Wow, after just a little bit more than a week here on Project in Costa Rica... I can totally see how God wants to use me here and I am learning a lot about His awesomeness! As I said in my last post, I wrote two full and detailed e-mails about my time so far on Project and what God has been teaching me... but sadly, they deleted as I tried to save them, so I will try again.I met up with my Project team of 16 other college students and 2 Project leaders from Oregon on Thursday night at the Hostel. It is awesome because the team is made up of students from all over the United States, so we all have very different backgrounds and it is so cool to all come together to serve God here in Costa Rica! I have really also learned a lot about God and His faithfulness through growing closer with my Project teammates and learning about how God is working in their lives. It has been amazing to get to know each of them and serve with them.
Each week day we wake up and meet as a Project from 9 til about lunchtime. During that time we do worship, devotionals, Bible studies, discussions, and just grow together in our relationship with God. After that, we all walk to the campus of the University of Costa Rica to spend 11:30 til 4pm each day just loving on the students and sharing the Gospel. God has blessed me with the ability to speak some Spanish and the desire to learn more... so it has been amazing to be able to communicate with the students in their native language and not have to worry about language barriers because God breaks those. Each day has looked very different. But the most encouraging day was just this past Friday - and it leaves me very excited to go back out on campus tomorrow morning and share some more.
On Friday, I was sharing with my normal sharing buddy, Jodi. But we met up with another pair from our team and decided to switch it up for the day to get experience sharing with another person. Kate and I went out and shared the Gospel with two girls who were studying in the common area. The Lord just blessed our conversation and spoke through us as we shared the Gospel. However, the girls then needed to leave, so we left our contact info with them and hope to meet up with them again another day.
But then we were lead to two other girls sitting near by in the court yard. We approached them and asked if they spoke English... "nope, none at all" they replied laughing. So Kate and I looked at each other and knew we could try this in Spanish. So the girls were excited to talk with us and were very patient with our Spanish. However, I look back on it and see how God just was able to allow me to understand everything they were saying and respond back without much trouble. So that was awesome, because the discussion we had was really an important one for those girls and something important for them to hear. I can see how God just brought me to them because I was able to relate with where they were at because it is exactly where I was at 3 or 4 years ago. The girls had mentioned that they believe in God... but don't agree with or understand religion... and that their families are Catholic, but they don't believe in the religion of it and just believe in God. So Kate and I were able to walk them through the Gospel and explain how they can have a personal relationship with God and receive Christ in their hearts. It was neat, I was so encouraged and excited the whole time!! I could just see God working in them. After about an hour, the two girls individually prayed right then and there to ask Jesus into their hearts. They explained to us how they understood how this will change their lives and that the pray they prayed are not just words... but truly explaining what change is happening in their heart and their true desire to want a personal relationship with God - can I say how awesome is that!!! God was truly there that day with the four of us and I know He talked through me and lead us to these girls. We meet up again on Wednesday to walk them through the foundations and discuss further how they can get to know God personally and start their new journey with Him. Yay! But please pray for that time we have together with them that we can just be filled with the Holy Spirit and have the words to speak to them and guide them. Also just pray for them as they experience this awesome change in their lives!
Wow, this post is getting long. That probably reflects how much God has been teaching me these weeks. The thing most on my heart currently is Stint... yes, for those of you who know what that is, that's right, I said Stint :) Um, so I just found out about a week ago that they are starting to send Stinter's (through Campus Crusade, it refers to people who spend a year serving God on a specific campus) to Costa Rica!! So to further elaborate... right now I feel God tugging on my heart to just pray about the possibility to come spend a year in Costa Rica on Stint. I would be doing about exactly what I'm doing now on campus, getting to know the students, love on them, and pour into them. Share the Gospel with those who haven't heard, and just build into the ministry here. I would be working with two amazing people named Carlos and Tatiana - the two national directors who I have been getting to know during my time down here. They are amazing and on staff with Crusade. They are already aware of God tugging on my heart to pray about the possibility of serving here in Costa Rica with Stint. So they are excited and praying as well that He can further guide me. But wow! What an adventure... I would love it! But I am for sure just praying a lot about that, but at the same time just really trying to take advantage of every minute I have while I'm here during these 5 weeks. I know the time will fly!
Thanks for reading all of this if you made it to this point, that means a lot to me that you care so much to hear about how awesome God has been in just one short week here on Project. Thanks for your prayers and support!!! I thank God for each of you everyday. Miss you and hope all is well back in the States!!
