Missionary.
That word
has always sounded beautiful, daunting and inspiring to me. While I have always
had a heart for Missions, I did not think I would be a long term missionary, let
alone uproot my comfortable life to go where the Lord called me. Yet, this is
what God has called me to do for 2019.
I had my comfortable
amazing life in Costa Mesa where I graduated from college, started my first
teaching job, lived with my best friends and attended my loving Church. Then I
went to Costa Rica on a short term missions trip in February and the Lord spoke
very clearly to me that He has other plans. During that week trip, I
experienced the Lord’s presence in the country, through His children and His
church. I felt called to return but was not sure what that would look like
after I left to return home. Then doors were swung open and the principal of a
small private Christian School contacted me from Uvita Costa Rica asking if I
would be interested in teaching. This school is a Bi-lingual school that
provides a stellar education to the local children and international students
that are living in Costa Rica. But the mission of the school is to be the hands
and feet of Jesus in showing God’s redeeming love. Oh, did I mention Uvita is
located on the southern pacific side of Costa Rica and is a beautiful beach town
surrounded by rich mountains of jungle that meets the sea? OKAY GOD. Well, one
thing led to another and I took a flight down to check out the school, and see
if God was opening this door for me. Upon arriving, I was very nervous and a
bit anxious. I kept thinking about the lack of resources, the fact that I will
be moving by myself away from friends and family for a year, living on my own
and living in a new culture. But the Lord kept asking, “DO YOU TRUST ME?” and I
have chosen to answer with a resounding YES.
Psalm 37:4 says,
“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” The
Lord knew the desire of my heart is to help children in need. The desire to be
immersed in the beauty of the mountains and the ocean. The desire to understand
Spanish and live in a different culture with the purpose of showing God’s love
to everyone. Therefore I am saying YES to leaving comfort to be a light in
Costa Rica and be a missionary to serve those in Uvita.
In January 2019 I
will be moving to Uvita and teaching first grade. I will be living in a small
Casita down the road from school and working with the local church. The church
is an amazing Bi-lingual church with plans to strengthen the Lord’s kingdom in
Costa Rica. I will be developing and leading the Orphanage Ministry and helping
with worship as well. While these plans were not a part of my five year life
plan, I am confident it will be so much better then anything I could have
planned for myself.
I have attached my Go
Fund me if you feel inclined to help out in this journey from getting school
supplies to helping out with a plane ticket. In my Go Fund me is the link to a
video that I did for my church upon my return from the February Mission trip.
Costa Mesa to….
Costa Rica!
