This weeks feature blog post was written by Costa Rica team member Andrew Vose and was originally featured here. Reposted below with permission.
REFLECTIONS ON COSTA RICA 2014
It was so nice to have my oldest daughter with me, to experience the trip with her and with other sisters in Christ. This trip wasn’t about going to Costa Rica and building shelving units for an orphanage, this whole thing was about relationships. About our relationship with God, our relationships with one another and about building relationship with these children.
One young girl at the orphanage named Claudia confirmed this for me. She was mute and deaf, but before we even left for Costa Rica, God gave me a vision of a girl who needed a special dose of love and prayer to help get her through this season of her life and into the future God holds for her. Claudia was that girl!
The trip was about more than a “first missions trip” or white water rafting or seeing the ocean for the first time—it was about loving people and touching their lives with God’s love.
Two of the teenagers that were with us were at a spiritual crossroads in their life, so this trip was critical for them. For me, it was “steady as she goes” with the Lord. Every morning I got up early to walk on the beach and spend time with God. Physically I was always on guard to protect the team, but mostly I did what God called me to do.
On our way back home, our flight was delayed. This might sound strange, but that 26-hour delay was probably the best thing that happened for me because I got to spend time with my daughter. As soon as we found out we were delayed, I prayed and asked God “What’s next? I’m open to whatever you have for us to do.”
My daughter and I ended up visiting a church in the neighborhood. We didn’t understand a word that they said, but we were one in spirit. The time of worship touched my daughter so much that it was the highlight of the whole week. Because of that time, she has new goals and a new purpose for her life. God showed her what He is calling her to do.
In the end, I will never forget the people that I met and the team I shared this trip with. I think about them and pray for them everyday. I think most of us had our own agenda in going, but God had His. If you are thinking about going on a trip and the Lord releases you to go …. do it! Use your vacation time if you have to, it’s worth it! Perhaps someday we may get to see some of these kids in heaven and they will come up to us and thank us for touching and changing their lives.
Andrew
No comments:
Post a Comment