Hi! I am so excited to update you on what life looks like for my team and I here in Costa Rica! We are in Jacó, a beautiful town right on the beach! 

For a bit of background, Jacó used to be called the Sodom and Gomorrah of Costa Rica. When our host, Hannah, came to Jacó, she said she could not find five Christians. It is a city with darkness and heaviness due to prostitution, sex trafficking, and drugs (among other things). However, it is also a bright place illuminated with hope. The people here are so kind! (Also, they like when we try to speak to them in Spanish because they think our accents are cute!) So yes, there is darkness, but there’s also light. :) 

So... here’s the part you probably came for! Our weekly schedule looks like this: 

• Sunday — serve in church, get ready for the week
• Monday — Adventure day
• Tuesday - Friday — Ministry from 9:00-5:00, and then team time at 7:30
• Saturday — Sabbath! 

Description of the above: 

• Adventure days: we get to choose what we do (I really want to try surfing, and I hope to visit Manuel Antonio National Park)
• Serving in church: we volunteer with the children’s ministry at Horizon Church! 
• Ministry: this can look like manual labor around the base, painting in Jacó, prayer walks, etc. There are so many opportunities here! 
• Team time: 4 days per week, we meet in our team, and then 1 day per week we meet as a whole squad. This time can be used to debrief, share testimonies, talk about the hard stuff, play games, watch movies, etc. 
• Sabbath: anything restful! This can consist of going to the beach, reading, journaling, spending time with friends or alone. It’s really up to the person. Today is our Sabbath, and we’re getting coffees, going to the beach, reading and writing, and exploring a bit. 

Most mornings begin with “quiet time” and maybe a run. So far, all of our days have ended with a jump in the ocean!

In case you’re wondering, yes, it is quite warm (AKA very hot!!!). No, we do not have A/C. Yes, we have real beds, showers, and toilets. No, we are not using a washer or dryer. Yes, we’re hand washing clothes. No, I don’t have wifi very often. The only time I do is when we go to a coffee shop and use their login/password! 

We are so excited to have the opportunity to partner with the LORD here in Jacó! He is moving, and people have said the church here is alive and well. People are hungry for Jesus. 

We’re having such a great time so far! We’re excited to see how the Lord has moved in Jacó and how He will continue to do so. He is sweet. He is redemptive. And He loves His people! If you’d like to pray, here are a few ways you can do so: 

• Pray for our hearts to be in the right posture.
• Pray for sensitivity to the Spirit for my team. 
• Pray for us to be filled with boldness, always ready to give an answer for the reason of our hope. 
• Pray that we wouldn’t grow weary of serving, even when we don’t feel like it!

THANK YOU! You are LOVED! (by Jesus, and also by me)