Day 12: It FINALLY Happened (ngl, i'm pretty pleased with this post)

I

Got

Saldo

"....what?"

I know you proabably don't care, but I really do. Saldo is minutes on a phone here. I used the phone carrier, Claro this year (last year we used Movistar, which doesn't exist anymore), and the AM/PM doesn't do Saldo for Claro. So, it just took some tries to get there. But now I can use WhatsApp anywhere! Yayyy.

Ok, anyway. Today Matthew got up early to go to a feria near our house (farmer's market) while I slept in. Then Matthew, Gustavo, and Sheryl went to go on an adventure somewhere (they went to get yerba mate). I zoomed with Alexis and we did some planning stuff together, which has me really excited. December is a long way away, folks. 

I took a nap today. Oooh, what a nap. It was a couch nap, which is the best type of nap.

Matthew and I went to the Sabana park together. He rode his longboard for 6 miles, and I ran for 3 miles. Did it take the same amount of time? Yes, yes it did. 

Afterwards we got to have some really good conversations together about everything from our families to thoughts on parenthood to navigating fear. It was a really enjoyable time. Matthew is good people. I like him mucho. We saw a woodpecker! Well, he did and then he showed me.

We walked to an AM/PM to get some hydration (but not saldo) and saw my friend Manny from last year. I didn't remember his name, but he didn't remember mine, so we're good. He was pleased I recognized him though. We talked some more briefly and I invited him to church on Fridays, now that it's at the CDI and close enough for him to find. He's working now, but I think he's still homeless.

We walked to our bus stop and rode the bus home. IT WORKED. We found the right bus (gracias, Don Rodrigo) and even found the right stop (gracias, bus driver). I spent the last few stops of the bus ride with my head out the window, looking for familiar terrain, but Matthew and I got to have more good conversation. 

We got home, I went to the grocery store (and got SALDO), we had some dinner. Alexis called me with a flat tire, but we had gotten to change one together before, and she knew what to do. What a Woman. Then I took a shower. Alexis and I got to zoom a little bit and talk about our days and watched an episode of a TV show I've been really wanting to watch but figured no one would really be willing to watch with me. She did though, even though it was silly. What a Partner. 

Tomorrow is Pentecost! (unless you're Orthodox, then it's next week) Also, tomorrow is the partido entre Saprissa y La Liga. There's...3... (don't hate me if I forget someone) big fútbol teams in Costa Rica: Cartago, La Liga, y Saprissa. Tomorrow is some kind of championship game, and everyone is very hype about it here. The kids at the CDI are very divided. I kept telling them I was for Cartago, since that's the team that's not playing. Three of them cornered me (Saprissa fans) and just told me "just say Saprissa." This turned into the following (translated):

Kids: Say Saprissa

Sam: Say what?

K: Saprissa!

S: Sorpresa?

K: SAPRISSA!

S: Sonrisa?

K: SAPRISSA!

S: What?

K: Sa-

S: Sa-

K: -pri-

S: -pri-

K: -ssa!

S: -ssa!

K: Sa-pri-ssa

S: Son-ri-sa

K: NO! Sa-

S: Sa-

K: -pri-

S: -pri-

K: -ssa!

S: -ssa!

K: Sa-pri-ssa!

S: Sor-pre-sa!

K: NOOOOO!

This went on for at least 5 solid minutes. It was amazing. They never picked up that I was joking. Which means they genuinely think I am that dumb....so, joke's on me, ultimately. My niece, Grace, sees through me pretty quickly, so I'd never get away with that with her.

Anyway, all that to say: tomorrow is Pentecost! (unless you are Orthodox (the denomination, not the status)). I think it's worth remembering how beautiful a gift we have as believers in the Holy Spirit living inside of us. Scripture calls him the Helper, Counselor, Spirit of Sonship, Spirit of Wisdom, a Deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, a Seal of our Salvation. We're told he prays for us, empowers us, comforts us, guides us, helps us understand scripture. If you haven't read 1 Corinthians 2 recently, I strongly recommend reading verses 9-16. Especially focus on verse 16. What kind of claim is that?

I mean, if you want more context, the whole chapter is worth reading. If you really want context, read all of 1 Corinthians paying attention to how the Holy Spirit is talked about. It is insane, it is locura that God would live inside of people. Think from the context of God being so holy that people couldn't even look at Moses' face after he spent time with God, or that people would die if they touched the ark. Sin is so evil and nasty that God can't be united with it, not because he's delicate and can't handle it, but because he's so holy, good, and powerful that sin gets destroyed by his presence. And if we are infected with that sin...RIP us. "Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord." 

So, maybe spend some time this Pentecost walking around aware of the insane beauty of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit of God almighty inside of you. It's crazy. If you don't feel like that's you yet, it's worth digging into. Here's proof. (<- this is a link to a joke)

PRAYERS PLEASE

-for God's people to marvel at his presence

-for us to make the most of our time here

-for our team to press deeply into God

-for God's gospel, guidance, blessing, and power to mark the church here

-for the H@ngout students to feel the Holy Spirit calling them to God

-for the love of Jesus to be shown well to the students and the CDI kids

I went for a run (and this is how i felt)

Matthew found a wood-pecker

We also saw a cool tree next to the wood-pecker