September 15th

Hey guys!

Wow so much on my heart that I want to share! 

First I would like to thank everyone who has been praying for me specifically physically. For those of you who do not know, I spend last night (Saturday) in the hospital for a couple hours. I had some tests done and IVs. I have colitis and right now my colon is really badly inflamed. So I have a few antibiotics and instructions, I'm resting and just staying in the Villa. I ate some crackers today which is the first thing I've eaten in 3 days. I'm starting the uptrend, please pray that these medications work and that, Godwilling, my body will heal. I am so thankful to have answers to a lot of the sickness I've been feeling since I got here. I know God has awesome things up head so thank you for your prayers!!!! 

Okay so two weeks of Spanish and Bible classes down! Spanish is awesome, listening and learning for 4 hours without being able to talk or speak in English is crazy but so cool! Bible: WOW! I am a new person already! God has broken me and is molding me into His daughter that He wants me to be. 

Metro is my Saturday ministry and I already know God will be using that to stretch me and break me in so many ways the next few months. This ministry will probably have the most posts about it, which I am so excited for! 

God is continually showing me that this is all part of His plan for my life. It is not a coincidence that I am here, God had this planned before I was born that I would be here, right now, in this moment.

Some prayer requests:

- Health! For myself and the 36 other people that live in the Villa. When there's so many people in one place you can imagine the hot spot it is for bacteria and sicknesses. 

- No distractions. Please pray for all of us to focus on God and for us to be seeking Him and His Word daily! That the Devil would not have a foothold in any of our lives. This place where disciples are being equipped is a battlefield. 

- Strength, energy & wisdom on the weekends. 

- A long term prayer that a lot of us are praying here and waiting on God for: Direction for all of us as to what God is calling us into. 

God is so so so good and faithful and WORTHY to be praised! We are reading through our Bibles in chronological order. (Or what scholars have put together as kind of general idea of how it seems the Bible was written) I am stoked about that! I will post it on here just in case maybe some of you would be interested! 

My prayer for you and myself: 

Let us become more aware of Your presence, let us expierence the glory of Your goodness. 

Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus said "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

I love you all and thank God for you!!!!!

Hey guys!

I just want to thank you for your prayers thus far throughout my adventure! I would also like to ask for your prayers for the interns, staff and a few of us students. There’s a little bug going around, it’s not too major, but we’re losing our voices and stuff. I haven’t been able to sleep much and I know it is hindering others from giving 100% as well.

Aside from that… The weekend! I’m going to tell you a little about my weekend, what it was like and what it will be for the rest of the time I am here.

Saturday mornings are ministry mornings. All 30 of us have been put in groups that go out and do different things with missionaries or our interns. My ministry is called “Metro”, this is new this year, in a pretty rough part of San Jose. Myself and 4 others will be going with one of the interns to do some ministry every Saturday morning.

Ministry while I’m here in Costa Rica is going to be very different than all the short-term trips I have been on. Long-term missions is all about building relationships. It’s not going to a different village every week and doing a Vacation Bible School and never coming back. I will be going to the same place and hanging out with the same people every Saturday.  I know God has me going to Metro every week for a reason. I can’t wait to share it with you guys!

(A little side note: I just typed “y’all” instead of “you guys” – That shows how much I am spending time with people from different states haha!)

Saturday nights and Sunday mornings I am going to a church along with 4 other people to a church called “Impacto”. However, this past Sunday our Pastor was sick so a deaf man came and preached.  It was definitely an awesome experience, his wife translated for him into Spanish! 

Every Sunday night we will be going to an English church called "The Gathering Place" The Pastor is our Bible teacher John, so all of us GAP students will go there on Sunday nights. It was a amazing night, I realized how blessed I am to be with 30+ other people who love Jesus, want to learn more about Him, and want to learn more about other cultures just like I do. 

I am estatic to see God's plan unravel through the next few months. God is so good! 

Thank you SO much for your prayers! Today (Tuesday) is my first day of classes!

God Bless!