iQue Pasa Mis Amigos!
It is only day 4 in San Jose and I feel like I have been here forever! God has exceeded all expectations that I ever could have imagined about this place. The base feels like you are in a giant tree house like the one in Hook, Praise Jesus because Hook is my favorite movie! Everything is really open and people can come and go as you please. I share a room with 6 other girls and living spaces are tight, but I am really enjoying living in community. Breakfast is at 630 every morning, lunch at 12:30 and dinner at 6:00--and if you miss it—Well then your just out of luck! The main food group here is rice and beans. Rice and beans for breakfast, lunch and dinner..I like it now, but I’m sure with time I will be tired of it, but not yet! :)
Here is what a “regular” school day looks like:
6:30 Breakfast
7:00-8:00 Quiet time
8:00-9:00 Activity/ Base worship
9:00-12:30 Class
12:30-1:30 Lunch
2:00-4:00 Local outreach/ Class
4:00-6:00 Family contributions (Chores around the base)
6:30-7:30 Dinner
7:30-9:00 Bible Study or free time on some days
So pretty much we are jammed packed all day with about 5 assignments a week..its crazy but I am enjoying it to the max!
My DTS has 13 people all together. We have people from Colorado, Atlanta, Ohio, Canada, Samalia, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras, and California; it is the perfect mix of people. God couldn’t of been more dead on when putting this group together. Its only been 4 days and we are already family. It is amazing how God brings people from every nation, background and origin, and yet we all find a common ground and that is God’s love. I have already connected with them in so many ways it is just AWESOME!
My goal is to be speaking mucho mucho espanol while Im here so that when I go on my outreach in 3 months I wont need a translator when talking to the people. So far Ive really learned so much just by really dedicating myself to speak it. Last night I had so much fun washing dishes and speaking with one of my DTS’s—Brayan, from Honduras—learning Spanish, teaching English and working as a team to get things done, it was great.
God is definitely pushing me and taking me out of my comfort zone, but I have longed for this for a long time. He is showing me humility, humbling me and definitely breaking me through different circumstances and situations. It has become clear to me that the destiny of my life is to have an authentic, intimate relationship with God. Something like this seems so simple, yet so complex all at once. That by living in community, helping my other members with their walk, serving others as brothers and sisters and definitely working on things within myself that should be insignificant is going to grow me in ways I never thought possible. Already God is moving all around me and I am so excited for what he has in store for all of us down here as we journey together to find that deep, deep love that Christ has for us.
This is a picture of all of us after planting our flowers in the garden for our Tuesday morning activity... Las flores son bonitas!
"You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed."
-Joshua 23:14 (Verse for me from my leaders today--great isnt it?!)
We are so very proud of you Montana. Continue to allow God to shine through as you touch and change lives.
ReplyDeleteMiss you much... Your Baylor Family (Marvy & Dude).
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAt 24 divine years, you continue to fulfill a purposeful life that most will not comprehend. Your heart is from God, and your recognition of your path through faith is being fulfilled daily by divine will that is often neglected and ignored. Today marks yet another year in which your smile has enlightened the world around you. A world specifically created for you to experience.
ReplyDeleteToday is to celebrate you; to celebrate the birthday of such a pure and passionate soul, and the true beauty behind those brown eyes, which is not an act of coincidence, but of divine purpose.
For 9 of those 24 years, I've had the pleasure of witnessing such a gorgeous soul grow, mature, and express so much love, that many times, it's been difficult to understand our place. And yet, somehow, we seem to laugh through it all; even when we are seemingly the furthest apart.
Happy Birthday Tan. Don't ever forget how loved you are; by both the lives you touch, and the deity who's made it all possible.
"Proud'a'you."
Enjoy your time there. It's what life's all about.
Send me some Costa Rican coffee would'ja?!
And go ahead and pick yourself a Poas Magnolia ("Candelillo") flower; pretend I did so from across the world. ;)