Day 2: It's how it's supposed to be

That can be hard for me to believe sometimes. But, I think God likes to show me time and time again that he's in control and has a plan!

Today was our first full day in Costa Rica. I had no idea what time it was when I woke up. I have a watch that will only reset to the correct time once it is outside and I let it connect to the satellites, but I'm only using it to run when I'm here. Wearing a watch makes me too aware of the time to thrive in a polychronic culture. I also have a phone, which doesn't have a SIM card and thought I was in Miami. 

So, I just kinda got up and waited until I heard other people and asked them.

There was a good amount of sleeping in today, which was very needed. We went to brunch around 10:30 at a place called Cafe Momo. It was very chic. It was very tasty. The people there were very friendly. I had a sandwich with aguacate, and egg, and some kinda cheese. And a smoothie. I'm pretty sure it was the best smoothie I've ever had. 

Anyway, after brunch, we went to the supermercado and got groceries and supplies. We didn't remember to get SIM cards or ziplock bags or a couple of seasonings, but, by and large, we did a fantastic job. Katie had our list and we all split up and found things. It was fun navigating the store. I mostly just asked people where stuff was, since there were no labels and the layout was a bit beyond my ken. 

I enjoyed getting to have a couple of good conversations with the team as we walked and waited in line. The difference in mindset on a short-term trip is striking, which always leads me to wonder why I'm not more like this at home. 

My best assessment of key factors: 1. It's Temporary, 2. I know my Purpose, 3. I am on a Team, 4. I am not Home. All of these combined keep me keenly aware of why I am here and give me drive to live more deliberately. But, all of these things are true in Texas as well. All of these things should be true of all believers at all times until we go Home. 

The big thing that stood out to me today was, while I am here, all of the things that go wrong or feel uncomfortable or w/e get interpreted as just reminders. But, while I am home, things that go wrong feel like inconveniences. I don't count them as pure joy (James 1) and don't view it as a confidence-inspiring reminder that I am not Home (2 Cor 5).

Anyway, we got everything back to the Airbnb, and got it unpacked and then chilled for a bit. Most of the team watched a movie, I made the mistake of thinking I could read in my bed.

When I woke up, I read a little bit* and then napped a little bit and then read a little bit. 

Lagos and Ana Raquel were coming over to eat dinner and plan with us, so Katie and Tesla cooked dinner and, when we realized we were missing some supplies, Izzy, Cassidy, and I walked back to the supermercado to get what was missing. It was raining, so the walk was really fun. I've now owned a rain jacket for 1 whole year, and used it about 3 times, so I was glad to let my rain jacket operate in its purpose. 

Dinner was fun, and talking about plans was inspiring and a little terrifying. 

"What do you mean, Sam?" Well, I'll tell you. But, take everything I'm about to say, after every sentence, add this clause: "...probably, if the Lord wills it, we'll see."

We'll be spending a 3 days a week at the CDI, working with the kids there. We'll be helping with homework, helping with English, leading devotionals, playing, building relationship, and taking small opportunities to speak truth and do mini-discipleship things. This year, we're trying to focus on story-telling to minister to the kids, both from our lives and from the Bible, but always about Jesus. 

We'll have 1 day a week on campus, helping with H@ngout and doing some under-the-radar evangelism. The campus just opened up, so they are still pretty COVID strict. We are able to meet with students and have a weekly lunch, but any outreach needs to be very casual. We'll be doing a LOT of testimony-related, conversational, story-telling type of gospel and discipleship. I think our team is very equipped to do this well. 

Friday evenings will be the church service, and weekends will be fluid. Some weekends we'll meet with people, sometimes we'll go to kids' karate or jiu-jitsu classes, sometimes we'll hangout with college students. 

Lagos and Ana Raquel have a lot of one-off project ideas, including taking 40 kids to a Christian camp, hosting a family day with the CDI kids, and we'll be helping receive 2 additional mission teams from other churches during June. I am very, very curious to see how it all shakes out.

"Didn't you say terrifying?"

I did. Moses. So, Lagos really casually dropped in there that some Friday night, he'd like for me (June) and Matthew (July) to teach at their church. Talk about scary. Talk about exciting. Talk about feeling honored. But blech. Yikes. I kind of imagine he means in Spanish, too. Shoot. Please pray for us, starting now.

After we talked, Matthew and I did dishes, now everyone has disappeared. I think maybe they went to be. It's almost 11 here (we're an hour behind Texas).

I'm excited to get a semblance of a schedule set up, so that I can figure out rhythms of communication with Alexis. We got to message back and forth on Discord a very little bit today, but we'll need to figure out some times to actually talk.

*I'm planning to read a few books while I'm here:
- FC's Staff team is reading Beyond Racial Gridlock: Embracing Mutual Responsibility, so I brought a copy with me.
- I am about 30% of the way through reading The Essentials of TPM, which is a book laying out the theology and psychology behind a type of prayer ministry I took a class over this past semester. 
- Alexis and I are reading through a book on healthy communication and boundaries. I always get the title wrong, but it's on my kindle. 

- If I finish everything else, I want to read John Piper's Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, even though John Piper and I don't always get along. He's a smart guy though, and writes well. 

Hang on, citizens, it's midnight, so time to get that Wordle done. Yeah, I'm one of those people.

Ok, got it done. It didn't go as well as I'd like, but what can you do? "You could be better." Ok, maybe.

All right, I think that's it except for some a picture from yesterday and some prayer requests.

This is our whole team (sort of), before we left from the church office. Left-to-right: Cassidy, James (coming in June), Andrew (June), Evan (June), me, Tesla, Katie, Matthew, Izzy (face on phone).

Ok

PRAYER!

-lots of gratitude for everything God's doing already
-for our team to rely on the Lord

-for our team to serve well and be gospel-ready
-for all of the projects and plans to come together
-for Matthew and I when we share on w/e Sundays
-for us to work well with the kids tomorrow
-for communication to go well!
-for logistical stuff to continue to go well