First Week in CR

Hello from Costa Rica!

It has been a week since I arrived here and due to the difference of climate, schedule, and timezone, I got sick the next day I arrived but after I week, I feel like I finally got over jetlag and my sickness!

This past week I visited the ministries that I'm going to be working with and it was a blast. So good to see so many familiar faces and meet new people as well. It's great to be working with the same people again. As for now, it seems as like I will be working with 3 different ministries. I will briefly explain about them below.

As for now, I will explain what my week look like.
Twice a week for half a day I serve at the Institute here in La Carpio (the building where I gave
English classes last time I was here). There I help out with a Refugee Program with the families who have immigrated from Nicaragua recently. The other Ministry is called Las Gradas, a program that helps children by assisting them with their homework or providing aid for kids that have special needs, and has Bible study for the youth as well as discipleship and mentoring of the youth. I spend two full days a week working with this amazing ministry. The other ministry is remedial classes for little kids (elementary age) who need support with reading and mathematics. The school here in La Carpio doesn't leave the kids with much education. Most of them spend 2-3 hrs in school resulting in illiteracy among the kids. Many kids (up to 12 years old) don't know how to read yet so this ministry assist them in helping them gain the basic but crucial skills they don't have.

I will later post a more detailed post regarding each ministry and explaining a little bit more about Costa Rica as well.

It has been a hard week with all the adjustments that were needed but the Lord has been gracious with me and I have felt so welcomed and loved by His people. I absolutely love it here and I'm so excited for what's to come. Many of the children and youth that I worked with last time remembered me and it really filled my heart with joy. 



This past month I have been reading Jonah and the last few verses really resonated with

One of the church that the remedial classes are held at.

me.
Jonah 4:2 "...That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity. 
Jonah 4:7" And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”

The Lord is gracious and forgives those who call upon His name. Let us have compassion like the Lord has for its people. Each day we can rejoice in the everlasting love and mercy that has been shown to us. So, let us remember to show mercy, grace, and love to others the same way. 

Prayer requests-

I ask that you pray for me as I start to serve in these amazing ministries. Some of these ministries are quite heavy because of their circumstances. May the Holy Spirit empower each one of us who will be serving in La Carpio. 
Also, as Easter approaches, may this time be a time filled with the presence of God and that His light will shine thru his people. That it may be a time of reflection of their spiritual walk with the Lord. 
Pray for:
-the families who have immigrated to Costa Rica recently, that they may find their identity in Christ, the one who is never-changing and everlasting.
-the children who participate in these ministries. That they may see that their circumstances don't have to be the norm and that it can be changed through their faith in Christ, who provides for his children. 
-each person who comes in contact with these ministries. That they may know that they are God's beloved daughters and sons.