In a Country Where Time Doesn't Mean As Much...

It sure does fly by!  The past three months have been packed with adventure, growth, and new friendships!  Here's a quick overview:





September is Independence month here in Costa Rica, and the celebration basically lasts all month long.  Independence Day is September 15, but decorations and festivities run the whole month.  "Vivan siempre el trabajo y la paz" is the last line of the national anthem, which shows their commitment to hard work and staying a peaceful nation.  It's easy to say that I live a pretty peaceful lifestyle here.  I also had the opportunity to go to the National Theater to see one of my students play in the orchestra for an evening of recognizing diversity and peace here in Costa Rica.  Even the president of Costa Rica was there!  :)








October included Grandparent's Day and Culture Day.  For grandparents day we performed a play showcasing the diversity of our students and appreciation for the grandparents.  Culture Day is celebrated on the holiday which we like to call Columbus Day.  I think its interesting that while the U.S. is celebrating taking over a land that is not their own, Costa Rica is appreciating all the diversity that makes the country unique.  As a school, we had an assembly where all the flags were carried from all the countries represented, dances and songs were performed, and John 3:16 was recited in many other languages.  We also had the opportunity to showcase multiple countries through booths with food and information.  Since my coworker is from Canada, 3rd grade got to represent Canada.  It was quite an exciting Friday morning, which led to an amazing 3 day weekend at the beach!  I don't think I'll get tired of having that option every weekend.

November has been a full month of adventure!  I have the privilege of getting to know a student teacher from California, and show her around the country to all my favorite spots.  Also, just a week ago I had a student teacher from MNU arrive to teach in my class.  This is my first experience mentoring a student teacher and I'm so excited about it!  She's only here for a short while (especially since we have all week off for thanksgiving....) but it's quite an experience.  Therefore I have many reasons to travel all around on the weekends.  Lately I've gotten to visit my favorite beach of Punta Uva (pictured above), go whitewater rafting, visit the Poas Volcano, and looking forward to a week of vacations and traveling this week :)  God is so good!

On a more serious note, I'd like to thank you for your prayers.  Coming back from a summer break in the states was a little tough on me spiritually.  I hadn't felt as connected to a church community here in Costa Rica as I did in the states.  I was missing my close-knit church group, and struggling to find something similar.  Although I still haven't found a permanent church home, I have been blessed with four lovely ladies to meet with weekly for a discipleship group.  They are amazing and I thank God for bringing together our group.  I don't know what I'd do without them!

La Paz

The peace... 

of Christ has taken over me.  I would have never thought that I would be sitting here writing a blog, in August of 2015, from Costa Rica again.  I told myself (and family and friends) that it would only be one year, then I'd be back in the states.  Yet God had a different plan.  And I am at peace with it.  

I apologize for the lack of blogging in the past 8 months, but a lot was going on.  During the 4^th quarter of school here in Costa Rica, I was also finishing up my master’s degree.  That required 45 hours of work from me, along with my full-time work I was already expected to complete.  Thankfully, I made it through, and was still able to enjoy the end of the school year with my precious students.

Towards the end of the school year last year, I was feeling conflicted on what to do.  I knew God had called me here for a purpose, and yet I didn’t feel that my purpose was completed here yet.  My school had gone through some changes, and I was unsure how I felt, but God kept speaking to me.  As I prayed, I didn’t feel a calling to go elsewhere, so I committed myself to another school year, and signed an open-ended contract.  One of the major blessings that helped my decision to stay was the fact that the parents of my students had actually petitioned to keep me for another year, and move up with the kids to 3^rd grade.  I was ecstatic!  It had taken me almost a whole quarter to build the relationships with the kids and the parents, and I was so excited to be able to keep them for another year. 

However, this summer, I was able to spend time back home in Minnesota and Kansas, and oh do I miss life there.  I miss my family, church, community, friends, co-workers, and life in general.  Yet, as I said, I know God isn’t finished with me here yet.  He has given me the strength, wisdom, and power to complete His will for me in this season of life, and I’ll continue doing that until He calls me back.

“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” – Hebrews 13:20-21

So, fast-forwarding to today, we have completed 3 weeks of school so far, and I couldn’t be happier!  God has definitely blessed me and equipped me to do work through Jesus Christ.  It feels so good to have my students back, and to be challenging them in 3^rd grade now.  The school is moving in a wonderful direction, including integrating language arts and social studies.  This has allowed me to use some of my “expeditionary learning” experience in writing curriculum for language arts.  Although it is a lot more work, I love teaching this way and am thrilled to be able to write this curriculum. 

La Finca- Iglesia Del Nazareno Poas

I’m also at peace with being back in the beautiful country of Costa Rica (although I have been sick for about 2 weeks now, have computer issues, and haven't been to the beach...)  On a positive note, I did to see my uncle Dave, and hear him preach at La Finca- a Nazarene church up by Volcan Poas.  I hadn’t been up there yet, so it was a great chance to go up there, join him at church, and spend the afternoon at La Paz Waterfall Gardens.  It was an amazing display of God's creation for sure!

La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Today was a wonderful day spent with the Webbs and Carol as I explored a new church in a town nearby.  I'm utterly grateful to have such wonderful people here willing to help me.  The church in Tibas was great as I was getting to know Costa Rica, but I was lacking a strong community there.  As I spent time in Kansas, and at my church, I realized how much I miss my community there.  So one goal I have is to search for that here in Costa Rica.  So be praying for me as I am looking for that. 

Thanks for reading... I'm hoping to be able to keep up with this now that I have a little more free time on my hands!