Costa Rica Missions Trip, Day 6

It’s hard to believe that today was our final day serving in Nosara. What a week it’s been! Full of powerful stories and great memories. Last night at dinner, we met a 19 year old Costa Rican whose grandmother was an orphan at Roblealto in the 1950′s. The guy we met is now a college student in the States. We immediately thought of all the children we met and came to love at Roblealto and thought about God’s faithfulness to that ministry, rescuing children so that they might grow up knowing Jesus and have every opportunity and advantage in life. We thought about the future families of the children we met this week and how God is using Roblealto to impact generation after generation of abandoned and abused children. It was just one of many moments that will stick with us long after this trip.

At the end of our work today, we prayed over Pastor Henry and his wife at the church in Nosara. We asked God to continue to bless their church and the ministry there. The need is so great in Nosara, materially as families struggle to survive and spiritually as Pastor Henry and the leadership reach out to this community with the Gospel.

Tonight at Family Time, a few more students shared their life stories and we continued taking a look at passages of scripture that have to do with living a life of Joy in Christ. We’ve considered all week how Joy is the God-intended state of being for our souls. Joy is deeper than simply happiness and takes root in the heart that follows after Christ. While happiness might be dependent on good circumstances, Joy is living in the constant reality of God’s grace, love, and peace regardless of circumstances. Tonight, we compared 1 Peter 1 and James 1 where we learned that living in God’s joy is possible even through struggle and trials. We know this is possible not only through our own experiences but also because we’ve been immersed in the joy of the people we’ve met down here that are dealing with very difficult circumstances.

We have a time each night of sharing “moments of Joy” that we’ve experienced throughout the day – in serving, community, life stories, struggles, new friendships, and adventure. One of our goals on this trip has been to help students become more aware of God’s activity and presence in the small moments that make up daily life. Because it’s in the awareness of God’s presence in our lives that we’re more fully able to live in his Joy during both good and bad circumstances. Family Time has definitely been one of the highlights of this trip for me.

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Tomorrow is a recovery day with a canopy zip line tour, surf lessons, and probably a nap before we pack up and head home on Sunday. It’s been a whirlwind! Thanks for reading along and praying for us!! ‘Til tomorrow…

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