Day 4: Just Stuff and Thoughts

Today was a true Tuesday. It started at 7:30 A.M. and it went until 11:30 P.M. And it was really good. 

We got up early to get to the CDI by 8, and jumped in to help with the kids. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, we'll have two groups come to the CDI, based on age and class schedule. Schools are in-person again, but to lower density, they alternate mornings and afternoons. This has been a real unexpected blessing and solution to the growth that has happened at the CDI. They don't have a large space, and more students want to come, so now they alternate with the students' school schedules. We had two students in our morning group who had a test in the afternoon they wanted help studying for. 

So, with our morning group, we studied and played and then Tesla and Cassidy gave a devotional focused on the story of the Prodigal Son. They did a great job, and did it in Spanish! I was blown away by their willingness to serve. They had the students act it out 3 or 4 times and the kids loved it. Our morning crew is generally younger (with a couple of exceptions), and it was super cute y'all. The Father hugging the returned son was absolutely precious. 

I spent some time studying French and studying multiplication with Andres and Derek, which was fun. I don't know French, but studying French in Spanish was fascinating. It's trippy when it's a relief to switch back into Spanish.

One of the kids, Dylan, was really removed all day today. He sat while the other kids played and didn't want to eat and napped a lot. I was worried he was sad or something bad was going on at home (that happens), but I didn't know how to ask in a way that was more then, "hey, how are you doing are you ok?" But, I think he was just sick.

We got to walk the first-group kids to school, Saul wanted to hold my hand the whole time and talked to me about animals and plants and Texas and Costa Rica. My freaking heart. When the school groups switched, we walked back to the CDI with some of the second-round students. 

The second group was more relaxed. Since they were older, there were less games of Let's-poke-Sam-in-the-back-every-time-he-turns-around (which was fun). It was more focused on conversation, playing cards, and real studying. The older kids were a little too cool to get way into acting out the story, but they still did, and the gospel truth in the message got across to them.

I spent a lot of time in the afternoon working through a language packet with Axel, one of the littler kids in the second group. It was about syllables and spelling and reading. Axel is very smart, methodical, and deliberate, but he struggles with reading and writing. His handwriting is phenomenal, but spelling is hard. By the time we finished his packet, I was so brain dead. 

Really by the time the kids left, the whole team was pretty drained. I was planning to send us home to take a nap after the day, but there was more to be done still. After cleaning the CDI, we locked up. Then we unlocked up, because we had locked Cassidy inside the building (sorry, Cassidy!). Then we locked up again ad left. We went to the store and got supplies to make nachos for H@ngout tomorrow, then came home to make dinner. Ana Raquel and Izzy and I split off to pick up some fancy desserts, since we were having company. Katie is doing a good job of leading us into hospitality as a team in a way that matches the culture here. 

Ana Raquel and Lagos have a friend from Honduras who is staying here for a year to do some really cool stuff. Her name is Esther and she arrived yesterday, so she came to dinner as well. There was lots of good food, lots of good conversation, lots of laughing. After everyone left, we made plans for tomorrow morning, did dishes, and then kinda wound down...

...or so you'd think. Cassidy, Matthew, Izzy, and I talked for nearly two hours about mobilization, God's heart for the nations, dreams for homegroups, dreams for Fellowship Church, dreams for GCLA (@Sheryl), and the like. What an amazing conversation. Dang.

So, that's a general timeline of today. Here's some additional commentary:

I love conversations where I can tell people to (seek the Lord and) pursue the passions they find in their hearts as they walk with God. So much of the world, so much of conventional wisdom, so much of our own insecurities just tells us to calm down, sit down, slow down. People so often receive messages that tame or quench passion (which isn't always bad). I think sometimes we need to be reminded of the freedom we have in the Lord to (while listening to Him) dream big and take big risks. 

Kids are so cool. They drain you like nothing else; they are little emotional energy sponges and attention sponges and love sponges. And they are so conniving and manipulative and deceitful. And they are so sweet. They just slip their hand into yours with such confidence and trust. And they throw themselves into hugs with abandon that we often lose as adults. 

I got to send WhatsApp voice messages to Alexis today, and that felt pretty cool. I also got to have a good conversation with some of our team about paradigms in relationship. Most of my life is lived pretty transparently, if not vulnerably, so it is very enjoyable to get to talk about how Alexis and I interact with and view each other. The hope is that others can learn the easy way some of the things we've learned the hard way. I don't want our relationship to just be about ministry and doing, but it is cool to see how it can minister to others.

I still feel pretty Spanish insecure. I know that it's in me, and I'm doing ok, but I know I could do better. What is needed is for me to get over myself, methinks. 

Lagos gave Matthew and I some insight into what he wants us to share on at church It will either be Simplicity or Commitment. Both of these are things I am passionate about. It will probably be in mid June. I will probably die of nervousness before then. 

Ok, so prayers:

-for us to walk in step with the Spirit and in dependence on God

-for us to navigate team dynamics well

-for H@ngout tomorrow to go well!
-for good relationships and opportunity to talk about God with students
-for chances to share the gospel and our testimonies
-for chances to share about God's heart for all people to know him
-for energy and freedom for our 6-person team

I don't have a picture today. Which is weird, I have a smart phone. You'd think I could take a picture any time now.