San Carlos and beyond

Last weekend I went to the town of San Carlos with a team of about 50 individuals from the language institute and Sojourn Academy. We went with the purpose of doing construction work at the Methodist camp and in the town of Mirador and also to lead a Bible school with the local children. San Carlos is about 2 1/2 hours northwest of San Jose by bus. The region is mountainous and more sparsely populated. We stayed at a Methodist campground out in the countryside. We all bedded down in a big dormitory and I felt a bit like I was back in high school on a youth group mission trip. That night, those of us teaching the Bible lesson practiced our dramas and sock puppet skills. (It was also good to go over the pronunciation of some Spanish words. We 've totally missed the boat if the kids can't understand us!)

The next morning we had an excellent breakfast (Honestly, the food was one of the highlights of the weekend for me.) and headed to the village of Mirador for Bible school. Mirador used to be a shack town with a lot of violence and drug problems, but in the last few years, through the efforts of local missionaries, the town has really been cleaned up and now has electricity and more durable houses. "Mirador" is an appropriate name, because the town has excellent views of the valley and of Mount Arenal--an active volcano. We gathered the kids in the church and began the program with songs. After splitting the kids up into different age groups, we rotated between sessions of crafts, games, and the Bible lesson. Most of the day I could be found sitting under a table with my arm (clothed in a sock) up. Although my arm definitely ached by the end of the day, the kids seemed to enjoy the skits, and I really liked the opportunity to talk with the them before and after about the lesson.

One of the things that God really impressed upon me during the weekend is that he is completely sufficient to meet the needs of the moment. He takes the skills that I have (which usually seem rather inadequate) and uses them to accomplish his purposes. I certainly don't consider myself a Spanish speaking pro, but I had the words that I needed to communicate God's Word to the children that weekend. And although it is affirming to know that my language skills are improving, the fact that I could communicate well that weekend is not so much a testimony to my skills as it is to God's purpose and power.

After returning to the camp that evening, I went running with a teammate. The hills were long and tough, but the weather and views were beautiful. I love to experience a place in this way--from my feet, and it was also a good time for reflection. On the way back to the camp, we spotted a few brilliantly colored macaws. It's moments like this that sometimes feel a bit surreal--I'm certainly not in Indiana!

The next day we finished the Bible school in Mirador by sharing the plan of salvation with the kids. It was fun to talk with them afterward and see where some of them lived. We spent the afternoon at a nearby hot-springs. The springs were situated next to a river, and as we sat in the warm water, cool rain fell around us. On Monday morning, before leaving, one of the local missionaries and workers at the camp, shared his testimony with us. His was a story of God's power to change a broken life, and it is clear that God is now using him to serve the people here; he has an extraordinary love and concern for the people of this community.

We returned to San Jose on Monday afternoon. While it was in some ways difficult to return to the city and get back into the routine of classes, now, one week later, I am glad to have a quiet weekend here. I need time to do some serious studying, writing, and talking to God. My “big brother and sister” here have also offered to let me stay in their house for the weekend as they will be out of town with family. So I’ve taken them up on their offer and am enjoying the opportunity to cook, use a washing machine and dryer, and watch a movie for the first time in two months (Ok, so I watched the second half of High School Musical 2 in Spanish, but I don’t think that this counts.)

I’m finding myself somewhat exhausted this week—physically, mentally, and sometimes emotionally. I’ve been running a lot in preparation for a marathon in early December, so this means getting up very early to put in the miles necessary. I usually make my long runs on Saturday, but since I’ve been gone the last two Saturdays, I’ve had to run at the beginning of the school week instead, and it’s just tiring to run for two hours and then quickly get ready to walk to school. Thankfully, I have been healthy during the last month and my knees and shins—which have sometimes bothered me in the past—aren’t complaining.

My schedule has also seemed pretty full lately. I have a Bible study on Mondays. I teach English on Wednesday night at a local ministry house. I have led a worship team for school chapel services this week, and we are also preparing music for the spiritual renewal week coming up. And finally, I have been meeting with a group of Ticos next door for a combined English / Spanish conversation class on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. So although it wasn’t exactly my intention, I suddenly have a lot on my hands, and of course, there is the constant need to study and prepare for classes. As it is, I’m not putting in as much extra time studying as I want to, which makes me more frustrated during class and sometimes while conversing.

I think that when my schedule fills up and my stress level rises, I often need either more time to myself for peace and quiet or a close friend to talk with. I live in a house with 6 other people, 3 of which are under the age of 10; therefore, quiet times are rare. Although this is often an advantage as I learn Spanish, sometimes I just want to have a bit more space…and at other times I really want to talk with someone. I have developed a number of fairly good friendships here, but it is impossible to know someone well after a mere two months. However, I am thankful for the individuals that are becoming better friends and for family and other good friends in the States and abroad with whom I continue to stay in fairly close contact. God is teaching me dependence on him and also the importance of placing him first in my schedule.

I have one rather interesting detail to add about my week, a sort of postscript to my early narrative about the gallo (rooster): This week the gallo returned to our house and was back to his old schemes (waking me up early). I groaned inwardly and must admit that I wished him an unpleasant future. To my surprise, I returned one evening to hear from Rudolfo that the gallo had died! From a heart attach, it would seem! Apparently Fofo was trying to close the rooster's beak to keep if from crowing, and it fainted in fear and then just died! Fofo felt pretty bad about the whole thing and buried the rooster in the backyard. Although I expressed my sympathy, I can't say that I really felt too bad. It looks like I'll enjoy sleeping in until 5:00 for a while...or at least until we get a new rooster.