Weeks 25-26: Signing Off

 I am now down to my final days in Costa Rica. Amazing. As the departure day draws near I am thinking more and more about being home---and at the same time reflecting on the past six months. It's been an adventure.

To my boys: I'm going to miss you guys.

If you told me a year ago that I would be living in Costa Rica, I would have laughed and dismissed that idea. There was no reason to leave my job, friends, and life as I knew it in exchange for something so uncertain. But thankfully God called and brought me here, and by his grace I've been blessed through this time. There are so many things that I have learned from this experience that I believe will have a profound impact on the rest of my life. I pray that they will.

With so many lessons learned, it's difficult to express my entire sentiment on this experience. However, I think one lesson really captures the essense of what God wanted to teach me here: God doesn't need me to go out and save the world--He will redeem this world. On the contrary, I have seen how much I need Christ in my own heart. A broken heart cannot fix a broken world. I can only ask the Lord to transform my own heart that I might be an instrument in his hands. Here there is power.

To all those who have prayed for me, encouraged me, and supported me: Thank you. Without your faithfulness I would not be here in Costa Rica. You each have played a huge part in the blessings God has bestowed on me.

This is my last blog and the next time you hear from me--God willing--it will be in person. Until then...

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen. Gal. 6:18

Signing off...

Weeks 22-24: Run with Endurance!

Papa, check out this cow pasture!

About a month ago I sat down and looked through a Costa Rican travel guide. With my time dwindling, I hoped to find one more weekend adventure to take before returning to the States. It didn’t take long before I found the page on Mount Chirripo, Costa Rica’s tallest mountain peak. Sitting at a mere 12,530 feet above sea level, Mount Chirripo is one of the tallest mountains in Central America and a challenge for any would-be-climber. I was sold right when I came to the page, and soon afterwards I convinced three of my fellow interns to join me on this new found quest.



Into the forest.



This past weekend the four of us set out to conquer Mt. Chirripo. I believe my exact words before the climb were (as so often is my saying): “we’re going to dominate Mt. Chirripo.” Well, there was plenty of domination going on this weekend—mostly of my knees, calves, and feet.  The plan was to hike up to the summit on Saturday and return on Sunday. There was a lodge 5 km from the summit where we would spend Saturday night.  Most people set aside at least 3 days for the climb and descent, but because of time limitations…and pride…we would have to do it in two.

 

A small victory on Saturday--reaching the lodge.

The Valley of Rabbits

After a grueling day of hiking on Saturday, including parts of the trail called “Hill of no Hope” and “Hill of Repentance” (and there was plenty of repentance on that hill…), we came to the base camp lodge. Because of storms moving in, we decided to not climb to the summit that afternoon. We sat around Saturday afternoon in our lodge room, debating whether or not we would attempt a summit climb on Sunday. A summit attempt on Sunday meant that we would have to cover 25km (15 miles) of steep elevation change all in one day. We had come too close and could not be defeated, so we woke at 2:00am Sunday morning and began the 5 km climb to the summit. With headlamps and tired bodies, we proceeded to the summit---and made it! I let out a Braveheart –sized yell as I gazed out across some of the most beautiful land in the world. There we stood, just before sunrise, on top of Costa Rica.

A freezing cold summit!

Now back in Atenas (and an elevation where I can breathe again), our time to finish our projects is also quickly dwindling. With all the interns leaving in less than three weeks, we still have much work to complete on several projects. Honestly, I don’t see how we will finish in time. But, regardless of the situation, I hope that we can finish with a strong effort. I was recently reminded by a good friend of a verse in Hebrews:  ...Let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.. Heb 12:1,2. While not wanting to over-simplify this verse, I think it does speak to the ones that will become tired and weary in the race that is life—in my case, an internship.  

Please pray that God will show us a miracle and let all the necessary work be completed in these final days. Also pray that we would remember why we are doing this work and for whom. It is easy to become distracted with our daily labor and to forget our ultimate calling in Christ.

Surely in Him we will find endurance.

Sunrise after the summit---Well worth the pain.