Investing in Eternity: LAUGHTER, contagious laughter!

"Our mouths were filled with LAUGHTER, our tongues with songs of JOY. Then it was said among the nations, 'The Lord has done great things for them.' The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with JOY." (Psalm 126:2-3)

This week has been filled with LAUGHTER. This week has been filled with new faces and new friends. When I look back over this past week, I smile because I cannot believe that the Lord allowed me the privilege of serving in Costa Rica this summer. My heart has longed for so long to be with the people of Central America and work with the broken and hurting. I can picture the Lord smiling as he hands me, His daughter, the gift of working in Costa Rica, a gift He knew my heart has desired for so long. It's hard to explain to people this feeling, but I am filled with utmost gratefulness and thankfulness for such a special gift from a Father who knows my heart and desire to love on these people.

As the days continue to fly by, I can feel myself becoming anxious and heartbroken that the month of my return to the U.S. has snuck up on me so fast. Even as I boarded the plane to come down here, I was dreading the thought of having to return after a brief two and a half months. I have no desire to return to school at the end of August. I have been praying that the Lord would take away the pain and sadness of leaving and fill it with humble gratefulness for the opportunity to work alongside LightForce this summer, laughter with my family and friends here, joy in the lives that I have come into contact with during my time here, and hope in God's faithfulness and promises of returning one day. Last week I embraced every moment and lived and laughed in this beautiful country that I now call HOME.

Monday, I rode with Megan and Gabrielle (short-term volunteer) to pick up Amy (short-term volunteer) from the airport. An older man named, Tonis, who does some driving for LightForce picked us up that morning. He only speaks Spanish, so I quickly jumped in the front seat and we became fast friends in a matter of 30 minutes. I love talking to new people and hearing about their life stories. That afternoon we oriented Amy and Gabrielle and took them on a 3 hour walk around San Jose, buying fruits and veggies from the local market on one side of town and taking them to get groceries on the other side. Megan and I go to the local market every Monday, so we have made friends with the local vendors down there and are now the gringa locals.....maybe I'll be an honorary tica one day. :)

Tuesday we went out on the streets with YWAM and ministered to our friends. I was so excited to see my friend Rosario that night, because she had been visiting her daughter in Nicaragua the past few weeks. We were so excited to see each other that I ran up and gave her a big hug and then we walked arm in arm back to the van to get her some coffee.

Wednesday we worked on projects around the apartment and helped LightForce with inventory before heading off to Coronado for Bible Study. Patti, our amazing Honduran roommate and staff with LightForce has been coming with us every week. The high school students have already bonded with her, and the guy who runs the group asked her to speak this week. She captured everyone's attention with a message on trusting God despite fear....just what I needed to hear! We all split off into pairs to pray at the end, and I prayed with a young girl who lives in this small neighborhood in Coronado. I prayed for her prayer requests in broken Spanish, and she prayed for me, that I would not fear the future and what God has in store, but that I would embrace where He has me now and trust in His goodness and plans for the future. I love these young men and women at this Bible Study, and it will be so hard to say goodbye to them.

This past Saturday we went out to a poor area called Tirrases within San Jose to work with a sport's ministry. A local tico named Jairo started this ministry with the kids to incorporate playing futbol (soccer) with ministering and sharing the gospel. It is such a cool program that he has started, and futbol is such a huge part of the latino culture that it brings all people together and give these kids something safe to do. We jumped right into their practice and ran, stretched, did soccer and agility drills, and scrimmaged for a few hours. The whole time it was pouring rain, but we had the best time with these kids. It was all boys and just two girls, so we were definitely outnumbered. It's embarrassing to say that I was defending a 9 year old who flew passed me every time, scored, and then proceeded to do a front flip in celebration. That night we went to a youth service at the latino church we attend and then went to a surprise fiesta for one of our friends. We were there till 2am grilling, playing fifa, and playing charades.

Sunday we went to church in the morning, rushed home on the bus at 3pm with just enough time to grab some food and sweep, mop, and set up the church downstairs for our service with the men and women from the streets. It was amazing. We had 60 people come! We had a group of women come with 20 of their little children this Sunday. They were so precious and full of energy, smiles, laughter, and questions. :) It broke my heart later that evening to find out that their mothers and some of these children had been trafficked and were currently in sex trafficking. I just can't describe the feeling I get when the same girl who is getting her face painted, drawing pictures on the chalk board, laughing, smiling, and joking around with the other kids is being sexually abused and is unable to do anything about it.

This is the issue right now in Costa Rica.....there are no safe homes. There is no where to put these men, women, and children once removed from trafficking. The government cannot rescue them from these situations because they have nowhere for them to go. PLEASE pray that the Lord would prosper the plans of three organizations (which I cannot mention for safety reasons) that are in the process of establishing safe homes. Sex trafficking is not an issue, it is a person, it is the women, men, and children we work with daily here in Costa Rica. This week was amazing. God continues to reveal beautiful promises to me each and every day, and I am continuing to see His vast love spread across this country.

Laughter, contagious laughter spread through LightForce this week - in Coronado for Bible Study, church, and una fiesta, in Tirrases as we splashed through the rain playing futbol with the kids, in San Jose as we embraced beautiful men, women, and children for church, and within our own apartment as we laughed and laughed at the multitude of funny situations we find ourselves in.