Dios te Bendiga

First let me say how sorry I am for taking so long in getting this first post done, but as you know, God has a plan and His timing is perfect.  Our internet server has been down since Friday night, so most of our texts, emails, and other communication has been extremely limited, which is why it has taken so long to get this first post up.   So, I apologize for those of you who have been looking and not finding anything yet.  Anyway...A little about what has been happening......

Day one - Travel day......
We are a team of 13 this year, from 4 churches, from three cities..... Lexington, Nashville, and Swansboro.  Some of our team are here for the very first time, some have been to this church two or three times, some 6 - 20 times.   But, we are all here to answer a call.  To do God's work.  (as I sit here on the 'porch' in front of the sanctuary writing this, I am teary eyed thinking of what we have experienced and learned so far, and of course, which I will explain).  Okay, travel day.  We took the church bus to the airport at 3:30am Thursday morning.  Our flights were all leaving around 7:00am and we all flew different routes to reach Costa Rica.  A few arrived and were picked up right away, a few waited in the hot sun for 2 1/2 hours before being picked up, and a few arrived late and did not reach the church until almost 10:00pm.  But praise God we all arrived safe and unharmed. 

Day two - working it all out
Friday morning, our first devotion of the trip reminds us that maybe instead of asking "What's God's will for me?", maybe we should simply ask "What's Gods will?".  When we remove the "ME" from the question, we are able to see a very different picture.  It's quite possible that God's will is simply that 'we' are a part of someone else's story.  Maybe?  Could His will for us be that we are meant to just be part of someone else's story?  Doesn't quite seem glamorous does it?  It's not the big plan we have for ourselves is it?  But maybe, just maybe, by being part of someone's else's story, we are actually in God's will  Hmmm....... think about that.  Don't let Satan pull you from His will.  Don't spend so much time looking for the big parade and bright lights of His plan that you miss just being in His will.  Remember, "this is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it".

A group of us walked to the farmer's market to buy fresh fruit (and of course to stop along the way for a huge fresh doughnut).  While some did that, others began removing the old front gate to the property in preparation for our first line of business...... closing in the opening and painting the walls.  There is a new color scheme here this year, and for those who have followed our work, you know we have done some extensive paining before.  Of course closing in the opening in the gate/fence requires concrete, which we have also done many times in the past.  In addition to the new change to the exterior fence, the color is being changed from pale yellow/terra cotta to tan/brown/off white.  It is always a work in progress.....  Friday was extremely hot here, about 98 degrees in the baking sun, but we did get some work done.

Church tonight was lively.  The message was about being obedient to God.  I pray we can obey what He sends us to do this week. 

Day three - work or play?
Well, we tossed around the idea of working on the fence or taking the whole day to show the new members of the team around some, and after thinking it through, a half day of work wasn't going to really be feasible (because when working with oil based paint and laying concrete block to close in the fence for security reasons, half of a day would ultimately turn into a full day).  So, we packed up the church van and set off for the beach.  It is a 1.5 hour ride so we though we would start early.  Early turned into about noon because we had to go by the service station and get a massive oil leak fixed first.  The Holy Spirit was certainly in charge that day, and we were forced to take our time and be patient...... (you know, it gets dark about 5:30 here, just like at home, so we were very anxious to get the day going....).  We had a wonderful time relaxing on the beach.  We swam in very warm water, did some shelling, dickered with craftsmen on the beach (okay, call it shopping) and ate cheeseburgers overlooking the beach at dusk.  All in all, a wonderful time to get to know each other and relax.

Day four - the Lord's day
Today's devotion reminded us of what others see on the outside is not always a reflection of what is inside, and that what others see on the outside may influence whether or not they choose to find out what is on the outside.  How we act, how we carry ourselves, may determine whether or not others are willing to take a chance on us and find out what we have to offer.  As Christians, we want to be able to share our story, but if others aren't willing to listen, our story may never get told.  Is how you carry or present yourself an invitation to others to find out what's inside? 

Church on Sunday was very emotional in many ways.  The sermon was translated (praise God!) by the daughter of one of the ladies who takes care of our meals here.  Her name is Gretel and she is a professor at one of the universities here in Costa Rica.  Her English is excellent and she is a very beautiful soul and a precious gift to us all.
The sermon message was from Luke 19.  Jesus sent two of his disciples ahead to a village where they would find a donkey tied there.  One who had never been ridden.  The disciple was instructed to untie the donkey and bring it to Jesus. The donkey was chosen to participate in Jesus's grand entrance into Jerusalem.  God, in the same way chooses each of us, though we don't deserve it, to do great work for Him.  When the disciples threw the blankets on it's back, the donkey did not buck Jesus off.  It would be the typical, natural reaction of a horse or a similar animal that had never been ridden/broken, to throw a person trying to ride for the first time.  But the donkey did not do that.  Instead it bore it's burden and carried the weight with it's head held high.... proud even.  What chains do you struggle with that keep you from doing what God has called you to do?   is it your tendency to try to 'buck' Him off when He calls you?  Whether it's greed, pride, adultery, shame, guilt, money, work, addiction, or any other barrier you have.... God wants you to let go so He can use you.  He has a mighty plan for each of us, if we will allow the Holy Spirit to untie us... if we will allow ourselves to bear our burdens and follow God.  Along the way... you will realize that the weight of your burden gets lighter and lighter...because you are not carrying the weight alone. 

