Twelve Days

Hello again! Less than two more weeks and I will be leaving Costa Rica and planting my feet firmly on US soil, God willing. I can’t tell you how much of a relief it is to know how close I am to the end. It is hard, though, because with the knowledge of leaving soon comes impatience and me not enjoying myself in the little time that I have left. So I would like to ask if you wouldn’t mind praying for patient endurance for me, so that I would be able to live through these last two weeks undistracted by ideas of home. I’m going to try a smaller recap because I am getting the feeling it’s too tedious to read my lengthy life stories.

Last weekend our group (minus Brian and Ada) went to the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano and stayed a hotel with an incredible view. It was pretty humbling, because we were under the impression that there was A/C and TV there, but much to our dismay it turned out to be open air. We were also told our food would be covered, but when we got there, only breakfast would be paid for... and the meals cost $12. That was a let down, but we were all glad to be in each other’s presence and we made the most of the trip. That night at dinner we met an American family from Arizona who had their two sons with them who had just graduated high school. The mom was a very excited, friendly woman, and Stephen, Krista, and I ended up sitting with the mom and dad after dinner discussing our lives here, their travel plans, and what they had done at the volcano. Krista and I weren’t going to go on the planned hike… mostly because it was a hike and we don’t do exercise. But Julie talked us into going with a great description of what they had seen the day before on the hike around the volcano. It was amazing, though, because this woman describing to me this hike and why I simply must do it and not sit around reminded me so much of Miss Jenni, it was astounding. So Saturday we went on the hike and saw boiling hot springs and bubbling mud pits and leaf carrying ants. Afterwards, we stopped at a tourist trap and bought candy to hold us over until dinner because we didn’t want to pay for lunch . I ended up paying two dollars for a snickers bar… how depressing. But it was a goooooood snickers bar! That night around dinner time, we all got hit with a mysterious gassy feeling in our stomachs, and one by one we all entered the bathroom, not to return for awhile. Out of the seven of us, five of us determined that we were the ones to have had milk at breakfast (I know, I hate milk, how ironic... but I had it in ceraeal). So diarrhea plagued us basically all night and even some of us in the morning the next day. That put kind of a damper on the night, but I learned some amazing things through that experience. I am terrified of toilets and of being sick and of course that combined in a foreign country really could have sent me over the edge. But instead, I found myself on the toilet praying for God to be glorified in this experience… which seems so funny to me now, praying that he would receive glory from my diarrhea. But I knew that it was his perfect timning, because I was with friends and I was in a hotel with multiple bathrooms…. And it could have been much worse.

I’ve been a bit discouraged lately wondering if I am wasting my time here thinking about home or wishing I was home, etc. but I have learned so much from this experience, that I know that it is just a lie to keep me distrated from the rest of the days I have here. I have learned that I am family oriented person, and also that if this is my only chance to teach English in a Spanish speaking country, that I have done it. I am living that dream.

Wednesday I went to my kindergarten teacher’s house after school to spend time with her family and spend the night. She invited me over after we had had an amazing conversation about Christianity and how she wished her kids had more faith like I had. That was humbling because I knew I was way far from perfect, but she wanted me to come and basically be an example to her family, as well as set me up with her 19 year old son, I determined later. Seeing as setting people up always goes well with me, I ignored that part and instead focused on the chances I got to speak with the family. Her husband and I had an interesting conversation and it ended up he asked me when I was saved. I told him last summer and gave him a testimony of sorts. Then their 12 year old daughter saw me reading my Bible later and started to read over my shoulder, translating the English into Spanish! It was definitely amazing to experience that, and that night there was a tremendous thunder storm that only solidified my awe in the almighty God as he showed just how amazing and in control He was.

This week I gave a speaking exam to my kids, which is another story unto itself, but one worth telling at some point, don’t worry. In person. This weekend has been super relaxing as well... we are at the beach house and we have enjoyed wonderful meals, rode horses on the beach, and spent time at the pool. I have been a little sick to my stomach, which I have determined is a combo of lack of sleep, not being able to go to the bathroom regularly, and my nerves about going home. It has been interesting to learn about how to trust God again this week about my stomach ache… how amazing is it that when I’m not focused on home, I don’t feel so sick. I miss you guys so much and I am so thankful for this experience… I pray that God can receive glory from both of those feelings! Twelve days, my friends.

--Amanda