[SI Devo: Ephesians 3 & Psalm 121]
Lord, never let me out of Your sight. I would be so blind and lost without You. I live for You & You alone - no earthly desires can rule over my life. Your holy grace & unsurpassing love reigns over all. Lord, allow me to see & hear Your plans for me, and may doors open to make them possible. God, let me seize opportunities and get the most out of life. I am in Costa Rica, watching the rain fall down from a grey, cloudy sky onto the vibrant green vegetation. You are an awesome God.
Jesus, lamb of God, worthy is Your name...
...You are my all in all.
Hours & hours later, I pick up my journal & pen to write about the day, and the song in my head begins the lines I last wrote above. During devotions, the kitty Frosty laid in Whitney's lap (Whit had nothing to do with it).
He's warmed up to us after the 1st day, & Brianna and I were playing with him later on in the day. He likes biting my toe. We see his ...mom?... (they look the same - white & striped tail) Snowflakes less often, but she, too, is friendly and so cute. Before devotions, we had our 1st "real" spider encounter. It was as big as the diameter of a baseball, I'd say... but not fuzzy like a tarantula - but brown. Anyway, Whitney shook her rain jacket out and it fell to the ground and continued to scamper upon the approach of people... of course toward my stuff. Someone killed it with Lindsey/Penny's rainboot [pause for Alyx to french braid my hair], & I had to retrieve the remains from under my bed so that they wouldn't be there all week. Breakfast was after devotions, and we had oatmeal & fruit. I was nervous about this since the texture of oatmeal gets to me, but I persevered and had a bowl-ful. I was proud of myself. I took more pictures today, and I've realized that I'm really glad I didn't bring my digital. I see that I could have charged it & it would have been safe, but sometimes I need to stop capturing the moment and instead live the moment. Camera #2, 15 pictures left.
It did not rain at all today! Basically a miracle during this abnormal dry season, because the soon-to-be sidewalk needs to de-muddify itself before they pour the cement in. The workday started off with Matt & I continuing the wall in Camry's room. We put up the last of the drywall, taped the borders, sanded, & spackled over the tape & screws. It needs to dry overnight, so we were done with that for the day. Matt went & helped paint some of the girls' dorm (whose doors were wonderfully varnished by Whitney &... Jenny?). Also, it's Matt's goal for the week (& Russell's too, I think) to catch the rooster. I went downstairs & did what sanding I could in the guestroom with Jaime, Penny, Matt (who was still there @ the time), & Dina - a lady who lives here. I didn't get much sanding done, but I translated for Dina & the girls, as well as taught Jaime & Penny the difference between "hombre," "hombro," & "hambre." Tricky. Also explained to Dina what the English pronunciation difference is b/w "ring" & "rain" (anillo y lluvia). I love Spanish. & Dina - she's really sweet, & willing to learn. While Matt & I were still working on the drywall (about 10:30) we had a snack of that great round bread w/ jam (mango or strawberry) or butter. David Orr really likes some butter. Aiyla's really been stressing to us the importance of drinking lots of water - if our pee is pastelly instead of clear-ish... drink more water! We should have to pee a lot... which I have. Also during our break, Kecha, being the sweet girl that she is, gave some of the girls & myself each a pair of earrings. How thoughtful! Mine are blue flower-shaped with peace signs... right after I told her my favorite color is blue. She is awesome. The rest of the workday, I meandered here & there to a few different worksites to take pictures & help. I got a little muddy working w/ Jonathan on the soon-to-be-sidewalk, and inhaled (well, hopefully not) some poisonous ("veneno" 6) fumes from the sealant on the dresser that was in the will-be-guestroom.
[I can still hear the guys outside waiting for showers, etc. It's past 10pm. I'll explain later]. Like I've said, Brianna & I played with Frosty for quite some time. Work stopped when 3 o'clock rolled around, & a bunch of us went down to the store - at least a 15 minute walk up the road. We passed people and horses (one whose rope had been broken), & other animals (one pony!).
Some houses were playing music - "Low" was a favorite. The store had sandals, chips, ice cream, 2.5 liter bottles of Coke, kids' jewelry... a bunch of stuff. I got vanilla ice cream w/ chocolate syrup & nuts in a pre-packaged cup ("chocolate sundae"), & it was quite good. It cost 700 colones.
We also saw a pig & dogs & roosters on the way back. The rest of the team was playing soccer with the kids when we got back, so some of us were spectators while the others slipped in the mud, but had fun, regardless. Stephen kept swinging these 2 little boys around, & it was really cute. Came back - the muddy ones showered - dinner. = Yum, as always. (Did I forget to write about lunch again?) Also, before the store, some girls walked down to the river to take pictures & wash off our boots. It's so pretty down there. Anyway, after dinner we had girls' night & guys' night. Girls = house w/ Kathy, guys = shelter where we usually meet. This was amazing. Kathy literally told us her life story, & wow she's been through a lot. It's been miraculous, though, because she's been able to see God through it all & hear His voice & follow His guidance. I pray that I can do the same with my life. She also talked about "secret sin," & how talking through any hidden sin in our lives with a mentor is so freeing. Kathy is an amazing woman. Showered after the talk... discovered my 1st three bug bites on my legs - right b/w where my socks ended & my pants begun. The kind where there's just a dot of blood. Don't itch... yet. Hah. The showered originally not as refreshing as last night's, but I made myself enjoy it. [I just switched my headlamp to the red light - so different! But me gusta.] I really want to devote my life to the Lord & live my life to serve Him. Lord, please let me follow Your will alone and let me hear & follow the plans you have for me.
Con amor <3
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