Hello and blessings from Costa Rica,
After more than 6 weeks adjusting to life here and listening to God, I have really started to plant some roots and make connections in this wonderful country. I have been able to plug into several different Bible studies and activities offered by Horizon Church Jaco, which has led to making amazing friends and meeting future partners in ministry. Additionally, this month I have found multiple opportunities to serve the community and spread the love of Jesus. This includes work with the church, such as feeding the homeless, teaching Sunday school, and volunteering to help with youth group. Work with local schools and NOW CR has also taken off again.
I continued to serve at River and Windsor’s local daycare/school, Pequeños Angelitos, in order to help them with their workload and assist in bettering their lesson plans and Spanish/English lessons. I created a real bond with the kids there without even speaking much of their language. They attacked me with hugs every Wednesday when I came and were so excited for my lessons! I was also able to form a friendship with the director of the school as we helped each other learn the other person’s language. We shared our testimonies in the opposite language and prayed with each other. My time there was very sweet and I hope to return after my 6 week sabbatical to language school!
I also just finished teaching a 4 week session on different women in the Bible to NOW Costa Rica’s younger girls small group. Over our studies of Sarah, Esther, Deborah, and Mary Magdalene, I have grown closer to each girl and gotten to know them better. We played a lot of games, shared some laughs and food, and confided in each other. Every week, I challenged the girls to look up other women of the Bible or impactful verses that they could bring to the group and share. I was so amazed by their responses to this challenge and the discussions we were able to have because of this. I’m so grateful and proud of all of these girls and their discipline to show up every week and get to know God better. Please pray that our next session will be just as fruitful and impactful on these girls and their community.
The NOW CR older girls group recently had a rewards day for all of their hard work on their last book study. They earned a pijamara/lock in at the church for a night filled with games, movies, and devotions. I was able to be a part of it and even tried to teach them the card game Spoons in Spanish! They were very patient and forgiving of my poor instructions, but we did eventually figure out how to play together and had a wonderful time. These girls are amazing leaders and examples of followers of Christ in their community. We are hoping and praying that they will soon be able to bring in and mentor some of the younger girls in their neighborhoods in a new Bible study group.
Of course I have also been able to explore more of this beautiful country! We have been fortunate enough to catch some breaks in the rainy season to go to the beach, go surfing, and go on multiple hikes. The local Miro hike is one of my favorites when I want to enjoy the company of friends and nature. We also went on a morning trip to Carara National Park where we took on the challenge of spotting wildlife without a guide. Here are some of my favorite pictures from these adventures:
As this month comes to a close, I am so fulfilled by what God has provided these past 4 weeks and also so excited for the adventures ahead. Just like everyone back in the states, I also took on my first day of school – language school! I will be attending The Spanish Language Institute in San Jose, Costa Rica for 6 weeks alongside other missionaries called to various Latin American countries and to learn the Spanish language. I have met some amazing people so far, including my host mom, single missionaries like me, and families that are uprooting their lives for Jesus! My goal is to learn enough Spanish to teach the NOW CR girls group lessons fully in Spanish without a translator!
Prayers:
Please pray for the physical and spiritual wellbeing of the Ailor family as it has been attacked pretty consistently since returning to Costa Rica.
Please pray for 11-year old Emilyeda, a girl I have been tutoring, and her family as her mother recovers from a major eye surgery.
Please pray for the upcoming mission teams that we will be hosting, Howerton’s Baptist Church (5 person team) September 21-26 and Beale Memorial Baptist Church (6 person team) October 10-17, and their work.
Please pray for the land we are in the process of purchasing in Herradura if it is God’s will that the purchase goes through. Pray for peace through the whole complicated process.
Please pray for the future possibility of starting a volleyball outreach program with the youth in Herradura.
Thank you all again for your continued support and prayers. I pray that all of you stay safe and remember this message: There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, on baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-5
Dios Bendiga, Brooke