Day five  -  Work as usual.... or is it?
Well, today we will actually have a full day of work.  So far, the handicap ramp we expected to be doing has not started.  We are still waiting for the plans and for the architect to show us what we need to do, so in the meantime, we will continue with our painting and our work on the fence.  It is necessary and good work, and we will do what ever is needed.

BUT.........here is our back story.......
Just before we were to take off from the US to come here, we learned that the space we thought we were going to have to ourselves (okay, sounds selfish, right?) was being occupied by a group of refugees from Cuba.  The church was housing about 40-50 people who have fled their country and are trying to reach the United States.  So, aside from the political opinions you may have, and aside from the vision you may have of  'refugee' or 'immigrant', let me paint a different picture.... one I would not have been able to paint without being here and seeing/hearing it for myself.

Refugee - A person who has been forced to leave their country in order to escape war, persecution, or natural disaster. 
Immigrant - a person who migrates to another country, usually for permanent residence.

The stories that have been told are many, and not so pleasant.  The people here are refugees from Cuba.  Their story is a hard one.  They left Cuba several months ago, with their possessions (their country has allowed them to sell their homes where before that was not allowed by the government) and all they had to try to make their way to the US to make a better life for themselves and their families. (Regardless of your opinion so far, stay with me on this)  Some of the people here do not know God.  They are here because the people here in Costa Rica, at this church, know God.  Maybe He is using the Christians here to untie the Cubans from their 'chains' and lead them to God. Maybe God placed our team here to be the first American point of contact for the Cubans as well.  the people here are just waiting.  They want to work, they want a better life than the one the government allowed them to have in Cuba.  They want to be safe (and they are safe here).  They want an opportunity. There are pregnant women here, there are children that range in age from one or two to teenagers.  Men, women, children........ not surprisingly, no elderly people that I can tell. 

I spent some time with a young mother yesterday and in my limited Spanish, and her complete lack of English, learned a bit if her story.  She (Betsy) is 30 years old, married, and has a 9 year old son (Remmy).  The small family left Cuba with all they had.  They have traveled through 5 countries, and in Columbia, they had all of their possessions taken from them by 'bad men with guns".  Yet, she smiles.  Her husband smiles, her son smiles.  She tells me she hopes to find a job in he US.  She is, by trade, a massage therapist so it may not be too hard to find work once she arrives. I am sure it is a great relief for her and her family to feel free from the hold the Cuban government had on them.  Although, they face a very difficult road ahead, maybe some of their joy is from knowing that the burden they have carried all this time is now being shared.  Maybe they are feeling a sense of community here that they did not have at home.  I don't know.  All I know is that I have been touched by the story, I have been blessed to be a small part of that journey for them, I have gained a better understanding, as a Christian, of what it is to travel a road that is completely unknown and is being walked by pure faith.   The folks we are here with are completely living on faith right now. These people here are not alone in their journey.    And you know what?  Neither are we alone in our journey.  I consider our stories to be somewhat alike.

As a Christian, aren't we also an immigrant of sorts?  Haven't we embarqed on a journey to leave our sinful life to migrate to a bigger and better land (Christianity)?  We step out in faith, not knowing what the road along the way will hold for us.  We travel that road understanding that we will face challenges, we will encounter evil, we will be robbed and persecuted.  We will have all of our possessions taken from us.  We will stumble and we will fall.  We will have to depend on others to help us along the way, because we cannot make this journey alone.  We pray that people will cross our paths that will be kind to us, that will feed us, that will show us a better way.

You do not have to leave your country for another land to feel the plight of the Cubans.  We can find this same dilemma in our own town, in our own church, in our own families, our own personal lives.  We are refugees, immigrants, on the journey for God.  Forced from ourselves to God because of spiritual warfare.  (our battle against Satan)  Where are you on your journey?  Are you afraid to take a leap of faith and join the country of believers?  Have you already started your journey? As my daughter recently quoted Forrest Gump, are you "free floating, accidental like on a cloud"?
Well, seek Him now.  Allow him to untie you from what binds you.  Your journey will not be easy, but there is the promise of a better life ahead.  It does not mean you will not face challenges, but know that you will most definitely NOT be alone.  God is with you and fights for you every day.  Stay strong, stay faithful.

Photos will be added later today, but I just wanted you all to know that we are back online!!!

God bless each and every one of you.  Thank you for your prayers, and your patience.  And thank you for your support on our journey.  We most certainly could not do this alone.  We love you!!!