La Vida Bonita

Hola Amigos! Que tal??

Wow, am I a blessed woman! It is amazing to be in Costa Rica! Thank you Jesus

Right now I am sitting in a cute internet cafe here in Uvita, C.R. The weather is a little misty, but it feels amazing. My skin and hair are soaking in the moisture of this tropical climate. What an incredible adventure it has been already! My heart is overflowing with joy, and peace. I was told before I came to Refugio Solte that there was incredible peace here, but I never thought that it could be this wonderful. Everyday I wake up in a beautiful rust colored room, with hispanic tile floors, white linens, and a breeze blowing through the windows. The reality of the Lord's goodness is insane. Everything is open, and free, and relaxed here.

My journey to get here was quite interesting. I had a 12 hour layover in the Miami airport. As I mentioned earlier, I was able to have some great conversations with people. It was a gift from the Lord to be able to have that time to rest and prepare my heart as I transitioned from life in NC to life in Costa. When I got to Costa Rica the reality that I was alone in another country hit me. When I got through customs I immediately had to leave the airport. As soon as I walked outside, I was bombarded by Ticos asking me if they could help me with my luggage or if I needed a taxi. At first it was quite overwhelming, but then I just repeated the verse in my head, "the Lord has not given me a Spirit of fear," and immediately intense peace came on me. Then I found a nice seat in midst of all of the chaos, where I sat guarding my luggage and belongings while I waited for the others to arrive. I sat there and the Lord brought another girl who was coming to Costa Rica from Mayrland to do study abraod. She was an angel, and sat with me, and we both helped each other look for our parties amongst all of the people.

Then once we met up with everyone, we drove almost four hours from the airport in San Jose to Uvita. We ate at Subway (surprisingly) along the way, and it was so much fun ordering in Spanish. The Lord is graciously unlocking a wealth of vocabulary in my mind that I did not know was tucked away. There is a beautiful young woman named Fannie who lives on the mountain, and she and I have started to become really good friends. She helps me with my Spanish, and she loves having someone to talk to. We are able to communicate enough to have whole conversations in Spanish, which is awesome.

Our GOP group is amazing. Every girl is a ton of fun, and just so hungry to grow closer to the Lord. Its only been a few days and already there has been a lot of breakthrough. There is already a great sense of community and connectedness among the girls. Meals are wonderful too because we just sit and fellowship with one another. Life on the mountain is so simple, and so glorious. Please keep Joy and I in your prayers as we continually seek Holy Spirit for guidance and wisdom on how to lead and teach these girls.

We built a trail yesterday that leads to a waterfall. The girls actually loved getting their hands dirty, and it brought such a sense of accomplishment to see the transformation of the trail after we worked on it. We plan on doing other projects around Refugio. This weekend we plan on going to the beach, and exploring the city a little bit.

I really love this land. The people are all so kind and the more I experience life here, the more I see how overly stressed out and overwhelmed most Americans are. I am thankful for the incredible rest I am receiving, and the exposure to a life that is all about community and taking the time to enjoy and embrace life. I know the Lord will really use this time to give me important tools and lifestyle habits that will impact the rest of my life.

I miss everyone at home! Know that you are incredibly loved, and passionately pursued by the creator of the universe. I am praying for you.

Many many blessings,
Christine