Hello Friends!
Today is Monday, and after a slower week, resting and working on our Spanish, we had a busier weekend and have many things planned this week. We spent Saturday at camp with Vida Joven & Capernaum kids. And Sunday, we attended a church in Escazu. Escazu Christian Fellowship. (West side) They don’t have an actual building, but meet in the International Baptist building on Sunday nights and the service is in English. We plan to visit another church on Sunday, Viva Abundante on the East side, where they translate from Spanish to English in their earlier service. No English speaking churches on the East side that we can find. The service yesterday was done in a Taize tradition where it’s completely unplugged, no lights, no instruments. Only our voices and candles. They do this a few times a year. Candles lighting the words we sing, candles used to see the scripture readings, and long silences and moments of prayer throughout the night. It was a beautiful time to be still during a service with others to pray, be still, and then we took communion together with them as a family. We were introduced to the small congregation there, and were approached by many afterward with blessings, encouragements, offers to use their homes for YL mtgs, and to help us look for homes as time nears for our move here. We are hosting and cooking dinner for some staff this week; which we’re excited about.
Our time has been filled with great moments, and challenging moments, but we’re starting to see and feel more that God is going before us and providing people and relationships already. Driving here is difficult, but it’s getting better as we are starting to understand where we are and where we are going and learning some landmarks that help us know if we are near our destinations. Our map app has only failed us a few times, and a few landmarks provided clues as to where we were, and we found our way. The churches here provide insight into which way you are headed, which I find quite beautiful. For instance, front doors will always face one direction, and each town has one, usually across from a park.
We’ve had many funny things happen too. We’ve encountered a mouse in our house, and woke up this morning to a green Macaw in an upstairs bedroom. Really. Jim captured him and set him free. We’re still unsure where the mouse is hiding but we’re not thinking too much about it. Maybe he’s figured a way out. 🙂 One afternoon/night we were totally without power, just up until the moment we were needing to cook dinner. We had candles everywhere and Jim decided to pray. As he prayed, “Jesus, I know it’s silly, but we could really use some power to cook.” the lights came back on. Here’s a picture just before that:
Much like Nica last year, there is a lady that will come twice a week, and she’s here today. We met her last Summer, but each Monday and Wednesday, we drive down the mountain to the bus stop and pick her up, and then take her back mid day. She is helping us with our Spanish.
For the 4th of July, we let the kids make brownies and played some football. We hung out on a blanket together as a family in the yard, listened to music, played with the dogs, and only had to kill one centipede. 🙂 Tiger is the dog staring down Ella waiting for her to drop her apple.
On the way to camp, we picked up a couple, Toti and Will. Will used to be a kid in Lourdes when the first Young LIfe/Vida Joven club started in 1981. He used to be the national director, and now they serve and work alongside people here on staff, and on committee. I got to really practice Spanish with Toti on the way, and enjoyed meeting her. She and I connected even with her little English and my little Spanish. It was enough to become friends, and when it was time for daily coffee back up the hill, we walked together back and enjoyed more time together. As we sat in the kitchen and dining hall, a torrential rain came through, and fog settled not only around us but among us. We were literally sitting in a cloud, and work crew began shutting the sliding doors to the dining hall because it was so foggy inside too! At some point, we decided to head home once the rain slowed, but got stuck. Toti and I pushed the car up the hill as Jim hit the gas and we were unstuck! TEAMWORK…
The Kids had a great time at camp, too “helping” them test out all the games and gear while the kids in camp did what is called the “walk of faith”. Great job for the Hamptons. Here’s a few pics. The guy working the rock wall is an intern for Camp on Wheels, and he’s American too. His name is John.
