Day 1: July
12, 2012
So here I am
in Costa Rica…. My trip went very smoothly. All of my luggage arrived,
unfortunately Derek’s checked bag has yet to arrive! So pray that they find it
soon!
It’s been
sort of an emotional day. I think I’m used to driving long distances and
preparing myself to be somewhere new. So only 10 or so hours spent in an
airport and then Bam! I’m in another country was a little overwhelming at
first! But it’s beautiful here, there are palm trees (which I love) and other
exotic plants. Traffic is very different here, there’s not as many rules and
it’s a little scary at times. Hopefully I will not have to drive while I am
here!
I am
realizing how rough my knowledge of Spanish is and how much practice I need
speaking Spanish conversationally with a native speaker. But I have seen how
good Derek has become in just the year that he’s been here, and I know how bad
his Spanish was before. So I guess there’s hope for me. =)
I am staying
with a girl who has been a missionary here for about 8 years. Her name is
Christine and she is very nice. She rents a nice house that is pretty nice.
There are two small bedrooms, one bathroom, a kitchen, a little laundry room,
and a place to sit upstairs. She also has a nice balcony which I think I will
enjoy sitting on sometimes. The two of us have been getting to know each other
today and chatting a lot. She knows Spanish and English and can translate for
me if I get lost.
Other than
Christine, so far I have met a couple other American girls. One is Anna, she is
my age and also here for a few months this summer. I really like her and I am
glad to have the company of another American girl! Other than that there is a
family of Americans here, the Duffy’s. They have three daughters that help with
the ministry and also a cousin that is helping out. There will definitely be
lots of opportunities to practice and learn more Spanish. But I am glad that I
will have a break from it sometimes and have people that I don’t have to try so
hard to understand.
I went to a
church service tonight and it was good. I felt like I was more emotional than
usual because of the transition of being in another country and also from how
tired I was. But as we sang some worship songs, in both English and Spanish, I
devoted this trip to God and asked him to take control of it. I asked him to
give me courage to reckless faith and do things that seem radical in his name.
And I asked him to change me, to give me his eyes for these people and his
heart. I asked Jesus to have his way, both in me and in this trip. And I
couldn’t help but both smile and tear up a little bit as I thought about the
amazing things that God did just so I could get to where I am right now.
“I have big
plans for you, Lindsey.” That’s what God whispered in my heart tonight. I just
smiled, I already knew that he did. But being in another country singing songs
in Spanish just made me wonder how big that plan really is. I am sure it is
bigger than I could even begin to imagine right now. But that’s why God’s
giving it to me a little at a time, so I learn more from it and so I can handle
it. Pray for me as this big plan God has for me unravels as both this trip and
my life goes on. Pray that I will have the faith to tackle those big plans when
they come.
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