so january has been so wonderful, i have a huge list of things that i am thankful for and a ton of experiences that i wouldn’t trade for all the swedish berries in canada!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
let the little children come to me…
“Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” – Matthew 19:14
i feel like a little child who has just found out that they are getting a swimming pool of candy that never runs out! I am SO completely overcome with delight! I LOVE what God is doing in my life, I LOVE the people he’s connecting me with, I LOVE that he loves me so much and i can’t screw it up…GAAAH!!!! i don’t even know how to explain everything that has been happening with me these past few weeks…
…God has been at work! He’s really working on my trust factor – i mean of course i trust him but we’re working on trusting when he’s only given me a teeny tiny morsel of what is to come. Just enough to know that something awesome is going to happen, but not enough to know what it is or how its going to be put into action…what a guy! It’s definitely tricky but each time i feel needy i take a gander at Philippians 4:6-7
“Don’t be anxious about anything but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving. Present your requests to God. And the peace of God with transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”
PRAISE! Okay so as we know there is a computer lab at new horizons where i am going to be teaching computer classes. So i get here and realize, “hmm problem you don’t really know HOW to teach computer classes” so i start praying for some knowledge and maybe like 2 days later i meet this guy who informs me that he knows a guy who not only is like a computer brainiac but he is looking for a computer lab to pimp out AND he is able and wanting to teach the boys how to assemble and fix computers, which is totally prime as most of the computers in the community are not up to par! i mean excuse me Jesus but are you for serious you want to give me a helper AND provide a way to train boys for prime job opportunities!?! So all this guy needs is the green light from the sponsoring church; i started praying for said light and wouldn’t you know but the next day i find out that he’s got it. So we’re getting new computers, a smarty pants instructor, AND the boys are going to be learning some seriously prime skills!!!
AAAH! So the other day i was waiting for a friend in this park that has a little duck pond. I had found this super prime spot right beside the water on a rock under a little tree and was having a delightful time watching the fish jump and the ducks..ducking around (doing duck things). So as I'm sitting there this little girl comes by pulling her mom, she was completely entranced with the water and her mom was kind of freaking out because this little girl had no fear and was right on the edge. So i figured i would help the mom a little…so i say to the little girl “do you like the ducks and the fish in the water” “YES!” she says..then i put my serious face on “well you had better be careful not to fall in because the fish in this pond EAT little girls and boys!” Her eyes got real wide and she backed away from the water and decided to sit on the ground beside my rock. Then a few minutes later her little brother comes running over grabs a random feather wriggles his way into my lap and starts to tickle me with said feather (he was so awesome!)…by the time my friend finds me i have 2 children at my feet (their cousin also came over) and 1 in my lap..i for serious felt like Jesus – come to me children. As i left i felt the power of God’s love affirmed in me, these kids were so innocent (I'm sure their mothers wouldn’t completely agree , but still) and trusting, they didn’t know me at all and yet they threw themselves at me…it was like God showing me “Kayla this is how you love…”
i also got to help a little girl in my small group at kids club ask Jesus into her heart the week before last…it was soooo awesome, i don’t think I've ever done it before. It felt so natural, i prayed and her and her cousin repeated, it was uber prime! For 2 weeks now I've been a small group helper and for 2 weeks the girls kind of fight over who gets to be in my group – i feel so popular! They don`t even care that my spanish is ridiculously awful, in fact last week we finished our devotional time a little early the girls were like “kayla why don’t you read us the passage again so that we can remember and you can practice your spanish!” i mean are you kidding me? they are seriously delightful! aaah I'm so blessed!
PRAYER! So i would be so grateful if everyone could throw out some prayers for:
.my spanish to increase.
..for the Holy Spirit to crash down and completely envelope the community of La Carpio with God’s never ending and all consuming love..
…for my english syllabus– I'm having a brain block on how to attack these classes…
it was my friend Joann’s 15th birthday…SO after telling him the day before that i wouldn’t have enough time to make him a cake (as i had forgotten when his birthday was – i know shame on me)… i surprised him by actually making one and sneak attacking him with it! he he…I'm so sneaky!
…he was pretty delighted..success!!!
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
the seed i've received i will sow
Oh friends what a life i have in Jesus! So last friday i moved into my new home…scratch that my new palace. This place is amAzing its more than i could have ever dreamed of! Jesus has heard our prayers and answered every single one but he’s given me the fancy pants version of everything! I made a list of things that i am especially grateful for in this house:
- i have hot water - a closet - a desk (I'm able to be organized)
- a door which goes along with my VERY OWN room!
- i have a little lamp by my bed, which is also home to my 2 pillows! AND my blanket that fits me
- i able to pick my portions and the food is healthier
- the spider situation was over exaggerated (haha mostly by my own paranoia but still) and i should have no troubles
- not to mention the fact that this family is so unbelievably prime..seriously top notch! i have privacy, encouraging spanish tutors, spiritual leaders…honestly i don’t think there is a better situation for me
It is wicked awesome here…if there is one downside though it’s that the stairs and balcony have no railings, a bit of a safety hazard for our clumsy kayla…BUT instead of seeing it as danger I've decided to use it to help me continue my faith walk…each day i am trusting Jesus to not let me fall!
God has really been speaking to me about trusting in him no matter what…he WILL take care of me..and i have daily proof each time i wake up, walk through my front door, or sit down for a meal with my new family.
“For nothing is impossible for God” Luke 1:37
Saturday, January 1, 2011
I'm white?...happy new year :)
So i have been in Costa Rica now for 4 and a half days but it feels like I've been here for so much longer. Me, along with all my luggage arrived on time without being hassled or broken. Once picked up from the airport i was informed that my host family was in the states so i couldn't go directly to their house so i am temporarily placed in another home, which has actually worked out quite well. There are some other missionaries here so as it is still holiday time i have some people to visit with.
Wednesday was my first day back in Carpio, everything is pretty much closed right now due to the holidays so i was able to just meander around visiting friends and taking in the delight that is Carpio. Things that i had forgotten and was reminded of during these past few days: Latin's do not always keep their word (a friend of mine was supposed to come visit, after not showing up we tracked him down at his house, to discover that he had no excuse other than he couldn't come so he stayed home *insert eye roll here haha), that in Latin America many girls leave the house and forget half their outfits in the closet, i also found out from a LOT of people that i am white...who knew!?!
Last night I rung in the new year Carpio style - massive amounts of fireworks. It was so crazy to look down the street and just see huge fires and hoards of people. Was it an extreme safety hazard? Probably. Was it super fun? YES! After the fire departments nightmare we went back in the house and i was stuffed full of yummy yummy food like barbequed pork *excuse me while i wipe up my drool mmmm it was soo good!
So with the new year all started it is now time to focus on camp which is coming up on the 4th, i don't think there are any words which could describe how excited i am for camp...not only will i get to see SO many friends BUT its like a 4 day slumber party and who can honestly say that they don't love slumber parties?! no one! So that is coming up then once back from camp i should be moving into my house, which i have heard is also home to many gigantic spiders so on that note I've created a little list of prayer requests:
1) I've been battling sickness and would be so delighted if i didn't have to anymore, so being healthy and more energetic would be nice
2) Protection from the 8 legged beasts which are roaming about in my living area
3) Wisdom, grace, and patience. 4) and of course for my Spanish to improve :)
Lastly, it wouldn't be new years without a resolution...
....therefore, this year i am going to be more hardcore.....
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