As the kids started coming up through the long trail after the walk of faith, they entered into a carnival-style tent with games and a rock wall. They were all very emotional coming up through the trail, and some kids had red eyes and serious demeanors as they entered. We greeted them, and showed them to a place they could sit, or explained there were games to play when they were ready. This was a celebration at the end of a very intense and powerful walk with their leaders. Over 100 kids, and each kid did the walk of faith with their leader, one at a time. So this took a while, and kids all slowly trickled in. As time passed, kids played games, sat in circles on the grass and discussed what had occurred.
The Walk of Faith here in Costa Rica, is very different from anything done in the States. Kids are blindfolded, and walked through a maze and their only guide is their leader. The kids love and trust their leader from often years of friendship and a good relationship, and each kid agrees to do it. They talk through each step, and compare what they are doing with their walk with Christ. They talk them through, how they can’t do it alone. They talk them through many things that have come up in cabin times, the importance of resolving conflicts with others, finding peace in Jesus alone, and offering Grace as well as receiving it. Toward the end of the walk, they hand them a rope and the leader steps away, telling them that now they will learn to listen to the right voice, and that there will be a wrong voice too. We believe here that they are teaching about the battle. Teaching that as they grow, they will need to discern and choose. As they tell them to stay on the rope, and stress the importance of not letting go no matter what happens, they explain that it’s the same as their journey in life with Christ. Know the truth, and walk obediently rather than getting off track by listening to the wrong voice. As they begin to hold the rope and walk, they have two people actually whispering in their ears… a good voice, and a bad one. It struck me how literal and how much desire the staff and leaders have for wanting kids to understand the battle, to understand the choice is every day, and how they tried to lay that out for them in a way they could understand. How failure is sometimes where we all may find ourselves, but to trust Jesus enough in his work on the Cross, to get back up and keep going.
Here’s the trail the kids walked up from:
Here’s a collage of the time at the tent. A celebration after many decide to follow Christ. We love how here at camp, kids learn following is an action, and that it’s theirs to choose. Not something passed down from family (although that’s important) but that in the end, it’s their personal relationship, and nothing can be a substitute for that.
Our family loved being part of such an important day for so many kids. We pray for us all to believe that LOVE is what God would have us do with our lives and that everyone is invited however messy, and whatever disagreements may be present. In recent headlines and political statements back home, we pray everyone would care less about their positions, and more about loving each other and wrestling together to find truth. Just like a young child’s idea of truth may not be true in actuality, maybe we could just pray with great humility for wisdom and understanding from the only One that gives it for our communities and around the world. In the sea of kids we saw at camp, imagine the variety of beliefs they all walk in with. Some said yes to Jesus, and some said no… Some have warped ideas of friendship, marriage or dating; some have never known a father, never celebrated a birthday, and all are capable of being cruel and hurtful to each other, and yet LOVE flows to all of them as they find their way.
There are moments when the Spirit seems to fall and rest so sweetly on a place. Being near it is a gift, and offering encouragement to those who let go of the rope, too, is a gift. Many kids that decide that No, now isn’t the day for them to decide to follow Jesus, I believe that God is still present and working in their hearts. It’s still good when a Kid can articulate why they can’t step into a relationship yet, and we think it’s often the beginning of true wisdom. They need to wrestle through it, and it must be theirs. No one can do this for them, and whether they let go of the rope or hang on to the end, (say yes or no to Jesus) we say YES to them. We will continue loving kids and walking with them regardless of their decision about Christ. It’s His work, not ours. It’s His to convict, to change and to set free. Not ours. And while the power of the Holy Spirit resides in all of us, we’ve no power of our own. This is why it’s so beautiful to see a kid truly meet Jesus; to see that something divine just happened. It’s in these moments when we are reminded that it’s only by the work of God that people choose Him in a world screaming every alternative. He takes hold of us and ambushes every plan and idea of a great life we thought we had or wanted. Then he seems to hold our plans up next to eternity and offers us an ability to gain some perspective. Thankful today how He loves us all the same and all the time. Thank goodness. Freedom is here, for all who want it. We love you guys and thankful for each of YOU!
Blessings to you all!
Love, the Hamptons