I have good news and bad news...
Good news: the Lord has delivered me into the most beautiful, peaceful, awe-inspiring, glorious refuge and home a girl could ever hope or even dream of asking for...
Bad news: this blog isn't about that (sorry, you'll have to wait a little longer for that one)
However, the Lord is SO AMAZING! His faithfulness never ends and the best part is I get to spend eternity with Him!
God is doing so much in my life and all around me. I find myself just stopping to ask, "How did I get here?"
One of those moments occurred Monday night.
My friend, Erika, from Playa Laguna invited me over for dinner. I had shared with her the previous week, while our mission team was serving at her home, that I tutor Mondays and Tuesdays very close to her home. I told her that on my way back out to the main street to catch a ride that I could maybe stop by and say "hola" some time.
Erika was all over it! She loves cooking for others and now that she has a brand new kitchen, she insisted that I come over for dinner, just me and her.
It was a date!
Well, my tutoring session was canceled, but I didn't let that prevent me from keeping my date. Erika and Victor live a good ways off the main road; knowing that carritos and guaguas only drive on the main road, I had to face my fear and take a motoconcho.
This might not seem like a big deal to you, but riding on the back of a motocycle, with a driver you don't know, in the rain, and with no helmet isn't my idea of safety. So, before I left my house, my friend Shayna came over to pray and we asked the Lord to give me a moto driver with whom I could trust and that the Lord would bless my time with Erika.
I made my way down the hill and stood at the side of the road in the rain ,waiting for a moto to show up... However, with the rain, none were out driving around. So after some time, two men asked me if I wanted to wait under the covering with them. Though I declined, I told them I needed a moto. Sure enough, one of them, whose name is Gregario, was a moto driver!
I jumped on, prayed for the blood of Jesus to cover us, and I was delivered safely to Erika's. I asked Gregario to return at 6:30pm so I could get a ride back out, so he gave me his number and said he'd be back.
Whew... I made it! It was comforting to see Erika, her husband Victor, Alexander, Rocio, and Fa at the door to greet me.
Mind you, I'm still brushing up on my Spanish and that's all Erika and her family speak. I brought my pocket Spanish-English dictionary as back-up, but trusted that God would provide us both with the words and understanding for each other.
We had SUCH a beautiful time together! We shared about our families and our hearts for God's children. She has a passion for children and cooking... I'll let you connect the dots. Brand new kitchen, brand new ministry center next door, and tons of kids in Playa Laguna. I'm exicted!
I also spent time getting to know her son, Alexander, who is around 9 years old. He is the sweetest and most gentle boy I've met. He was blowing bubble gum and I told him some day soon we need to have a contest to see who could blow the biggest bubble. Oh, it's on!
Before dinner was served, Gregario returned and I admit, I panicked. But God is so good. Turns out Victor knows him. And through more discussion, we found out that Gregario knows of Rocio and Fa's mother (if you want more on this story, click HERE).
For dinner, Erika prepared yellow rice and a cabbage salad, and to drink, "agua de Dios" (fresh rain water). She set a special place for me to sit at the table and then set a place for Gregario, Alexander, and herself. Rocio sat on the floor. I was asked to say the blessing and it pretty much went like this...
There we were, rain clamoring down on the tin roof, no light but the small flickers of 3 candles. It was at that moment that I found myself asking, "How did I get here?"
By far, one of the best nights of my life.
With the rain coming down like it was, it wasn't safe for us to leave, so we stayed a little longer. Erika even offered for me to stay the night with her. Alexander made a special trip out to the local colmado (general store) to get... you guessed it... bubble gum! I tell you, I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time. Chewing gum as fast as we could to get the biggest bubble was so much fun! Alexander would get embarrassed, so I turned away and said I wouldn't look. Although it was a close call, he won that "torneo"... Better luck next time!
Around 8:30pm, the rain had died down a bit, so I decided it was time to head home. I said my goodbyes and little Rocio just stood by the door with a frown on her face as if to say, "Don't go." Just breaks your heart.
I made it home safe and sound... though quite wet. I'm praying for discernment on this one, but I might have found a reliable moto driver. Gregario asked questions over dinner about what I'm doing here and how I know Erika, as he took in the stories both she and Victor shared concerning God's work in Playa Laguna. I can't help but hope that the Lord is doing something in Gregario's life, too.
Who knows... but I tell you, it's not every day a stranger off the street happens to know the people you're dining with and then stays for dinner. Just saying.
I wish I had more pictures to share, but I'll be sure to take more during future visits! I was invited to join Erika and the kids at the beach soon. I can't wait!
Good news: the Lord has delivered me into the most beautiful, peaceful, awe-inspiring, glorious refuge and home a girl could ever hope or even dream of asking for...
