Welcome to my first in-country blog!! A few days before we were to launch, we were told that Nicaragua would no longer be an option. This news was a difficult adjustment for me personally, but the Lord is teaching me a lot about holding open hands to whatever He sends my way. A few days passed, and we were on our way to Costa Rica with no idea what city we would even be living in! The travel day finally ended at 2am when we pulled up to a dark alley in the middle of nowhere. My squad of 30+ was separated by teams of 5-7 people in different locations throughout Costa Rica, my team (Green) and Purple team in the city of Turrialba at Comunidad Cristiana Nazareth. The 13 of us sleep on the floor in the youth room of the church with our sleeping bag and pads. We are super fortunate to have bathroom stalls, a shower, and sinks! We have two wonderful cooks and a cleaning lady- Julio, Maria, and Greta. They make great authentic Costa Rican food with the fundraising money you all provided! Our ministry doesn’t really leave the church, and we mainly minster to each other. Last week we built a sidewalk and a roof on the side of the church, and this week we are repainting the church fun colors. Next week we will create a parking lot outside the church.
I have learned SO much since the beginning of my race just three weeks ago, and grown in many aspects. I have learned a lot about the Great Commission and what it looks like to share the gospel. I’ve always had this idea that missions would look like standing in the streets and telling every person that walks by about Jesus, but I’ve learned that it looks a little different. God knew I would be in Costa Rica right now, interacting with the exact people I am. I could be ministering to people back in Colorado instead, but the Lord has gifted me certain gifts to reach the people right where I’m at. The same goes for the incredible people I get to do life with here- each of them knows the Lord in an intimate and unique way that has taught me much already about who the Lord is and how to best do life with Him. God has used my peers to speak life into my difficult situations and love me in the hard moments.
Life here is a dream. The coffee is amazing and we get it twice a day. The weather is beautiful. The city is a blast and the people are amazing. The views are unbelievable, and we are constantly growing with Jesus. But it is also really hard. We sleep on the floor. The showers are freezing cold. I am away from family and friends as life goes on. Spiritual warfare is real. Contact with home isn’t all that easy or frequent. We eat rice for every single meal. While Costa Rica is beautiful, it is also difficult. I praise God for this, because I know growth only comes in the uncomfortable. Please join me in praying over our month of ministry at the church, that the Lord would work in unbelievable ways. I am also learning a lot right now about listening to God and sitting in His presence, and would appreciate prayer for growth in that area. Thanks for staying updated with my journey, I’ll get back to you soon as I discover what the next month holds! Peace and blessings (-Bif 2020)
