Relational Ministry

Waiting for the next mission team to come in right now.

We spend a lot of time between teams relaxing, coordinating with different team leaders from future teams, stocking up on supplies we need for the next teams, enjoying fellowship with each other, cleaning and doing relational ministry in Rio Frio.

What does relational ministry look like?
It's different than a lot of other ministries. It's not "let's go build these people a house". It's not "we need to feed these people for x amount of time". It's not "a huge week production then nothing". This is getting to know people, getting to know their life stories, meeting them right where they are and encouraging them to grow, taking them to the Bible and disciple-ing them.

So what do these teams that come in do if they aren't doing physical labor?
They build relationships. Ted and Gracie's ministry in Rio Frio is about building people, not buildings. They do this through couple's meeting women's meetings and youth meetings that the people asked to set up, not something Ted and Gracie decided to do. They will be starting a men's group soon as some men asked Ted if they could start one a few weeks ago. The teams participate in these meetings as well as teaching values lessons in the local schools. We can't outright preach the gospel, but caring for your neighbor is great coupled with the good Samaritan story just like the prodigal son teaches the value of unconditional love. We're in a different school every week with the teams teaching different lessons. These may be the only values lessons these students get though. Costa Rica has seen a need for good values to be instilled in their people and are doing that with mandating values lessons be taught in schools. This is where Ted, Gracie, their ministry, and the teams that support them step in.

Aren't the people hungry? What about housing for them? What about programs?
Sometimes, often, possibly always giving begins a cycle of co-dependency. If someone always came in and gave you what you needed, do you really think you'd be able to survive if that someone stopped giving? Giving things is great, but when people start to rely on them is where trouble begins to set in. The cycle of co-dependency starts and can really mess things up.

Thoughts to think about today...
We're off to wait at the airport for the team now.

169. 170! 171. 172. 173. 174.

onehundredsixtynine. unseenbeauty: camelbak.

onehundredseventy. unseenbeauty: relatingtofriends.

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onehundredseventyfour. unseenbeauty: popcorn,m&msandskype.

& Some Prayer Requests.
- Strength. We have four weeks back to back with teams. That's about 3 mission trips back to back but without the downtime in between of a weekend to watch. In each case, our "down time" which means time to wash and restock supplies is about 24 hours or less. Pray for God's timing, no stress and for details to fluidly come together.

- Stress about school. I can't get in contact with the professor I'm working with for my summer Communications class. I have no idea when I'm supposed to turn it in. I won't have internet for the next four weeks really but I'm not sure that even matters since my topic has never been researched before no matter how hard I look for even just one article to appear.

- Confidence. I left mine somewhere when it comes to translating, especially in large groups of people. I don't enjoy speaking in front of large groups of people. When I'm not sure what I'm saying, the anxiousness inside of me is even worse.

160! 161. 162. 163. 164. 165! 166. 167. 168.

onehundredsixty. unseenbeauty: Bellaandsoccer.

Gracie'sphoto. unseenbeauty: breakswhilecleaning.

onehundredsixtyone. unseenbeauty: bedtime.

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onehundredsixtyfour. unseenbeauty: facingyourfears.

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onehundredsixtyfive. unseenbeauty: caughtiguanas.

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For those of you who I haven't been able to talk to, or just check by for quick updates, I am currently interning with a family of missionaries in Costa Rica. Right now, we're getting ready for a team that will come in on Saturday. We're doing a lot of prep work getting supplies and housing for the team right now, as well as a van. In fact, I've been here four days and today was the first day I didn't go to a car dealership. We'll hopefully have the van next week if everything works out.

onehundredfiftysix. unseenbeauty: havingapieceoflovedoneswithyouinaforeignland.
I packed my bags right up until the security line at the airport. This is Dad's hat, off of his head, thrown to me while I was in the line to go through security at the airport. It's kind of good having a piece of him with me here in Costa Rica. I came in and we went to a car dealership to look at a microbus that Ted and Gracie are trying to buy. You know, what you typically do in a new country on the first day.

onehundredfiftyseven. unseenbeauty: chacos,waterbottle,backpack,kindleakacomfort.
Lunch with the pastor and his wife, went to the car dealership aka my favorite place and started getting things ready for the teams to come in.

onehundredfiftyeight. unseenbeauty: checkingthingsofflists.
We spent our day going to Rio Frio to look at the house and then returned to Tibas and San Jose to start shopping: Pequeño mundo, Mas y menos, Walmart, etc.

onehundredfiftyeightcontinued. unseenbeauty: bienvenidosalriofrio.
This is going to be our conversation piece rug as it has nothing to do with our fish-themed bathroom in Rio Frio. It does however have a farm, kind of like Finca Dos, which is where we work.


onehundredfiftynine. unseenbeauty: thingsalignedbyGod.
Shopped, put together things, organized, blew up air mattresses, etc. First team comes in Saturday!

I'm not really sure what to say. Things are expensive here. The rainforest is beautiful. I'm enjoying it. ... Ask me questions!?

150! onehundredfiftyone. onehundredfiftytwo. onehundredfiftythree. onehundredfiftyfour. 155!

I could blog about everything that is going on in Costa Rica with my internship. I will... tomorrow. Tonight, I want to finish up photos from my last week or so in the states. During this week, I got ready for Costa Rica, met up with old friends before leaving, saw my sister, Lori, graduate from high school and did our Aggie Ring Dunk with Hanna. AKA a fabulous week!

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onehundredfiftythree. unseenbeauty: bakingnewrecipeswithHanna.

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onehundredfiftyfive. unseenbeauty: figuringoutwhatyoureallyneedtolive.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

It's 2:27AM. I still have nothing in a suitcase. I'm not worried though.

I'm working on getting some electronic issues in order before I leave such as getting my resume off of my laptop desktop. I'm also getting some books downloaded onto my Kindle such as the ESV Study Bible, which weighs approximately 99.9% lighter than the hard copy. I'm also getting some fun books and speaker notes from Kathy. Incredibly excited to put this Kindle to use!

I still can't believe I'll be leaving tomorrow for Costa Rica for 10 weeks. I haven't really mentioned this on the blog much but this summer I am an intern with Greater Commission Ministries with Ted and Gracie Quiocho. I'm super excited.

I've been getting asked one question more than anything else: Are you nervous?

Am I nervous? I'm essentially moving to another country to live with friends of a friend that I barely know for 10 weeks of my life working in a community of people I have never met while being the translator for several teams that will be visiting us. What's to worry about?
NOTHING really.

My biggest concern is that I'm going to lose something on the way down.
Other than that, I'm excited to see what God has prepared for me in Costa Rica.

Guess I should go get something in a suitcase now...