An Unexpected Month One

I can’t believe I have been on the field for almost seven weeks already! Time has flown by, and life really does feel like ministry. My apologies for not sharing earlier what ministry looks like with Ocean’s Edge, but good news.. I’m going to share about it now!

To start, let me just preface with the fact that Covid is just as much a real thing in Costa Rica as it is in the states. Though Jaco is a tourist town, there are still locals living among the area who are still concerned and protective of the health of themselves and their families. Like the states, masks are mandated for every public restaurant, store, and church. Large gatherings are frowned upon and a six feet distance from each party must be followed and respected. 

As a large team (meaning 33 of us), abiding to these guidelines was an absolute necessity, and it made the lines of what we could and could not do very clear. Yes, this was difficult at times because we didn’t know what Covid ministry looked like; however, our goal was to respect, love, and make the locals feel safe in whatever capacity we could. So with that being said, yea ministry this past month wasn’t how I expected it would be. Ocean’s Edge was super gracious in involving H squad in park and beach cleans ups, labor at the ministry compound, assisting at Horizon Church, and painting wall murals around Jaco! Physically, it had moments of being very straining due to the intense UV index and the grunt of the work; however, it definitely taught us how to appreciate the responsibilities that were entrusted to us. 

This was such a beautiful learning curve because it became apparent to the Jaco community. When they first saw us come to Jaco, there was obvious hesitation because of how crazy the world is at the moment with Covid; however, overtime the love poured into our hard work opened great moments for the community around us to see we are a safe place and truly care about their world too. It has brought tears to my eyes to hear how many testimonies our team has had through ministering to people just by simply showing up and having a heart postured to the Lord. It honestly was an “ask the Lord” day everyday and our squad was always so stoked to hear how the Lord brought people to us! Shout out, also, to our ministry hosts (won’t say their names to respect their privacy) for hyping us up to the community and opening opportunities for Jaco to engage us in their lives. It was super sweet and unforgettable. 

Some of you reading this might be disappointed to hear this wasn’t what you thought I would be doing in month one. Honestly, I didn’t either, but I am learning that God can literally use any circumstance to bring His name to the world. Evangelism doesn’t have to look super textbook to make an impact and sometimes, it can just be preparing the soil for another person to plant the seed. I think we tend to complicate the process more than God intended it to be, and we need to be reminded that our job is about Him not the work/routine behind it. I’m personally still learning this, but excited to see how God grows me as ministry continues to look differently every month! 

Thanks for constantly tuning into my rampages even though they haven’t been on a consistent basis. My apologies for that but thank you again for the grace & love you have shown me so far on the field! I love you all so dearly. Stay tuned for more blog posts in the future as H squad ventures to Guatemala for two months. Eeeet, I am so excited!

Much love, 

Pura Vida