On May 4th, I left Costa Rica. Sure, I'll be back many times in the years to come, but my full-time ministry there is now over.
Over the past two years, I worked on constructing the Children's Worship Center and Methodist Medical Clinic in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Sunday School classrooms in Monteverde and Finca 11 de Rio Frio, and the Methodist Children's Home in Coronado.
At the Colegio Metodista, I gave numerous messages to the high school and elementary school students during chapel, taught a couple of Christian Education classes and participated in over-night retreats for the high school, choreographed some line dances (hah!) and coached basketball for the elementary school, and spent countless hours hanging out with the faculty and administration of the school.
I hosted 33 mission teams from the States, helping them in their week-long transition to Costa Rican culture, working alongside them in the hot/cold/dry/wet construction ditches, and singing, dancing and playing throughout their Vacation Bible School lessons for the kiddos.
And it was wonderful.
Yet the most important piece of it all, and the piece that I have tried to stress in my most recent posts, was the quality of the relationships that I built with both the Costa Ricans and the Americans. The hospitality, selflessness, generosity and undying love that was poured out upon me has profoundly impacted my life, and I hope to hold those experiences--and more importantly, those friends who blessed me--in my heart for the rest of my days.
Through both the work and the friendships, God revealed Himself to me in new, unimaginable ways. I learned some of the tough sides of faith, yet I learned of the overabundance of the beautiful sides of faith as well. It will take many months, and probably many years, of reflection in order to fully comprehend all the lessons that God has taught me over the past two years.
And I couldn't be more thankful.
Goodbye Costa Rica . . . until we meet again.
At the Colegio Metodista, I gave numerous messages to the high school and elementary school students during chapel, taught a couple of Christian Education classes and participated in over-night retreats for the high school, choreographed some line dances (hah!) and coached basketball for the elementary school, and spent countless hours hanging out with the faculty and administration of the school.
I hosted 33 mission teams from the States, helping them in their week-long transition to Costa Rican culture, working alongside them in the hot/cold/dry/wet construction ditches, and singing, dancing and playing throughout their Vacation Bible School lessons for the kiddos.
And it was wonderful.
Yet the most important piece of it all, and the piece that I have tried to stress in my most recent posts, was the quality of the relationships that I built with both the Costa Ricans and the Americans. The hospitality, selflessness, generosity and undying love that was poured out upon me has profoundly impacted my life, and I hope to hold those experiences--and more importantly, those friends who blessed me--in my heart for the rest of my days.
Through both the work and the friendships, God revealed Himself to me in new, unimaginable ways. I learned some of the tough sides of faith, yet I learned of the overabundance of the beautiful sides of faith as well. It will take many months, and probably many years, of reflection in order to fully comprehend all the lessons that God has taught me over the past two years.
And I couldn't be more thankful.
Goodbye Costa Rica . . . until we meet again.
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