¡Avenido 10 y más!

    Kachowdy Everyone (I learned Tesla cringes by this phrase as well as Ag ‘Em Giggies from a sticker I have so I’m going to continue to use them more often 🤠)!! 

    Today has been a good day, I feel much more rested than I did yesterday because I got much more sleep last night! Thank you all that have been praying for rest, I definitely felt rested today! We started out the day a bit later since we didn’t have to be at the CDI until 12:30ish. Before coming on the trip I started reading 2 Corinthians and today I read through chapter 6 and I think recently I’ve been thinking of how I can be genuine in my love for Jesus in all aspects of life even when I’m not directly talking about him or in a church setting or I guess mostly not feeling guilty for just being human and not exactly doing things wrong or bad, but just living and knowing I fully love Jesus and that all I am is through him and how he made me. With that this morning, in 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 Paul was talking about hardships and having pure, genuine and sincere love. I think reading through this was cool because Paul describes/compares many different things we can go through in life and it kind of just hit me that Paul was also just human. I know he is specifically speaking to the people of Corinth for their ministry work, I just felt a cool realization in that fact though of we are all just human, living life for God. Of course we want to live more and more like Christ each day, but for me little things like joking around or doing random little things is okay. We don’t have to be serious all the time, we are allowed to have pure joy of life. I felt I wanted to share that because I was able to enjoy myself and where I’m at in life, place, and relationship with the Lord. I hope that makes sense. Another thing I wanted to share is that God’s comfort has definitely been on my mind this past week leading up to the trip especially since 2 Corinthians starts out talking about His comfort and it felt so fitting for the trip. I’ve been praying for comfort for our team and myself and it’s been sweet to see that in real time. I felt comfort when I was attempting spanish with the children and felt it anytime throughout the day. That just feels so good because I was really nervous about spanish and just not knowing a ton, but the Lord showed provision in that. Praise God! 

Now for the rest of today! Whoop! 

    We all ate breakfast this morning, hung out for a bit, then realized we needed a few things from the store specifically SIM cards for our Costa Rica phones. Tesla, Sam and I went on an adventure to the store (I absolutely love going to the store). OH WAIT, I didn’t tell y’all about the grocery store! The store is called Supermercado Avenido 10. It was so chaotic, so fun, and lowkey stressful lol. Yesterday we went to the store at mid-day and it was so packed, we all had a mission to get certain items from our list of things for the airbnb and so we all went off on our own ways to get those things. Let me describe the store for ya, you walk in with a cart (obvi) and there’s things everywhere, people everywhere and so many things that are easy to grab. Personal space doesn’t exist at the grocery store, when there’s hole or a way to go you just go and pass by people. Same thing as the states but think even more people there. I loved it! (I’ve been 3 times already 😂, once mid-day yesterday, last night with Cassidy and Sam, and then this morning) OOUU also, every time you go and spend a certain amount I think, you get free candy so the candy stash has begun for us 😎. 

    Anyways, once we got back from the store we all chilled a bit longer to then have lunch and head to the CDI. I have been so excited to go back to the CDI and see all the kids that I met last year. We got there and met Georgen, Rachel, and Maria who all volunteer to help with the kids. Everything was already planned for the day there so we started out by organizing all the toys in bins and swept. A bit later the kids started showing up!! The kids that came were Eric, Anyel, Kyany, Axel, Iker, Natasha, Dylan, and Hillary. A few of them were new to me, but I remembered most of them, it was so fun to see them all around us! Rachel started out with an English lesson, which was also really helpful for me to learn things in Spanish. Afterwards, Matthew lead a devotional with the kids and did so good! The kids then acted out the story which was so cute to see because they were all shy at first but then did it. Next they had food which was chocolate cereal and bananas. We then did homework, each one of us got to sit down and help the kids. I got paired with Kyany who is 3 years old, this was so fun because the things we were doing were easy things that I already understood in Spanish. The entire lesson was learning the difference between things that are small and large (pequeña y grande), long and short (largo y corta). With the little Spanish I know she understood it very well. As soon as I started trying to speak more Spanish it felt like my brain was using a whole different part of it because I was able to ask more questions like “What is your favorite color” or “What is that animal” and many other things. I was honestly surprised at myself because I realized I understand and know more than I think I do. Even when I was listening to others I could understand what they were saying for the most part, which feels exciting and makes me feel less insecure in myself than I was feeling before! Praise God for that! Once homework time was over we hung out and then played a few games. Cassidy and I played spot it with Natasha, we said the things in Spanish and English which was also really good for helping me learn more Spanish. I’m feeling more excited about learning Spanish throughout the summer and being challenged in that way. I feel I learn better by experience when it comes to language. Once all the kids left with their parents we headed out and went to the store to get SIM cards (we weren’t able to get them earlier today) and then got pizza from Pizza Hut. Y’all the pizza at this Pizza Hut is SO much better than the Pizza Huts in the states like SO much better! Then we came home started planning for the week. We’re in charge of the menu for what the kids eat this week. Tesla and Cassidy are planning the devotional for tomorrow and I just know it’s going to be good! Tomorrow will be a much longer day, we will be at the CDI from 8 until 4pm. Please be praying for us to be able to be actively engaged with the kids throughout the day. There will be 2 different sets of kids coming since their school schedules are different. 

    I’m looking forward to forming a weekly routine and getting in a good groove of things. Also, looking forward to seeing more kids tomorrow! 

Prayer Points: 

• For our brains to soak up more Spanish and use it easily (that feels weird but feels exciting to have felt a piece of that today).
• For Tesla and Cassidy as they are planning and giving the devotional tomorrow.
• For feeling of rest throughout the day that the Lord provides. 
• For continued joy! 

Jesus loves you so so much!!

I forgot to add this picture, but if you look so closely you can see me. 😆

Thank you for all you prayers and support! 

As always (well if you’re and Aggie) Thanks and Gig ‘Em! Or Ag ‘Em Giggies! 😉