On Tuesday, I mentioned what a blessing the volunteers are to the children of Roblealto. One guy and his wife bonded with one of the houses last year (it just happens to be the house my friend Ivannia mothers). His wife couldn't come back this year because she is taking care of their adorable baby, but this guy spent every moment he possibly could with the kids of the Jardin house. At lunch he went up to play soccer with them and he got permission from Ivannia to come before the scheduled supper time so he could hang out with them more. It was so amazing, beautiful, heart-warming, inspiring, etc. to see the love and commitment this man has to those kids! I had never seen a volunteer do that before.
But I'd also like to take a moment and share how the volunteers blessed me. A couple of them were asking me about my role here, how I got here, etc. As I recite the very abbreviated version of how I came to be a missionary in Costa Rica, I often tell people I never thought of being a missionary and could not have dreamed of doing all I do here. But, I tell them, when I look back, I can see how God directed it all and brought me to this place. He carefully crafted my upbringing, which Spanish teachers I would have, which college I would go to, where I would study abroad, etc. God had every little detail all worked out and intentionally, lovingly brought me to the place I am today. That is good reason for praising Him!
I was thinking over this, and Friday night as I was praying for Horace (what my mom and I call my future husband-- not sure why she had to choose that name, but that's beside the point), the Holy Spirit reminded me of something very special: If God has been faithful and directed everything in the past, surely he will continue to do so! What a marvelous promise! It can be hard waiting for Horace sometimes. Is he supposed to be a tico? Some other kind of Latino? Or is some gringo supposed to fall out of the sky somehow? Will it be someone I currently know, or will we really have to start from scratch? What will our relationship be like?
Recently I was journaling about some of these questions, and I felt God reminding me not to be like Abraham. God promised Abraham a son. Abraham believed him, but tried to take matters into his own hands. He went to his slave Hagar since his wife Sarah was barren. Hagar had a baby, and sadly things didn't work out so well with all that. Abraham didn't do things God's way, and it brought consequences (see Genesis 15-18 and 21). In my impatience, I've occasionally gone looking for Horace, and I'll confess it hasn't gone too well. But, just as God gave Abraham his promised son through his wife Sarah, I believe God will bring Horace and me together according to his good and perfect plan. If God has been faithful and directed everything in the past, surely he will continue to do so! Praise his name!
You never know what God will do with a simple conversation you have with someone...
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