky fog. We hiked around the crater, which was completely hidden from below and was much much deeper and more massive than I had imagined. Also at that altitude I found about 15 new bird species for my all-time list. Bonus for sure. It seemed kind of homey up there around 10,000 ft, with cold rain and wind that numbed our fingers.
-I have gotten to know the people from the hostel a little more this year, and I would say that the atmosphere is definitely more Rasta than my last visit. There was a copy of Ganjah Farmer magazine on the table the other day, and constant reggae on the stereo. Peculiar calming odors seep in from the garden quite often, and the guests are always just so chill. I think something's up...
-My Spanish seems to be improving, as is my handle on the city. Today I rode across town and navigated the taxis and bus station all by myself. I felt so grown up. I even held a conversation in Spanish with the cool old guy driving my taxi. My ability to speak comes and goes, but this week has been good in general. I have only had a handful of English conversations on campus. There is something so freeing about being able to communicate with someone in a different language, as well as some satisfaction in knowing that all this time at college is paying off a little.
-Hector and I got our passport extension paperwork in, and we will be notified within 30 days...so since we are leaving within that time anyways, it doesn't matter. We are good to go. If mine gets extended, I'll have an extra 3 months before I have to leave the country....hmmm
-Tomorrow we leave for mid-project retreat at Volcan Arenal, and we will be hiking, swimming, soaking in the rain, etc.
Pray for:
-a relaxing, semi-dry time at Arenal, where we can bond and lose some stress.
-continued and growing reliance on the Spirit for guidance and words on campus
-more students who are committed to the Lord and desire to grow in faith and community
-our health, as there seems to be a chest/head cold going around. People are sick all over campus, the hostel, and Cru, including myself. I have also been having small migraines. Nothing too serious, but an annoying hindrance.
I love you all and miss you! See you soon! (probably)
Ecclesiastes 3:11-15
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