Bad news: this blog isn't about that (sorry, you'll have to wait a little longer for that one)
However, the Lord is SO AMAZING! His faithfulness never ends and the best part is I get to spend eternity with Him!
God is doing so much in my life and all around me. I find myself just stopping to ask, "How did I get here?"
One of those moments occurred Monday night.
My friend, Erika, from Playa Laguna invited me over for dinner. I had shared with her the previous week, while our mission team was serving at her home, that I tutor Mondays and Tuesdays very close to her home. I told her that on my way back out to the main street to catch a ride that I could maybe stop by and say "hola" some time.
Erika was all over it! She loves cooking for others and now that she has a brand new kitchen, she insisted that I come over for dinner, just me and her.
It was a date!
Well, my tutoring session was canceled, but I didn't let that prevent me from keeping my date. Erika and Victor live a good ways off the main road; knowing that carritos and guaguas only drive on the main road, I had to face my fear and take a motoconcho.
This might not seem like a big deal to you, but riding on the back of a motocycle, with a driver you don't know, in the rain, and with no helmet isn't my idea of safety. So, before I left my house, my friend Shayna came over to pray and we asked the Lord to give me a moto driver with whom I could trust and that the Lord would bless my time with Erika.
I made my way down the hill and stood at the side of the road in the rain ,waiting for a moto to show up... However, with the rain, none were out driving around. So after some time, two men asked me if I wanted to wait under the covering with them. Though I declined, I told them I needed a moto. Sure enough, one of them, whose name is Gregario, was a moto driver!
I jumped on, prayed for the blood of Jesus to cover us, and I was delivered safely to Erika's. I asked Gregario to return at 6:30pm so I could get a ride back out, so he gave me his number and said he'd be back.
Whew... I made it! It was comforting to see Erika, her husband Victor, Alexander, Rocio, and Fa at the door to greet me.
Mind you, I'm still brushing up on my Spanish and that's all Erika and her family speak. I brought my pocket Spanish-English dictionary as back-up, but trusted that God would provide us both with the words and understanding for each other.
We had SUCH a beautiful time together! We shared about our families and our hearts for God's children. She has a passion for children and cooking... I'll let you connect the dots. Brand new kitchen, brand new ministry center next door, and tons of kids in Playa Laguna. I'm exicted!
I also spent time getting to know her son, Alexander, who is around 9 years old. He is the sweetest and most gentle boy I've met. He was blowing bubble gum and I told him some day soon we need to have a contest to see who could blow the biggest bubble. Oh, it's on!
Before dinner was served, Gregario returned and I admit, I panicked. But God is so good. Turns out Victor knows him. And through more discussion, we found out that Gregario knows of Rocio and Fa's mother (if you want more on this story, click HERE).
For dinner, Erika prepared yellow rice and a cabbage salad, and to drink, "agua de Dios" (fresh rain water). She set a special place for me to sit at the table and then set a place for Gregario, Alexander, and herself. Rocio sat on the floor. I was asked to say the blessing and it pretty much went like this...
"Gracias Padre para este comida. Tu eres gran y marveloso. Gracias por Erika y para todo."I was nervous to say the blessing in Spanish, but God saw my heart.
There we were, rain clamoring down on the tin roof, no light but the small flickers of 3 candles. It was at that moment that I found myself asking, "How did I get here?"
By far, one of the best nights of my life.
With the rain coming down like it was, it wasn't safe for us to leave, so we stayed a little longer. Erika even offered for me to stay the night with her. Alexander made a special trip out to the local colmado (general store) to get... you guessed it... bubble gum! I tell you, I hadn't laughed that hard in a long time. Chewing gum as fast as we could to get the biggest bubble was so much fun! Alexander would get embarrassed, so I turned away and said I wouldn't look. Although it was a close call, he won that "torneo"... Better luck next time!
Around 8:30pm, the rain had died down a bit, so I decided it was time to head home. I said my goodbyes and little Rocio just stood by the door with a frown on her face as if to say, "Don't go." Just breaks your heart.
I made it home safe and sound... though quite wet. I'm praying for discernment on this one, but I might have found a reliable moto driver. Gregario asked questions over dinner about what I'm doing here and how I know Erika, as he took in the stories both she and Victor shared concerning God's work in Playa Laguna. I can't help but hope that the Lord is doing something in Gregario's life, too.
Who knows... but I tell you, it's not every day a stranger off the street happens to know the people you're dining with and then stays for dinner. Just saying.
I wish I had more pictures to share, but I'll be sure to take more during future visits! I was invited to join Erika and the kids at the beach soon. I can't wait!
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